With the passage of time, it seems, everything is getting smarter. First it were the computers that got smarter thanks to the internet, then it was the turn of the smartphones and tablets and now it seems that this concept of making things smart, is being applied everywhere.

That’s because being smart and doing things smartly is the need of the hour due to several reasons. One of those reasons, which is quite a pressing issue for the world right now, is the increase in global population.

As a result, our cities will need to get “smarter” to incorporate this rise in the number of humans. That means smarter everything; transportation, use of resources, agriculture and the city itself in terms of space.

Historically, to accommodate more people, we have expanded our cities vertically as well as horizontally, but there’s a limit to how much each can be done. So, in today’s world, we need smarter designs for buildings so as to use every inch of space available, as efficiently as possible.

That’s exactly what one architecture firm is aiming to do.

The Big Bend

A US architectural studio, Oiio studio, has come up with an ambitious project in which they plan to build a U-shaped skyscraper (or an inverted U-shaped building, depending on how you look at it).

The concept behind this is to build the longest building in the world in contrast to building the tallest. The planned skyscraper will be 4,000 feet long and will be located on Manhattan’s Billionaire’s Row.

The skyscraper’s height will be just under 2000 feet so it will still land it on the number three or four spot on the list of the tallest building of the world, but it will surely be the longest at 4000 feet while the Burj Khalifa is 2722 feet in length (height).

The building will also use special lifts that can travel horizontally as well as vertically. In fact, according to CNN, the designer of the project, Inoannis Oianomou, was actually inspired to design this skyscraper when he heard of a company that had created an elevator that moves vertically as well as horizontally.

The studio states that often developers tend to bend the zoning laws of New York to maximise the height of their buildings. That’s why they are trying to do bend their building instead to set a precedent for others to follow in order to create prestigious buildings.

Right now, this project is a concept only and Oiio studio is currently looking for investors. If this building is approved and completed, it will be a beautiful addition to the Manhattan skyline.

All Images taken from Oiiostudio.com