Community, Sustainability & The Skyscraper: Can they co-exist?

High rise buildings have a reputation for often being isolationist, anti-social, elite structures that do nothing for the community beyond their direct inhabitants, and are typically energy guzzling in both operation and the materials taken to create them. In addition, the Covid-19 pandemic has further challenged the premise of the skyscraper, and the health of the internal environments created. Against the backdrop of the global urban population increasing by one million people every week, however, is there a way to achieve higher urban density, and skyscrapers, that are both socially and sustainably responsible? In this presentation, we hear from the CEO of the global non-profit charged with steering the direction of high-rise buildings and future cities, Dr. Antony Wood, with perhaps some surprising ideas.

Dr. Antony Wood is Chief Executive Officer of the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) , responsible for the day-to-day running of the Council. Wood is also a studio associate professor at the College of Architecture at the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT), Chicago, and a visiting professor of tall buildings at Tongji University, Shanghai. A UK architect by training, his field of specialization is the sustainable design of tall buildings. Prior to becoming an academic, Wood worked as an architect in practice in Hong Kong, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta and London, between 1991 and 2001. He has been the principal investigator for numerous funded research projects.

Patrick Loughran, will serve as moderator for the lecture. Patrick Loughran FAIA, PE, LEED AP, Principal at Goettsch Partners is a noted façade expert and the author of two façade books: Falling Glass and Failed Stone. Licensed as both an architect and engineer, he serves in dedicated project leadership roles and is a key member of the firm’s technical group. He is an adjunct professor at IIT, a regular national presenter and served as the “glass expert” on the National Public Radio show “Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me!”

All lectures are FREE for UTRF members, registration required.

In-Person Tickets: $25 non-members, $10 students

Streaming Tickets: $10 non-members, FREE for students. Live-streamed event will be recorded and available for viewing 72 hours after the event.

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