NYC has seen its fair share of wacky proposals for its iconic skyline, from a skyscraper that would hang inverted from an asteroid to a 3,300-foot battery building. However, one in particular, titled The Big Bend, quite literally bends the rules of NYC architecture.
The city has strict zoning laws regulating a building’s height and floor area ratio (FAR). Not to mention, the higher you build, the more you have to pay. Yet, the Big Bend, recognized for its unique U-shaped design, would circumvent the extra costs all the while occupying more space in the sky.
The height would top out at 2,000 feet (taller than the World Trade Center’s 1,776 feet), but the entire length of the building would stretch a total of 4,000 feet. If constructed, this skyscraper would become NYC’s tallest building and the world’s longest.
The elevator would be an additional feat of design, proposed to travel in curves, horizontally and in continuous loops. An inventive tracking system would permit the elevator to move seamlessly in a continuous horizontal loop between two shafts positioned at the top and bottom of The Big Ben.
“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,” said architect Ioannis Oikonomou, from Athens-based architecture firm Oiio Studio, responsible for designing The Big Bend.
Renderings of the skyscraper place it near 57th Street along Billionaire’s Row, where it would join the world’s tallest residential building.
Although it’s likely The Big Bend will never grace NYC’s skyline, it’s interesting to imagine and has undoubtedly been met with much criticism. Although some have praised The Big Bend for its innovation and futuristic appearance, others are concerned it would overshadow Central Park and perpetuate inequality in architecture.
You can explore renderings of The Big Bend and Oiio Studio’s other designs on the firm’s official website.