Densification of our cities is an imperative that inevitably brings the topic of new high-rise buildings and the addition of stories to existing buildings to the foreground of discourse. Architecture and urban design must increasingly address the issues of verticality at all stages of planning, design, and composition. Social and cultural aspects must be considered in this process as well.

The French-language book De la verticalité combines two elements: a case study on high-rise buildings in Zurich and an explorative essay on the subject of verticality in philosophy, culture, and society. Together the threads form a dual commentary that highlights the challenges posed by the transformation of our cities. Illustrated with numerous spectacular montages and visualisations designed to broaden thinking, this volume, which comes from the laboratory of acclaimed Swiss architecture firm Made in, also offers concrete proposals aimed at architects and urban planners, politicians and flâneurs alike.

Text in French.

Marine de Dardel is an architect, visual artist, writer, and editor. She works as a lecturer and researcher at ETH Zurich’s Department of Architecture. François Charbonnet and Patrick Heiz are the founding partners of Geneva- and Zurich-based architecture firm Made in. They also jointly teach as professors of architecture and design at ETH Zurich’s Department of Architecture.