Suburban Skylines

[Crawford]

Originally Posted by suburbanite

That picture is of Humber Bay which is probably the most "suburb in the sky" of the major secondary skylines given its location and current connectivity to the core.

At least Humber Bay is really dense and quasi-walkable. Many sprawl highrises have zero urban characteristics.

This is the tallest residential tower in suburban Detroit. Might as well be in a cornfield:
https://www.google.com/maps/place/50...!4d-83.2423202

Often even downtown residentials have minimal urban characteristics. Riverfront Towers in downtown Detroit is a product of 70's-80's era "defense architecture" where everything is moated/walled/gated and intentionally confusing to outsiders:
https://www.google.com/maps/@42.3241...7i16384!8i8192

[Crawford]

Originally Posted by Nite

Explain to me what makes a highrise suburban and what makes one urban.

If there's no relationship to surroundings, overwhelming auto-orientation, and minimal pedestrian accomodation, it's essentially a vertical suburb.

[mousquet]

Originally Posted by llamaorama

How many of these towers are just vertical cul de sacs, realistically speaking?

I think it's been a problem with modern urban planning and arrogant architects who'd like their achievements to crush anything around.
That's why they've been perceived as anti-urban in many cases.

In fact, a tower is only a random object today. Look around, everybody build plenty of them these days. They're not even any symbol of dynamism, wealth or power any longer. Nothing so wannabe special.

I think they could be convenient just as some means to pile up more floors, so urban planners can both keep enhancing density and find some room for more greenery at ground level.

But it's taking subtle skills. The thing is people like urban streets and gardens at the same time, in a same environment. That's what contemporary planners have been working on.

[Steely Dan]

Originally Posted by Crawford

If there's no relationship to surroundings, overwhelming auto-orientation, and minimal pedestrian accomodation, it's essentially a vertical suburb.

yep, it's all about context.


here's the tallest residential highrise in suburban chicago:

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.0467...7i16384!8i8192

i think most of us would feel comfortable placing it in the "urban highrise" column.




conversely, here's another residential highrise in suburban chicago not too far away from the previous example:

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.0579...7i16384!8i8192

i think most of us would feel comfortable placing it squarely in the "suburban highrise" column.

[The North One]

Originally Posted by Crawford

At least Humber Bay is really dense and quasi-walkable. Many sprawl highrises have zero urban characteristics.

Yeah New York has tons of this as well.

https://www.google.com/maps/@40.7324...7i16384!8i8192

https://www.google.com/maps/@40.7270...!7i8704!8i4352

https://www.google.com/maps/@40.7285...7i16384!8i8192

https://www.google.com/maps/@40.7877...7i16384!8i8192

Might as well be "corn fields".

[dave8721]

Originally Posted by Crawford

If there's no relationship to surroundings, overwhelming auto-orientation, and minimal pedestrian accomodation, it's essentially a vertical suburb.

Basically Aventura, FL
https://www.google.com/maps/@25.9560...7i16384!8i8192

More Aventura:
https://www.google.com/maps/@25.9621...7i16384!8i8192

Aventura is an interesting beast. Affluent Suburban but vertical/tower oriented with ~15k per square mile, largely retired Jews/Russians but with a growing family population too.

[iheartthed]

I think neighborhoods dominated by residential high rises are, more often than not, bland urban experiences. Even in Manhattan, some areas with dense concentrations of residential high rises are dead zones for urban vibrancy. For instance: https://goo.gl/maps/cmR7Pb3uufKqn5V5A

[LA21st]

Originally Posted by dave8721

Basically Aventura, FL
https://www.google.com/maps/@25.9560...7i16384!8i8192

More Aventura:
https://www.google.com/maps/@25.9621...7i16384!8i8192

Aventura is an interesting beast. Affluent Suburban but vertical/tower oriented with ~15k per square mile, largely retired Jews/Russians but with a growing family population too.

This is an example why I dont think Socal needs these kinds of highrises near the ocean. Would it make Hermosa or Redondo Beach better?
Where's the walkable areas?

[IrishIllini]

Why is Southfield, MI called Southfield when its NW of DT Detroit?

[LA21st]

Originally Posted by iheartthed

I think neighborhoods dominated by residential high rises are, more often than not, bland urban experiences. Even in Manhattan, some areas with dense concentrations of residential high rises are dead zones for urban vibrancy. For instance: https://goo.gl/maps/cmR7Pb3uufKqn5V5A

On my last visit to Manhattan, certain parts ot he upper eastside (after work hours) were more quiet than I expected with all the massive highrises and such.
But when I went past 30th street or so, everything seemed more vibrant.

Chicago has areas like too-Streeterville is not as busy as River North. Highrises definetely don't equal vibrancy. Lakeshore East is so dead everytime I wander around there.

[iheartthed]

Originally Posted by IrishIllini

Why is Southfield, MI called Southfield when its NW of DT Detroit?

It's the southern part of the township it was created from.

[dave8721]

Originally Posted by LA21st

This is an example why I dont think Socal needs these kinds of highrises near the ocean. Would it make Hermosa or Redondo Beach better?
Where's the walkable areas?

Aventura isn't really ocean front. Sunny Isles or Miami Beach would be Ocean front towers with varying degrees of urbanity/suburnanity.

[iheartthed]

Originally Posted by LA21st

On my last visit to Manhattan, certain parts ot he upper eastside (after work hours) were more quiet than I expected with all the massive highrises and such.
But when I went past 30th street or so, everything seemed more vibrant.

Chicago has areas like too-Streeterville is not as busy as River North. Highrises definetely don't equal vibrancy. Lakeshore East is so dead everytime I wander around there.

Battery Park City also has a ton of high rises but is mostly devoid of street life. Ditto downtown Jersey City: https://goo.gl/maps/4DYssNLgR1rQzWKg7

[Nite]

A few Toronto area secondary skylines

Mississauga Square one skyline

https://urbantoronto.ca/forum/thread...220501&slide=0

Humber-Bayshore Toronto Skyline

https://urbantoronto.ca/forum/thread....21833/page-13

North York City Centre

https://urbantoronto.ca/forum/thread....21833/page-13

and finally one of my favourite photos's of 2019 showing both the Humber and square one skylines

https://urbantoronto.ca/forum/thread....21833/page-12

[dc_denizen]

Houston suburban skylines

galleria area

Galleria Area Skyline-Aerial-March 2019-Mabry Campbell by Mabry Campbell, on Flickr

1800 Bering-Rooftop View-March 2019-Mabry Campbell by Mabry Campbell, on Flickr

[dc_denizen]

Medical center:

River Oaks-Houston Skyline-ROBB-Mabry Campbell by Mabry Campbell, on Flickr

[dc_denizen]

the granddaddy of them all,Miami beach to Hollywood, FL and Fort Lauderdale

Miami Beach Skyline Aerial by David Oppenheimer, on Flickr

[Nite]

A few more of Mississauga Square One Skyline






https://urbantoronto.ca/forum/thread....25827/page-15

[Nite]

And this is the Greater Toronto's newest highrise cluster, Vaughan Metropolitan Center in the city above Toronto. only a few highrises so far many more to come.






https://urbantoronto.ca/forum/thread...t.26901/page-9


This is how it looks in summer 2019

https://urbantoronto.ca/forum/thread...200708&slide=0

and this are the plans for by the end of 2020's

[Nite]

here is a little known even to Torontonian skyline near Victoria Park-Sheppard