SKYSCRAPERS

Evening Star, Issue 20372, 2 January 1930, Page 1

SKYSCRAPERS

STARTLING PREDICTION FOR THE FUTURE Business men taking short flighty from the top of one building to an* other as part of their daUy business! life is forecast in an article on the skyscrapers of the future, in a recent issue of the ‘ Builder.” The author describes a conference on building problems, attended by overs 1,000 men and women that was held in Montreal last June. The most interesting part of the proceedings (he says]> related to the office buddings which will soon be adorning the cities* of the Western Hemisphere. It is Said that in > T ew I ork buildings of! this type will be about 200 ft by 200 ft., On the outside there will be high-speed? double-deck “ automobile streets,” and double-deck " sidewalks * to handle the enormous crowds of people moving about. It will be necessary to make city life more beautiful, agreeable and convenient. There will be “ underworlds ” in .very truth, since it will be essential, for reasons of space, to develop areas below street levels as deep as possible. Modem artificial illumination makes it possible to work far befow low-moving multitudes on surfaces above. In an age of specialisation it will also come about that special buildings for particular professions, and for financial concerns and businesses of various kinds, will be provided. “Doctor's commons ” may he supplemented by] doctors’ buildings, fitted with operating theatres, laboratories, dispen- ; saries, etc., where the medico of th® future may have everything “ close handy ” for the practice of his profession. Dentists’ buildings are already, in use in America, while those occupied exclusively by members of the legal profession will be more* common than ever. Perfection may never, of course, be achieved in the construction of office; buildings, or at least not in our time.! Improvements will continue as civilisation advances, as fresh discoveries and new inventions are made, and as new materials for construction come into use. The ■ latter are already foreshadowed light, water resisting,* silently framed together, fireproof, and highly efficient in heat insulation—to take the place of bricks, which have been the old stand-by • since the days of the Pharaohs. One of the notable things about the skyscraper will bo its dirigible moor* ing masts and a helicopter landing place on the top of each building. The business man on any floor will only have to walk a few steps into a; lift leading _to the roof, jump into ai flying machine on the helicopter principle, and then “ hop off ” to any pari> or the city be . may wish to visi’ , and, of course - return when ready by tho same_ meaiifi;, *l. This will relieve the pressure on street traffic as well as be the speediest means of getting about. Another innovation will be radio reception from broadcasting channels ■— of which America has many —which will ba available for business speeches and market quotations through base plugs in offices.

More speedy construction will also be effected. It is believed by mem. bars of the American Association that skyscrapers will.soon be erected in half the time now taken. ' Structural steel is being made of greater strength and \ less weisnt. At present vails whi-lr need to hear only lOJlb a square foot are capable of bearing 751 b. if ail this excess weight be cleared away an additional storey could he added. Another factor- which-will reduce weight in American office buildings is that there will soon be. employed iu such, buildings as many women as men, instead of the present ratio of two women to three men. Americans and Canadians likewise a nticipate improvement in office heating. It is proposed to place electric faus hear radiators,thereby fanning the heat and spreading the warm air more evenly throughout the room. ' There will be tubes to detect the presence of, fire, by change of light intensity when smoke - comes into a room, and carbon dioxide will be released; Cleanliness being a big item ia office management expenses, it is proposed that dirt shall be removed from' the shoes of people entering buildings, willy nilly, by a vacuum under a grid over which people will have to walk.- . Another saving of dirt will be effected by keeping buildings under a state of , pressure, so that when windows are opened mo dirt can come in.