Rem Koolhaas and the Landscape as an Urban Medium

The diversity of urban street functions and street death

“…Koolhaas posits a transition in the generic city's landscape, moving away from a predominantly horizontal orientation towards a more vertical emphasis, where the skyscraper emerges as the quintessential architectural form [6]. In certain traditional urban contexts, cities evolve in a manner that sees their physical structure expanding outwards, gradually forming a radial configuration emanating from a central hub.…”

“…This decentralized pattern characterizes what can be described as horizontal urban development. Conversely, the notion of vertical urban development advocates for the consolidation of urban functions within a cluster of towering buildings [6]. This approach envisions streets primarily as conduits for efficient and rapid vehicular and pedestrian flow.…”