Project submitted to the 2006 Skyscraper Competition
Designed by: Louis Edward 

Fractal Geometry
Fractal geometry is used to describe and analyse the complexity of the irregular shapes in the natural world around us. The most striking property of these ‘fractal’ shapes is their characteristic patterns are found repeatedly at descending scales, so that their parts, at any scale, are similar in shape to the whole.

Concept
To redistribute the fabric of the skyscraper into a fractal based city network-form within the eco-systemic paradigm. Moving away form building the skyscraper to act as an isolated part toward building skyscrapers to act as part of a whole.  From this point on, the skyscraper cannot be viewed as an isolated entity, although it will still be physically or visually present. The growth or build of a skyscraper thus become an emerging process as part of an evolved urban fabric and not build at once.

The whole idea can be compared with the growth of a cell-based organ like the hart. Energy input is directed towards a specific framework according to an underlying order or framework (in this case DNA). The energy manifests itself as specialised cells and slowly a hart or muscle emerges as part of the rest of the body. The hart’s function and presence is meaningless without the body it is nestled in. It’s non-linear relationship with the whole body manifests it’s meaning. All the processes of input and output of a city are structured within the city fabric and become part of urban life; power, process, cleaning, recycling and redistribution.

Horizontal growth
The agglomeration and processes of networks of material and people are not only spread horizontally but vertically. Wholly giving opportunity for a compact city with the systems in place to allow for growth of new greater social, economical and environmental system entropy… allowing endless possibilities within this new and complex but ordered city. Increasing the levels of physical contact (bridging) increases the fabric to a multidimensional system rather than the classic two-dimensional footprint. Finally In keeping this evenly distribution of economical, social and environment functions within the fabric, a balance emerges through time that that will help us live more sustainably. A skyscraper cannot emerge.