New York City’s skyline is known for pushing boundaries, but a new skyscraper design is about to take things even further. Called The Big Bend, this 4,000-foot-long U-shaped structure is unlike anything we’ve ever seen before.
Designed by Oiio, an architectural company in NYC, it’s been coined ‘the longest building in the world.’ What’s even cooler is how it works around NYC’s strict zoning laws in a really clever way.
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The Big Bend, a revolutionary concept for New York’s skyline.
Preparations are underway to build the world’s longest skyscraper in New York City. Oiio Studio is proposing something bigger than anything you’ve seen before: a 4,000ft structure with a unique design, to be called The Big Bend.
This skyscraper is turning things upside down with its unique U-shape design.
When you think of a skyscraper, you usually picture a tall building shooting straight up into the sky. But this upside-down U is something totally different. The designers say it’ll help them “overcome the limits of the skies.”
The U-shaped design isn’t just for aesthetics, it’s a clever workaround.
The Big Bend has a unique design, but there’s an important reason why it’s shaped this way. In NYC, planning laws are super strict, especially for skyscrapers. Developers have to buy ‘air rights’ to build massive structures. If The Big Bend were 4,000 ft. straight up, it would actually cost a lot more. So by folding the design back to the ground, they can create something huge without needing extra space upwards.
Oiio’s design cleverly navigates New York City’s strict planning laws.
Despite NYC’s strict planning laws, Oiio came up with this cool workaround. By cleverly using a loophole, they hope to push the boundaries of what we can create. It’s smart, but also pretty sneaky.
The elevators in The Big Bend will redefine how we think of vertical travel.
A pretty cool part of the design is that the elevator travels all the way around the U-shaped bend. On its website, Oiio writes: “The elevator can travel in curves, horizontally and in continuous loops. The innovative track changing system allows for the horizontal connection of two shafts on the top and bottom to create a continuous loop.”
The Big Bend surpasses global icons in length and height.
If we measure the full length of the bend, The Big Bend would surpass Dubai’s Burj Khalifa by over 1,000 feet. When it comes to height, it would also stand 200 feet taller than the One World Trade Center.
Measuring length instead of height could change skyscraper design forever.
On Oiio’s website, designer Ioannis Oikonomou writes: “We have become familiar with building height measurements. But what if we substituted height with length? What if our buildings were long instead of tall?”
“If we manage to bend our structure instead of bending the zoning rules of New York, we would be able to create one of the most prestigious buildings in Manhattan. The longest building in the world.”
The Big Bend’s bold concept could redefine architectural boundaries.
This skyscraper concept could really change architectural norms with its creative design. It optimizes air rights and challenges current zoning regulations, introducing a whole new era of urban design. Its inclusion of cool technologies like the MULTI elevator system, which moves both horizontally and vertically, demonstrates its futuristic approach.
Finding investors is the biggest challenge for bringing The Big Bend to life.
Oiio is actually still looking for investors for their big project. Finding investors for The Big Bend is challenging due to its unique design and the scale of the project. The huge financial backing needed to overcome development risks makes it a tough sell in a competitive real estate market. But still, its potential for high returns is a key attraction for developers.
The Big Bend could one day become a defining feature of New York City.
So let’s just wait and see if The Big Bend will become one of Manhattan’s most iconic and defining features. It’s a new era of skyscraper design, and it looks like Oiio is about to dominate the New York skyline!
