尽管摩天大楼被视为进步和现代的象征,但在欧洲,只有7座摩天大楼跻身全球1000座最高建筑之列。欧洲有着复杂的文化遗产保护法规,导致想要在欧洲建造摩天大楼绝非易事。尽管一些城市如巴黎和伦敦也有摩天大楼,但受限于法律和对历史遗产的保护,整体建设仍相对缓慢。
Why aren't there many skyscrapers in Europe?
Despite being one of the most developed, densely populated and economically prosperous continents, Europe has surprisingly few skyscrapers, particularly when compared to Asia and North America.
Of the 218 skyscrapers constructed on the continent to date, 66% of them are located in just five cities – London, Paris, Frankfurt, Moscow and Istanbul.
So why have other major European cities not embraced the skyscraper?
How do they thrive without the significant inner-urban space and floor areas that these clever structures provide?
And is everything about to change in our increasingly urbanised world?
When skyscrapers first rose to prominence in the 19th Century – first in Chicago and later in New York – many European cities were already firmly established with grand historic buildings and public spaces that left little room for large new structures.
Most of Europe's cities around that time were also more evenly zoned and were not facing the high demand for floor space in key districts that typically drives high rise development.
Additionally, as the power and influence of North America began to grow, a cultural rivalry emerged between Americans who saw Europe's class system as outdated and Europeans who saw some American ideals as eroding traditions and the European way of life.
As a result each continent became wary of adopting the others' concepts.
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