GT Writing Task 2 / Essay Sample # 178
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:
Some cities create extra housing by constructing tall buildings. Other cities do this by building on wide areas of land. Which do you think is the best solution to the problem of housing?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.
Model Answer:
Many cities today are erecting high-rise buildings while others are expanding horizontally to cope with the increasing demands of ever-growing urban populations. In my view, high-rising buildings ensure land preservation for other uses and is an optimal solution than encouraging sprawl across the city.
No doubt, a horizontal city has its advantages. First and foremost, when it comes down to the matter of safety, low-rise buildings outweigh the vertical extension. This is because of their ability to withstand an earthquake and other natural calamities. On the other hand, skyscrapers pose various unique challenges not found in low-rise buildings. A case in point is fire incidents. A substantial number of firefighters are required to extinguish fires or to travel great vertical distances on stairs so as to rescue the inhabitants. Thus, in the case of emergency, low-rise buildings face comparatively less challenge. But, they take a great amount of land property and not many cities have it in plenty.
Vertical cities, thus, are far more advantageous and practical. The first positive aspect is ‘land preservation’. Put simply, dense arrangement help preserve more open space ensuring sustainability that aims at conserving many different kinds of open spaces, including natural regions in and around cities that provide dwellers with habitat for plants and animals, places of natural beauty, authentic recreational space, farm and ranch lands, and critical environmental areas like wetlands. Eventually, the availability of open space enhances environmental quality and thereby provides considerable health benefits. Another real benefit is that a vast range of services for example shopping malls, gymnasiums, rental offices are associated together under one roof in a ubiquitous way.
In conclusion, it seems reasonable to draw a valid conclusion that tall buildings are the most practical solution to population explosion in urban areas, as preserving open spaces by accommodating many more people on a smaller amount of land compared to low-rise buildings.