As cities are increasingly vertical, buildings have been finding ways to take advantage of what roofs can bring to urban life. Through halls for parties, restaurants, swimming pools, and other programs, contemporary architecture has gained access to sunlight, natural ventilation and also to the horizon due to the occupation of the rooftops, making them attractive for both residential and commercial projects. However, the interest in appreciating the city from this point of view is not the result of verticalization alone, nor is it a merely technical alternative.
Mark Dorrian reminds us, in his essay The aerial view: notes for a cultural history, that, for Freud, the transition to the verticality of the human species is a critical moment in our cultural evolution, a consequence of when man rose from the ground, raising his eyes and exposing his genitals. This argument points out how the change in human perspective can cause a series of reflections that make up our understanding of the world. Moving from the ground to the top, changing our point of view to expand it and seeking greater reach is a human habit, a tool we take advantage of.
