Skyplane

Description

In Skyplane, some of architecture's leading thinkers and practitioners examine both the global phenomenon of the tall building and its adaptation to the Asian-Pacific context, addressing the following questions: What effect do towers have on our culture and urbanism, environmental sustainability, building economics, the workplace and historic city centres? Can such giants be humane and made more formally engaging? Can architectural influence go beyond the facade or cope with self-aggrandisement and rampant symbolism?

Richard Francis-Jones is a principle of Francis-Jones Morehen Thorp Architects. His firm is one of Australia's foremost and awarded architectural practices. Lawrence Nield is an award-winning practitioner and theorist. He was a founding principal of Bligh Voller Nield and a former professor of architecture at the University of Sydney. He has been involved the planning and design of the Sydney, Athens, Beijing, and London Olympics. Xing Ruan is professor of architecture and chair of architecture discipline at the University of New South Wales. He is the author of "Allegorical Architecture" and "New China Architecture"." "Deborah van der Plaat is an architectural historian and independent scholar based in Brisbane. Her research has been widely published in academic journals and she currently teaches part time in the architecture program at the University of Queensland.