Many business owners dream of the day when they can relocate to a skyscraper.
They see it as the ultimate symbol of success - a skyscraper office means that their business has truly arrived. That's only half the story though. There are also some potentially serious drawbacks to moving your company to a skyscraper. Here are six:
Safety and security
Although the threat of terrorism is real, skyscraper offices are relatively well protected from most lesser security threats. However, the sheer number of people working in a building of this size means that it is hard, if not impossible, to keep track of them all.
You may be sharing the building with other companies, which will exacerbate the problem. Potential safety concerns include the complexity of evacuating everyone quickly from the building in the case of a fire or similar emergency.
Image
There's nothing discreet about a skyscraper; it is conspicuous consumption in its rawest form. Is this the image you want for your company? Since the 2008 crash, the public mood – which probably includes that of your customers – has turned against such displays of wealth.
The days when a business was admired for throwing cash around like confetti are largely gone, at least in the West; unless you're building in a city like Dubai or Singapore, you may want to think again.
Cost
Skyscrapers tend to be located in the most prestigious parts of inner cities. That gives them great presence, but it also means that costs are likely to be high.
A skyscraper office is likely to cost you far more, not only in terms of initial purchase price but also in ongoing service charges, than an office of equivalent size in a low-rise building. Since many towers were constructed at a time of much lower energy costs, you may also find that your electricity bills are higher than you expect.
Access
Again, the city-centre location of most skyscrapers comes into play. Staff coming to work will probably find that the final part of their journeys takes the longest. Those who drive to work are likely to encounter significant congestion on the roads around your tower; it's therefore harder to be confident of staff punctuality.
Even once they've reached the building, parking can be difficult unless you're fortunate enough to have access to an underground car park. If your offices are on a high floor, there may also be problems of accessibility for disabled workers.
Working environment
Although some modern skyscrapers are thoughtfully constructed so as to allow in plenty of natural daylight, many older buildings suffer from poor design. It may be difficult to maintain constant, comfortable levels of temperature and humidity.
The tower's interior design may make it uninspiring to work in, with little visual stimulation. Many studies have found that people perform better if they find their working environment interesting and engaging, so it may be better to select an office building which feels more connected to the community in which it stands.
Environmental impact
City-centre skyscrapers may appear greener than offices in edge-of-town or rural locations. However, they bring considerable environmental costs. They require large quantities of raw materials to build, as well as a substantial use of heavy equipment.
Older skyscrapers often lack, and cannot simply be altered to incorporate, examples of best energy-saving practice such as high-efficiency insulation. Many skyscrapers' heating systems run throughout the winter, regardless of weather conditions. As such, a skyscraper office's carbon footprint is often large.