Above a certain point, a building stops serving a city and begins consuming it. Vanity height accounts for an average of 12.6% of the world's 100 tallest structures. In the Burj Khalifa, 4,000 tonnes of steel serve appearance alone.
The logic is unforgiving. Doubling a tower's elevation can triple the materials required. Every metre added above human need carries an embodied energy premium, ultimately borne by the city, the environment, and future generations with no voice in the decision.
Height must earn its place. Ambition without accountability is not architecture. The tallest structure on a skyline should embody the best thinking of its time, not merely the deepest pockets.
Plus, some of the cities currently building record-breaking towers – such as Jeddah – have a more than adequate supply of undeveloped land. Should height be a function of need?
