cover image: Exciting, Boring, and Nonexistent Skylines : Vertical Building Gaps in Global Perspective (English)

20.500.12592/16r8p8

Exciting, Boring, and Nonexistent Skylines : Vertical Building Gaps in Global Perspective (English)

15 Mar 2023

Despite the widespread prevalence and economic importance of tall buildings, little is known about how their patterns vary across space and time. This paper focuses on vertical real estate, aiming to quantify differences across major world regions over time (1950-2020). The paper exploits a novel database on the location, height (above 55 meters), and year of construction of nearly all the tall buildings in the world. It proposes a new methodology to estimate the extent to which some world regions build up more than others given similar economic and geographic conditions, city size distributions, and other features. The analyses reveal that many skylines may visually appear more prominent than they really are once all the tall buildings and core controls are included, which alters how regions are ranked in terms of tall building stocks. Using results by city size, centrality, height of buildings, and building function, the paper classifies world regions into different groups, finding that international tall building stocks are mostly driven by boring skylines of residential high-rises, and to a lesser extent exciting skylines of skyscrapers and supertall office towers. Finally, land use regulations and preferences, not historical preservation nor dispersed ownership, likely account for most of the observed differences.
urban development housing construction other world housing policy and institutions urbanization and growth commercial property and housing

Authors

Jedwab,Remi Camille, Barr,Jason

DOI
https://dx.doi.org/10.1596/1813-9450-10365
Disclosure Date
2023/03/15
Disclosure Status
Disclosed
Doc Name
Exciting, Boring, and Nonexistent Skylines : Vertical Building Gaps in Global Perspective
Originating Unit
Off of Sr VP Dev Econ/Chief Econ (DECVP)
Product Line
Advisory Services & Analytics
Published in
United States of America
Rel Proj ID
1W-Sustainable Development Practice Group Flagship Report On Makin -- P177249
Series Name
Policy Research working paper ; no. WPS 10365;
Unit Owning
GGSVP Chief Economist (GGSCE)
Version Type
Final
Volume No
1

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