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2SydneyismeasuredasalowgrowtheconomicoutputCBDbyarecentPwCstudywhileMelbourneandBrisbaneweremeasuredashighgrowthCBDs.Thesymbolofaglobalcityhasbecomethehighrisetower.HongKonghassupertalltowersintheformoftheInternaonalFinanceCentreandtheInternaonalCommerceCentre.ShanghaihasitsWorldFinanceCentreat492mandTianjinisbuildingGoldinFinance117at117storeys.Thesebuildingspresenteachcityasanancialhubconnectedtotheowofcapitalaroundtheworldandtheydothisthroughheight.WILLSYDNEYALWAYSBEAUSTRALIASGLOBALCITYCurrentlySydneyclaimstobeAustraliasonlyglobalcityandthecentreofnancialtransaconsbutMelbourneandBrisbanearebeginningtochallengethisposion.AlreadybothofourneighbouringcieshavehigherbuildingsthanSydneyandfastforwardto2050andbothMelbourneandBrisbanecouldbecometheglobalnancialhubsthatSydneyisnow.SotheUrbanTaskforcechallengedthreeofSydneystoparchitectstodevelopproposalsforSydneyin2050ontheassumponthatweremaintheglobalnancialcentreforAustralia.VISIONSOFTHREEARCHITECTSThethreearchitectsFrancis-JonesMorehenThorpBatesSmartandtzpatrickpartnerseachrespondedindierentwaysbutallwithageneraonaljumpintheheightofSydneyscentre.Theirimagesmakeuswonderifthiscouldbepossiblebutthesamereaconmusthaveoccurredin1882whentheFarmersbuildingsetanewheightrecordof27metresat6storeys.For20yearsthe1939AWAtowerat112metreswasthehighestbuildinginSydney.JustasthesebuildingsintheirdayseemedtohavesetanewstandardthatmostpeopleassumedwouldneverbebeatensointodaysworldthecurrenthighrisetowersofSydneywillbedominatedbytallerbuildings.SUPERTALLANDMEGATALLTOWERSThetallestbuildinginSydneyisSydneyTowerwhichreaches309metresattheverytopofitsspire.ItisntreallyabuildinginthesensethatithasoccupiedoorsallthewayupsothebuildingthatcomesnextinSydneywouldbeWorldTowerat230metresand73oors.Sydneythereforedoesnotevenhaveonesupertalltowerabove300metresletaloneamegatallabove600metres.Thesearethenewdenionsusedaroundtheworldtodescribethenewbreedofskyscrapers.Therearearoundadozenmegatalltowersplannedorunderconstruconaroundtheworldandmanydozensofsupertallplannedorbuilt.SYDNEYISTHEIDEALCITYFORSKYSCRAPERSSydneysmaincentreisarelavelynarrowpeninsularboundedbyDarlingHarbouronthewestgardensontheeastandtheharbouronthenorth.ThisleadstospectacularviewsofthecityacrossthewaterfromPyrmontNorthSydneyanduptheharbourtotheeast.Thedramaofthetallskyscraperscomingdowntoanaturaledgeofparkorwaterprovidesaveryspecialurbancharacter.NewYorkhasasimilardramabeinglocatedonapeninsularsurroundedbywaterbutithastenmesthelandareaofSydney.HEIGHTISAMETAPHORFORASUSTAINABLECITYWhilethisissueofUrbanIdeasfocusesonthebusinesscentreofSydneythemessageaboutheightisequallyapplicableacrossothercentresandtransportnodesacrossthecity.ClearlytheSydneyCityandNorthSydneyprecinctswillhavethehighestheightsbutasimilarapproachwithlesserheightscouldoccurinParramaaChatswoodLiverpoolPenrithHurstvilleandthemanytownandcitycentresacrossMetropolitanSydney.AmericanProfessorVishaanChakrabarfromColumbiaUniversityinhisbookACountryofCies-AManifestoforanUrbanAmericaencouragescizenstobuildtallratherthansprawl.ThesamemanifestocouldapplytoSydneysnewdevelopment.SydneymustaspiretobeingaleadingAsiaPacifccityin2050TheUrbanTaskforceiskeentohaveresponsestotheproposalsillustratedinthisissueofURBANIDEASandwewelcomecommentstoadminurbantaskforce.com.auChrisJohnsonAMChiefExecuveOcerUrbanTaskforceAustraliaDiagramSourcePwCGeospaalEconomicModelGEMMarch2014ThecoverimageofthisissueisbyBatesSmart.AnnualgrowthrateforCBDs200001201213