Vertical push

After already having approved two tower projects with around 50 floors each,Bangalore is now also deliberating a proposal for a structure with over 110 floors. Hyderabad has approved a tower project with over a 100 floors. The southern city has also approved a 90-storeyed tower as well as two constructions each with 40-45 storeys. Kolkata has a couple of projects with 40 -45 floors under construction and the same number of 50-plus storeys being approved. Gandhinagar in Gujarat has also joined the race be approving two tower projects that will have over 85 and 70 storeys each. Pune,Ahmedabad,New Delhi and Chennai are in the fray with a number of proposed towers awaiting approval. However,Mumbai would be the frontrunner with about 20 commercial projects each with over 50 floors.

In January this year,the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority MMRDA proposed to build a 526-metre tall,101-storeyed commercial tower in Wadala,central Mumbai. In the island city,there have also been unconfirmed reports that the 700-metre tall India Tower is going to come up at Marine Lines.

Tier II and III cities are following a similar trend in commercial,or the non-residential,segment. Assuming that all proposed projects will materialise,India will have at least a dozen towers,each with over 80 floors,in next four to five years. The height of a building is usually considered in meters; however,measurements often lead to disputes. To get an idea of comparative heights between towers,the number of floors becomes a handy measuring tool. Technically,a structure with over 24 floors is considered a tower. However,there is a possibility that the height of a single storey varies from building to building,so one may have a case of a tall building with lesser number of floors but more height in meters.

Housing structures

Coming to the residential segment,Mumbai is set to break its own national record. Earlier,Shreepati Arcade a 45-storey tower at Nana Chowk,south Mumbai,was the tallest occupied residential building in India. Then came the 57-storeyed Lodha-Bellissimo. The Imperial Twin Towers by S D Constructions will now compete for the crown of tallest residential project with 60 floors in each tower.

But the race is far from over. At least a dozen proposals for residential towers taller than Imperial have been announced by developers across India. So far the most talked about project is the 90-storeyed Oberoi Skyz,a joint venture between Oberoi Constructions and ICICI at Worli in central Mumbai. However,recent announcement of World-One by Lodha Developers has changed the equation. This project proposes 117 floors towering above the competition at 442 metres. If completed by 2014,as claimed by the developers who are about to come out with an IPO,it will be the tallest construction in the residential segment. Currently,the worlds tallest occupied residential building is Q1,a tower in Gold Coast City,Australia,measuring approximately 323 metres.

Race for height

Status,aesthetic value addition and better view are not the defining factors in the race to build taller and taller structures. Densification is one of the most important elements. According to Niranjan Hiranandani,managing director of the Hiranandani Group,vertical expansion is the only option if cities are to grow and flourish. Tall structures help accommodate more people in the limited resources of land. With the growing number of immigrant population in the city,if horizontal construction continues,the city will in no time run out of options for further development, says Shailesh Sanghvi,director of the Sanghvi Group of companies.

Tall buildings use lesser ground area and so more land available for better infrastructure development such as parking,gardens,and other important facilities. Besides better space planning,it gives the developer scope to create good landscape,which in turn contributes to bettering the residents lifestyle and status, says Vikas Oberoi,chairman and managing director at Oberoi Realty. A flat on a higher floor offers residents an escape from the frantic pace of city life. There is a significant reduction in the level of smog and noise. It also provides more light,better ventilation and greater relief from the heat. In short,better quality of life, says Jitendra Jain,managing director of Neev Group.

Mumbai,which is currently struggling to meet the housing needs of millions,is a perfect example of space crunch,and hence,vertical expansion.

Construction problems

While overall Floor Space Index FSI remains low in the country,especially in big cities,it is also difficult to obtain large-sized plots within cities for construction of towers. These are the primary reasons for the dearth of skyscrapers in India. Most developers favour towers as the solution for the housing deficit. However,for some skyscrapers are not the complete solution. According to town planner Chandrashekher Prabhu,the sub-soil of a plot reclaimed from marshy land may not hold the load of a tower and the foundation may sink unevenly. He reasons that restrictions are needed to control rampant construction of towers.

The two most questioned aspects of skyscrapers are structural stability and security. Tall building structures require specialised skill to combat structural,safety and design challenges. There are many geo-technical risks and challenges that a developer faces while constructing a tall building, adds Shailesh Sanghvi. In order to make the tower withstand natural calamities,the design has to incorporate mechanisms to resist wind force of a very high intensity, says Ajit Bhuta,an architect from Mumbai.

The second important issue from the buyers point of view is safety in case of fire. For this,towers are designed with free spaces for rescue and fire resistant materials, adds Bhuta,who is designing a couple of up-market towers in central and eastern Mumbai. The precautions do not end at the drawing board,developers are worried as well. New systems for protection against fire such as special aluminum façades for fire resistance,fire retardant doors and gas leakage detection devices are being installed by some developers.

Complimenting infrastructure

There is also the issue of the strain on over-stressed infrastructure. Many argue that while every new iconic project is important for a city,it alone cannot succeed. It must have corresponding,complimenting,adequate infrastructure. If not,it would be a burden on existing resources. An alert citizen may ask,How will the infrastructure cope with the sudden burden of thousands of people of a tower with 80 or 100 floors? What of their water and drainage needs? What about the hundreds of cars and their parking? What about the pollution and noise and congestion?

According to Niranjan Hiranandani,building towers is not everyones forte. Big builders will always ensure structural strength,infrastructure load sharing and safety features at the planning level itself,as they have their reputation to protect. In fact,the government and the administration should cooperate in improving infrastructure.

The price of flats in high-rises is always higher than the prevailing rate in the vicinity as the tower commands a better lifestyle and higher status. Besides,vertical expansion needs deeper foundation. Both need more construction material and special skills and technology. This also translates into a high price, adds Vikas Oberoi. The pricing within a tower depends on the number of floors it has,besides location,age and the amenities it offers.

Special amenities

Some builders are also offering lifestyle features. For instance,S D Construction will provide concierge services,a mini theatre and restaurants in their towers,while the Lodha Bellisimo plans to provide features like a cricket-pitch,forest garden and waterfall. Some developers are planning to have malls,multi-activity enclaves and entertainment zones,jogging tracks,amphitheatre and recreational space for senior citizens. The Oberoi is planning to provide a resort backdrop to the flats along with the usual amenities. In its World One project,Lodha plans an open-air observatory at 305 metres,the first of its kind in the city,and six sense spas. The scope of these amenities depends on the size of open space available and the number of flats designed.

Vertical development for space-starved cities is necessary and essential. However,it should have matching infrastructure to support it. In India,each tower announced springs wonder and worries. If there has to be a race,it should be for quality and not quantity of floors and metres. Racing for the tallest building at present is nothing more than a race of one-upmanship in the field. As Joe Colaco,president of CBM Engineering,USA,says,The tallest tag is a temporary affair. By the time one becomes the tallest,two more taller than that are underway and four more would be announced.