HIGH RISE BUILDINGS

High rise buildings, also sometimes referred to as “skyscrapers” or “tower blocks”, are extremely tall buildings that exceed standard heights. Modern central business districts (CBD) are usually characterized by this type of building structure as they are often used for office, commercial and residential purposes. High rise buildings in foreign cities are often constructed over 50 stories high but smaller cities such as Port of Spain have much shorter buildings than these, though still generally taller than most other structures.

Photos 1a, c and d were taken at downtown, Port of Spain while b was taken at St. Clair.

The Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago (CBTT), otherwise locally known as the “twin towers” is shown in photo a. CBTT is responsible for issuing and redeeming Trinidadian currency, as well as providing sufficient currency to satisfy the public’s needs. 

Photo b shows the RBC headquarters with numerous offices. A daytime photo was not possible but the size of the building can still be seen. 

Photo c shows the Nicholas tower. Compared to the nearby buildings and cars, the Nicholas Tower of business offices appears to be extremely tall. 

Photo d is a building that is currently under construction off Wrightson Road. This goes to show how mainstream this design and structure of buildings are becoming in Trinidad urban areas. This photo was taken with the purpose of capturing the surrounding high rise buildings as well.

Why do governments want to construct high rise buildings?

Some cities in developing countries simply want to emulate a foreign developed metropolis. In Trinidad, this was the former Prime Minister’s (Mr. Patrick Manning’s) goal until there was a change of leadership in 2010.

Urbanization is a process which occurs at greater proportions in developing countries. Over half of the global population now lives urban areas. This results in a demand for urban space. The value of city centres is usually quite high so planners find it more economical to build vertically rather than horizontally to minimize land use.

According to Buyukozturk (2004), there is a demand for high rise buildings for different reasons:

• ·         Scarcity of land in urban areas due to urbanisation
• ·         Increasing demand for business and residential space
• ·         Economic growth
• ·         Technological advancements
• ·         Innovations in Structural Systems
• ·         Desire for aesthetics in urban settings
• ·         Cultural significance and prestige

References:

Buyukozturk, Oral. 2004.  "High-Rise Buildings: Evolution and Innovations." Keynote speech presented at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, World Building Congress from CIB, MA, USA, May 2, 2004.

"Manning’s high-rise legacy meets policy standstill." Trinidad express, February 16, 2014. http://www.trinidadexpress.com/commentaries/Mannings-high-rise-legacy-meets-policy-standstill-245712861.html (accessed April 6, 2014).