hough there are a variety of differences between the two fields, there is one question that city planners and pornographers share: how big is too big? This issue has become a hotly debated topic in Calgary as of late. There are currently 12 residential towers and commercial buildings under construction in the city core, with another 30 projects either ready to go or in the planning stages. In an attempt to curb urban sprawl, Calgary developers have started building up rather than out. This has caused concern for many Calgarians who worry about how the buildings will affect the city. While there are no municipal laws that place a cap on the height of towers in the Calgary, construction was recently altered on the Bow Office Tower when it was discovered that the building would cast a shadow over the river valley.

At 247 metres the building will still be the tallest in Western Canada, but the initial plan was for it to be the biggest in the country (right now that honour belongs to Toronto’s First Canadian place which pushes 298 metres). While this type of discussion allows for friendly competition between cities, there is growing global concern that this sort of construction is getting out of hand. Earlier this month experts from London, New York, Chicago, and Vancouver gathered in Toronto to discuss how cities should deal with tall buildings. Of the cities represented, only New York, Chicago, and Vancouver exercise any control over the design of tall buildings.

Why the concern? Well, skyscrapers might be aesthetically appealing, but they can cause problems on a practical level. For one thing, with that sheer volume of people condensed into a single space there is always anxiety about overcrowding and transportation in the area, particularly in the event of a disaster. In Toronto, there is growing concern about the 15,000 new residents that have been moved into high-rise buildings downtown in the last five years, sparking huge controversies amongst urban planners. With a burgeoning economy, Calgary has tens of thousands of people expected to flood the downtown area in the upcoming years. It is an exciting time, but one that requires a careful planning and construction to accommodate all of the new residents. Building massive towers is tempting and certainly looks sexier than expanding the suburbs, but its important that city planners be realistic as well.