Research Project

The Evolution of Tall Building Flexibility: Adapting to Modern Programmatic Demands

Project Start: December 2023
Anticipated Project Completion: December 2025
Principal Investigators: Daniel Safarik, Will Miranda, Isaac Work & Shawn Ursini, Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat | Florian Troesch, Michael Guarisco & Svetlana Bodilovskaya, Schindler

Many cities are currently facing high office vacancy rates, while simultaneously contending with significant housing shortages, particularly affecting low- and middle-income households. This trend has been intensified by the widespread adoption of remote working policies by companies.

As a result, tall building design and construction have evolved to become more adaptable and flexible, seeking to accommodate the new functions that are demanded by regional markets. New, functionally flexible buildings can help adapt to the current market and alleviate disparities in both living and working space, but additional considerations must be made for the existing building stock.

Many existing buildings are single-function office buildings and are not suitable for the programmatic demands of a modern city. With that said, demolitions of buildings of this height are extremely unusual and can have major impact on the surrounding landscape and adjacent buildings. This, combined with the carbon impact of producing new building materials, makes demolition of outdated buildings for new construction unsustainable and unrealistic. Through building renovations and retrofits, and the implementation of technologies such as Schindler MetaCore, outdated tall buildings can be repositioned in the market to address modern programmatic demands. 

Funding Partner

Steering Committee Members

svetlana-bodilovskaya
Svetlana Bodilovskaya
Senior Communications Manager, Schindler
enrico-cutri
Enrico Cutri
Global Building Project Specification Support, Dow
michael-guarisco
Michael Guarisco
Business Development Manager, Schindler
dennis-poon Dennis Poon
Managing Principal, Vice Chairman Emeritus, Thornton Tomasetti, Inc.
yasmin-al-ani-spence
Yasmin Al-Ani Spence
Director, WilkinsonEyre
florian-troesch Florian Troesch
Head Transit Management & Digital Solutions, Schindler
grant-uhlir Grant C. Uhlir
Principal / Global Director - Large Projects, Gensler

Project Milestones

January 2024: Kick-Off Meeting, Virtual
January 2024: Research Team Meeting, Virtual
April 2024: Follow-Up Research Team Meeting, Virtual
June 2024: Research Steering Committee Meeting, Virtual
September 2024: Research Steering Committee Meeting, London

About the Funding Partner

Founded in Switzerland in 1874, the Schindler Group is a leading global provider of elevators, escalators and related services. Its innovative and environmentally friendly access and transit-management systems make an important contribution to mobility in urban societies. 

In 2023, the Schindler Group generated a revenue of CHF 11.5 billion. Schindler’s mobility solutions move more than 2 billion people every day all over the world. Behind the company's success are over 70,000 employees in more than 100 countries.

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