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We focus most of our coverage on skyscrapers, which have an indelible impact on skylines around the world. But just as important to the urban fabric of a city are low-rise and mid-rise buildings, which contribute to the pedestrian experience, and often form a consistent street wall of multiple uses. For short buildings that occupy a large amount of land, the ground-level entry and exit points are usually given increased attention. They don't have enormous height to make a statement, so any eye-catching architectural articulation has to happen at close range to the user. Gradually entering the vocabulary of urban planning and architecture, the term groundscraper denotes a large building, typically containing office uses, that principally stretches horizontally rather than vertically. Here, the importance of the plinth is emphasized, given the sheer size of the footprint.
The Groothandelsgebouw in Rotterdam was one of the first major buildings to be constructed after the bombing of the city during the Second World War. Completed in 1953 and modelled after Chicago's Merchandise Mart, which was once the largest building in the world by square footage, the office building contains a number of entrances and active street-oriented retail. Its stoutness and expansive reach are hallmarks of a definitive groundscraper. The sprawling structures of Prora, The Squarie in Frankfurt, and The Pentagon in Virginia are all generally classified as groundscrapers due to their massing and dimensions.
The immensity of some groundscrapers, particularly those disruptive to the established neighbouring built form, can be off-putting. 5 Broadgate in London by Make Architects attracted scorn from the day it was proposed. Comments from architectural critics have derided the building's relationship with its surroundings, its metallic sheen, and its lack of retail. The rough ride it has received stresses the importance of getting the design and composition of groundscrapers right. Setbacks can reduce the perceived heaviness of buildings and animated spaces on the main floor that spill out onto the sidewalk can contribute to the liveliness of the area.
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From 2015 to 2017, UrbanToronto and its sister publication, SkyriseCities, ran an occasional series of articles under the heading Explainer. Each one took a concept from Urban Planning, Architecture, Construction, or other topics that often wind up in our publications, and presented an in depth look at it. It's time to revisit (and update where necessary) those articles for readers who are unfamiliar with them. While you may already know what some of these terms mean, others may be new to you. We are publishing or updating and republishing Explainer on a weekly basis. This article is an update of one that was originally published in 2017.
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