Philip Oldfield is Director of the Architecture Programme at the University of New South Wales Sydney, Australia. Here he convenes the architecture + high-performance technology stream and leads a studio exploring sustainable high-rise design. He researches and writes widely on tall buildings and sustainability and is a British Science Association Media Fellow.
To create high performance tall buildings, designers must better respond to a number of factors - including environmental considerations, lifecycle carbon emissions, efficiency, integration within the community and context etc. Dr Oldfield's book provides a framework for a dialogue on how to do this. It informs and inspires the reader in terms of some of the fundamental considerations necessary when creating sustainable tall buildings through providing details on several key themes for the essential future of skyscrapers, from the creation of zero-energy precincts, to the use of highly efficient structural systems. - Adrian Smith, Founding Partner, Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture This book provides a well-illustrated exploration of the broader sustainability issues tall buildings face, from energy performance to social connectivity. Its research and case studies demonstrate how approaching high-rise architecture as the design of urban infrastructure, rather than individual objects, can unlock the potential of this building type to provide a range of public benefits. - Jeanne Gang, Founding Principal, Studio Gang Architects