Why does America have Skyscrapers in nearly every town and city but UK doesn't and its more densely populated?

Question

the usa has 100000x more space than the UK but they still choose to build big skyscrapers? But in the UK we are over crowed and have hardly have any room but we don't have big towers in every city??

Answer 1

Interesting.

In terms of living spaces, the UK has had to be a little more creative as to where it builds apartments. For example, it's not uncommon to live in apartments over shops - often top floors of shop buildings are converted into living spaces and sold or rented to the public - sometimes to the shop owner for convenince, but often to people unconnected to the store. I've never seen this in the US - seems that you have apartment buildings, housing neighbourhoods and shop areas or strip malls, all seperate. Perhaps this creative use of space has helped us to cut down on skyscrapers, at least for housing.

However, I don't think you're looking at the US as a whole. Yes, there are large, densely populated areas like Manhatten and Chicago that have huge skyscrapers, but there are also enormous sparsely habited areas, like the Utah desert. We don't have so many vast open spaces in the UK (with the exception of areas like Dartmoor, the Scottish Highlands and the New Forest, for example), and even these are tiny in comparison to wide open spaces in the US. I think it evens itself out, all things considered.

Answer 2

I think it just the architectural style of US cities (also Canadian, Australian and NZ). Probably to do with the fact that the US had a population boom at the time when the technology to build higher than ever before became available. It is also a sign off wealth and prosperity to have tall buildings.

Although they look impressive I am glad the UK have few very tall buildings. The skyscapers in the US cities look impressive but walking at street level you feel like you are in a gloomy , and polluted, canyon.

Answer 3

Its a big ego thing for the yanks, i was in denver out in desert area and in the distance these great towers rise up from nowhere, it looks bizzarre the way they chose their architecture, certainly not in keeping, but like i say it strokes their egos.

Answer 4

There are skyscrapers in the United States because men decided that they wanted to see how high they could build a building which started in New York City. When they were successful it just spread across the country and new buildings are being built everyday. Most corporations or businesses do business from a skyscraper. There are some skyscrapers with apartments and condominiums in urban areas. The suburban areas of the U.S. have regular houses and a lot of 2 to 3 story buildings that you would see in England.  You just need to broaden  you U.S. horizon a wee bit.

Answer 5

Because the UK would sink.

Answer 6

the uk doesn't have as much money and we are smaller in size

Answer 7

Because most US cities development happened post-industrialisation, when it was possible to build sky scrapers.

UK cities were already well established with available land already taken by the time sky scrapers were possible.

Also, in London there used to be a rule that said no building could be taller than St Paul's cathedral - it has only recently no longer been the case.

Answer 8

Sky scrapers just aren't a British thing, they're to "in your face" us Brits are reserved people.

Answer 9

Perhaps they have better foundations?  Perhaps they just like very tall buildings (they make good targets)?  There's plenty of room in the UK on brown-field sites to build more housing and apartments, I think it's only some areas in the cities that are over-crowded.

Answer 10

There are several answers to this question. There is the social one where by English families tend to want their own front door to open on to a garden regardless of how small it is. Then there is the point of view by certain of the hierarchy that English cities should remain as they are and as they were built. Which any right thinking person who does not spend his time talking to vegetables, would know is absolute nonsense. There are vast stretches of English cities and I include London that should razed to make for living in this century, not centuries gone by.London should have a major road right through the centre of it, north to south just as Atlanta has.Old building that are of no use for this day and age should be got rid of and up to date structures built to meet modern and future needs. Not keep listing them just because they are old. Take that horrible concrete apartment block in Sheffield that should be razed but cant be because it is listed. There are also rows of real estate in London that were built, at the time, on the cheap and would not be allowed today, cannot be demolished and built with something sensible because they are listed, just because they are "old". If developers could utilise this kind of space after knocking down those old building, beautiful multi-storied building could be erected there is absolutely no reason why they could not be beautiful. The architects of today are just as talented and have the advantage of modern materials. In answer to one of the responders, believe me the money is available to do the job, We just cannot keep up this level of building in greenfield sites we have to build up not out. it just takes the will of the authorities to unblinker their eyes and look to the future.

Answer 11

ridi bam bam

Answer 12

eye soars .. look at ny

but personally i like'm, and think they should go straight down too, like in Racoon city

also have you ever flew over the UK?  it's like farmland for hours and hours and hours

Answer 13

They have the rock substructure which allows them to build taller buildings - most of the USA has dense rock formations which provide a solid base for buildings that high.

They don't need to build them that high - but they do - because they can

Answer 14

If I had to take a guess, I'd say it has a lot to do with the UK being much older and having many more historical buildings than that of the United States, so tearing them down isn't an option.  Or maybe it could be something to do with the composition of the land?  Maybe the soil is too soft?  Not really sure.

Answer 15

British culture says "I need my castle, my cottage with roses around the door and my space"

American culture says "I want people to admire what I have achieved and I need to be noticed"

Answer 16

becuase us americans like to waste our money.

Answer 17

hmmm i guess we just like to build big buildings. plus most of your buildings are old and it would be a shame to tear them down or build on top of them.