The Big Bend: Groundbreaking Design Proposed for World’s Longest Building

A new skyscraper design could forever alter the Manhattan skyline with its unique concept: twin towers joined together at the top like a giant inverted letter U, the brainchild of Greek architecture firm Oiio Studio.

According to Oiio Studios’ design, the tower’s height would be about 200 feet taller than 1 World Trade Center, currently New York City’s tallest building. But when it comes to length, the Big Bend’s total height would measure 4,000 feet from one end to the other – nearly double that of the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, which is presently recognized as the world’s tallest building.

“There are many different ways that can make a building stand out, but in order to do so the building has to literally stand out,” declares Oiio Studios on its website. “We have become familiar with building height measurements. We usually learn about the latest tallest building and we are always impressed by its price per square foot. It seems that a property’s height operates as a license for it to be expensive. New York City’s zoning laws have created a peculiar set of tricks through which developers try to maximize their property’s height in order to infuse it with the prestige of a high-rise structure. But what if we substituted height with length? What if our buildings were long instead of tall? If we manage to bend our structure instead of bending the zoning rules of New York we would be able to create one of the most prestigious buildings in Manhattan. The longest building in the world.”

As envisioned by Oiio Studio, the Big Bend would be situated on 57th Street’s “Billionaire’s Row,” located on the southern border of Central Park, which is already home to numerous pricey luxury towers.

The Big Bend, explains the firm, is “a modest architectural solution to the height limitations of Manhattan. We can now provide our structures with the measurements that will make them stand out without worrying about the limits of the sky.”

Obviously, a building with such a unique design will require an innovative elevator, and Oiio proposes a solution: a specially designed elevator featuring a track-changing system that will allow the elevator to move horizontally and around curves. “What was once considered to be the greatest challenge in elevator history, is finally becoming reality: the elevator that can travel in curves, horizontally, and in continuous loops,” notes Oiio. “The innovative track changing system allows for the horizontal connection of two shafts on the top and bottom to create a continuous loop.”

While the Big Bend may never actually be constructed, it does present a unique way of looking at modern skyscrapers, and would add a bold new aspect to the ever-changing Manhattan skyline.

So what would it be like to be atop the Big Bend’s curved loop? As this whimsical artists’ rendering hints, the addition of windows to the floors and walls will allow for the experience of literally walking on a cloud.

The concept behind the Big Bend requires a different way of thinking when it comes to modern skyscrapers. According to lead architect Ioannis Oikonomou, the project is still at the proposal stage, but has already been pitched to several potential investors.

This illustration from the architect indicates where the Big Bend would be situated in relation to some of the city’s nearby towering buildings, such as Central Park Tower, One57 and Trump Tower.

According to Curbed New York, it’s unlikely the project will ever see the light of day. “It seems highly unlikely that a project like this would ever get off the ground, so to speak – community members and preservation groups (including the Municipal Art Society) have already condemned the rise of supertalls along Central Park South, so adding another one to the mix couldn’t possibly go over well,” the website explained.