JACK AND THE BEAN STALK

"Theorem of the Stacked City," Life Magazine, 1909

The desire to reach the sky has been long embedded in what human hubris and ambition and canonized in myths and childhood stories. I cannot remember who said it, but there is a quote that what separates man from nature is man's ability to manipulate their environment. While I do not completely agree with that (because I believe some parts of nature can also manipulate their environment), I do believe that man has more of an intentional, and slightly obsessive need to do that. I like how Koolhaus calls skyscrapers "sheer territorial multiplication." It was something that I used to be very conflicted about because rationally, skyscrapers are the most logical way to protect the environment by reducing sprawl and concentrating the built environment on the smallest footprint. However, there is something instinctual unnatural about skyscrapers. It goes against every emotion to consider them one of the greatest protectors of the natural environment. I also see the as a solution to other forms of horizontal monotony and gross expansion, specifically slums. Part of want perpetuates the problem (distance from employment, education, etc.) is the sprawling expanse the horizontal creates. Again, however, when we look at massive high-rise, concentrated residential buildings in Hong Kong and other parts of Asia, our initial emotional reaction is that it feels unnatural and inhumane. How do we change that outlook towards something that is such a rational solution? Must we just make that mental shift? I love this old diagram because it predicts how many lives can be lived on the separate levels.