How double-skin facades, mass timber and smart systems are reshaping the tall buildings of the next decade.
For most of the twentieth century, the skyscraper was a symbol of ambition measured purely in height. Today, the measure has shifted. The most admired tall buildings are those that give back — to their occupants, their cities and the climate.
Double-skin facades are one of the clearest expressions of this shift. By placing a ventilated cavity between two glazed layers, buildings can dramatically reduce solar heat gain while preserving the transparency clients love. On our recent office towers, this strategy alone has cut cooling loads by more than a third.
Mass timber is another frontier. Once considered unsuitable for anything but low-rise construction, engineered timber is now reaching for the sky. Its warmth, speed of assembly and radically lower embodied carbon make it a compelling choice — provided fire and acoustic performance are engineered with care.
Ultimately, the sustainable skyscraper is a systems problem. Facade, structure, services and controls must be designed together from day one. When they are, the results are buildings that are not only greener, but genuinely better places to be.
Elena Marković
Elena Marković is a member of the Vertica team, sharing insights and perspectives from across the studio.
