Radical Contrast and the Quest for Placemaking in Tall Buildings

초록

Contemporary cities increasingly employ architecturally expressive skyscrapers to project modernization, institutional identity, and global ambition. While such buildings are often criticized for disrupting historical continuity and contributing to placeless urbanism, this paper argues that radical architectural contrast can also serve as an effective placemaking strategy when guided by creativity, cultural sensitivity, and thoughtful urban integration. Drawing on theories of urban imageability, architectural symbolism, and placemaking, the study examines how formal divergence can strengthen civic visibility, enrich public experience, and create meaningful dialogue between historical and contemporary urban conditions. Using a qualitative comparative case study approach, the paper analyzes selected projects in the United States and Asia. The findings suggest that successful radical contrast depends not merely on visual distinction but on the ability to balance bold contemporary expression with contextual awareness and public engagement. The paper concludes that radical contrast represents a viable and imaginative framework for placemaking within contemporary vertical urbanism.