The Big Bend: U-Shaped Skyscraper Proposed for New York City
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In a city full of skyscrapers, there's only one way to make a fresh idea stand out. The Oiio Architecture Office looks to do just that with its Big Bend concept building. The upside down u-shaped renderings would make Big Bend the world's longest continual building.
[Image source: Oiio Studio]
The Greek firm plans on making the building over 4,000ft long. This makes it 'taller' than other "supertalls," or structures taller than 1,968 feet. For some comparison, the Burj Khalifa -- the world's tallest structure -- stands at 2,722 ft. tall. However, the Big Bend effectively halves that length with its signature shape.
The building comes as a response to New York City zoning laws. The company said the Big Bend contributes to the trend of "superslenders" especially in Manhattan.
[Image source: Oiio Studio]
"But what if we substituted height with length? What if our buildings were long instead of tall?" the company wrote on its website. "If we manage to bend our structure instead of bending the zoning rules of New York we would be able to create one of the most prestigious buildings in Manhattan."
[Image source: Oiio Studio]
The building itself includes large windows even along the curvature. The legs of the U would straddle historic buildings. Initial drawings situate the Big Bend along 57th Street near Calvary Baptist Church, One57, and at the heart of Billionaire's Row.
[Image source: Oiio Studio]
So how are residents supposed to travel in a building with such a bend? Oiio even calls it "the greatest challenge in elevator history," but they believe they can make it a reality. The elevator would travel with the curvature of the building via a track changing system.
Even if the Big Bend never comes to fruition, Oiio will have certainly brought up a discussion regarding NYC zoning. The company uses architecture to make statements, as it did regarding NYC's heritage and preservation laws. In 2013, Oiio proposed modernizing the Guggenheim Museum by adding 13 stories to the preexisting structure.
[Image source: Oiio Studio]
Native New Yorkers have commented on the story, largely calling the Big Bend an eyesore for looking onto Central Park. However, we wouldn't mind seeing the building get created elsewhere in the city if only for the sake of sheer engineering that goes into making such an outlandish design a reality.
SEE ALSO: Dubai to Add the World's First Rotating Skyscraper to its Skyline by 2020
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