Do we need to look up?

In Europe, skyscrapers are rare. What makes the continent so different from the rest of the world?

Most countries in the European Union have height limits in their planning laws. For example, London's height limit is 50 metres, Paris's is 37 metres, and Berlin's is 110 metres. A few exceptions exist, such as Italy and Spain, where taller buildings can be constructed if they meet certain criteria.

One reason is the effect of urban planning: In Europe, the urban planning movement in the early 1900s established rules that many cities followed. These rules included things like how high buildings can be and how dense urban areas can be. The logic behind this was to preserve a community feel and protect against overcrowding.

In Barcelona in the 19th century, often considered the founder of modern town planning, Ildefons Cerdà established a set of fundamental needs for cities; sunlight, greenery, waste disposal, and mobility.

Cerdà’s designs relied on a grid plan with low height buildings, and 3 major designs for city blocks, as you can see in the picture. These allowed for large public spaces for leisure and economic activity, for passage not just on side walks, and large green spaces. The effect is you don’t have a city primarily filled with transitory spaces where businesses struggle and communities suffer.

We must once again assess what is important to us, and make deliberate, sustainable planning choices in our cities.