Analysis Of The Tall Building Artistically Reconsidered By Ada Louise Huxtable

In her book “The Tall Building Artistically Reconsidered”, architecture critic Ada Louise Huxtable discusses the skyscraper. Huxtable composed a response to Louis Sullivan’s manifesto, “The Tall Office Building Artistically Considered”, which was composed in 1896. In his manifesto, Sullivan states, “It is the pervading law of all … true manifestations of the head, of the heart, of the soul, that the life is recognizable in its expression, that form ever follows function. This is the law.” Sullivan argued that a building’s exterior should reflect the interior functions. The problem with the skyscraper is not a technical one, but an artistic one. Huxtable’s view on the form and function of the skyscraper successfully follows Sullivan’s beliefs.

Huxtable spends the majority of her book talking about the aesthetic design of the skyscraper.

In her introduction, she discusses one of the first versions of a skyscraper, The Tower of Babel: “From the Tower of Babel onward, the fantasies of builders have been vertical rather than horizontal.” Changes in urban life allowed architects to design taller and higher-density spaces. In compact cities that are increasing in population, the smartest way to build is in the vertical direction. Huxtable believes that there is not a single design approach to the skyscraper: “The question of how to design the tall building has never really been resolved.” American architects have designed skyscrapers since the late 1800s. The modern skyscraper is considered an American invention. Sullivan’s emphasis on form and function characterized the first skyscrapers, which appeared in Chicago and New York. In her article, Huxtable calls the skyscraper “this century’s most stunning architectural phenomenon.” American architects have successfully designed and built multiple skyscrapers. All over the world, skyscrapers are increasing in size and number, which will either benefit or be detrimental to the lives of the city’s

residents.
Huxtable ends her argument with a warning of the negative impact of overdeveloping: “As bulk and density increase, avenues darken and close in; shadows lengthen and downdrafts multiply; winter sun becomes a fleeting penetration of cold canyons at midday, leaving neither warmth nor cheer… Art becomes worthless in a city brutalized by overdevelopment.” Oversized buildings can damage the city’s character by imposing on the space of others. Although Huxtable discusses issues associated with over-development, she praises the skyscraper throughout her article.
Huxtable’s text is significantly longer than Sullivan’s manifesto. Sullivan’s main theory discusses the idea of “form follows function.” Huxtable expresses her ideas on form and function as well, but she provides more insight on a variety of issues and theories associated with the skyscraper. Huxtable successfully critiques the design of the modern skyscraper. Huxtable’s and Sullivan’s ideas run hand in hand with each other. The skyscraper has defined the 20th and 21st centuries.