strongly suspect the density causes the increase in price; pretty sure the increase in price doesn’t cause the increase in density.
That seems doubtful to me. It’s my impression that when people can only afford smaller flats because prices are high they are going to rent flats with less floorspace/inhabitant.
It’s likely both that high density produces economic opportunities that make it desireable to move to high density and the high price getting people to live more dense.
To add to this, building taller buildings is expensive, so it’s only justified when the land it’s built on is also expensive (since otherwise it’d be easier to just expand horizontally, and consumers are already willing to pay a high price to live there)
Building developers however often build buildings that are even larger then what you get if you optimize for price/m2. We can discuss how good decisions to build skyscrapers happen to be, but saying that there’s no justifications for building skyscrapers seems strange when private developers do build skyscrappers.
Huh? I’m not saying building skyscrapers doesn’t make sense. I’m saying it only makes sense in places where land is expensive, which is exactly what we see.
Land cost alone isn’t what justifies skyscrapers. Living in Trump tower costs more per square meter then living in nearby apartments that are located in smaller buildings.
Skyscrapers provide prestige and features like a reception on the ground-floor.
That seems doubtful to me. It’s my impression that when people can only afford smaller flats because prices are high they are going to rent flats with less floorspace/inhabitant.
It’s likely both that high density produces economic opportunities that make it desireable to move to high density and the high price getting people to live more dense.
To add to this, building taller buildings is expensive, so it’s only justified when the land it’s built on is also expensive (since otherwise it’d be easier to just expand horizontally, and consumers are already willing to pay a high price to live there)
Building developers however often build buildings that are even larger then what you get if you optimize for price/m2. We can discuss how good decisions to build skyscrapers happen to be, but saying that there’s no justifications for building skyscrapers seems strange when private developers do build skyscrappers.
Huh? I’m not saying building skyscrapers doesn’t make sense. I’m saying it only makes sense in places where land is expensive, which is exactly what we see.
Land cost alone isn’t what justifies skyscrapers. Living in Trump tower costs more per square meter then living in nearby apartments that are located in smaller buildings.
Skyscrapers provide prestige and features like a reception on the ground-floor.