Frank Lloyd Wright's mile high skyscraper proposal (2021)

Wright’s “Big Pointy Objects” and Precedents

• Commenters place the Mile High tower in Wright’s “big spire” phase, linking it to other unbuilt projects and to realized elements like the Marin Civic Center spire and a similar structure in Scottsdale.
• Some argue it’s less about pointiness and more about Wright’s “tall tree” conception of high-rises, citing Price Tower as his real prototype.

Comparison to Contemporary Megaprojects

• Wright’s tower is compared to current or recent record-tall efforts like Burj Khalifa and Jeddah Tower; several note that modern projects are approaching similar scales.
• The Saudi “Line” project is widely criticized as unrealistic, security-vulnerable, and morally compromised by likely reliance on exploited labor and oil wealth.
• One commenter argues Wright’s tower has a better chance of realization than The Line, especially given regional conflict risks.

Skyscrapers, Parking, and Mobility

• The “100 helicopter parking” detail sparks a long debate on whether high-rises should provide car parking at all.
• One side insists dense towers without parking are impractical and ignore people’s desire to own cars and leave the city easily.
• The opposing side argues that true metropolises are defined by low car ownership and heavy use of transit, walking, cycling, and car rental; they see parking-heavy towers as vanity projects misaligned with urban economics.
• There’s disagreement over how common non-car lifestyles are outside a few global cities, with US vs. European and Asian examples invoked.

Density, Children, and “Towers in the Park”

• Christopher Alexander’s attack on skyscrapers is both mocked and defended; critics call his views outdated and anti-data, defenders say he captured human needs beyond efficiency.
• Multiple commenters stress there are many forms of “dense” besides skyscrapers, pointing to mid-rise, European-style urbanism and “Vancouverism.”
• “Towers in the park” are described as largely failed: too much dead green space, not enough activity, and higher perceived crime; others push back, asking for stronger evidence and pointing to East Asian and Soviet examples where similar forms exist.
• Several explain the mechanism: isolated towers create desolate “negative space” rather than vibrant parks, unlike focal parks such as Central Park framed by streets and mixed buildings.

Engineering, Drawings, and Wright’s Practicality

• One thread notes the real height limit today is elevator core efficiency, not structural materials; multi-car or cable-less systems may change this.
• Some distrust Wright’s understanding of reinforced concrete and cite leaking roofs and underbuilt structures, questioning the feasibility of him executing a mile-high design.
• Others reflect on pre-CAD hand drafting, the value of sketching for form-finding, and Wright’s distinctive lettering and typography.