Architecture studio AO is working with the Federal Aircraft Administration to move the Legends Tower skyscraper in Oklahoma forward after local authorities raised concerns over its height.

AO told Dezeen it has received comments from the FAA and is working to resolve the  issues resolved in order to move forward with the project.

It follows safety concerns being raised last month by local airport director Jeff Mulder, who told the Federal Aircraft Administration (FAA) the he believed the Legends Tower’s 581-metre (1,907 feet) height could create delays for air travel.

“Prioritizing saftey”

“We have received the FAA’s comments and are working with them to address these matters,” AO managing partner Rob Budetti told Dezeen.

“Our team is committed to collaborating with the FAA to find meaningful solutions that prioritize safety and compliance while supporting the vision for Legends Tower.”

The skyscraper is part of a development in Oklahoma City’s Bricktown District and has gained international attention after its developer Matteson Capital received approval from the local government for “unlimited height” to create a skyscraper that would be the tallest in the United States.

Pushback “expected”

After the issues were raised by Mulder, the development firm’s founder Scot Matteson said that pushback was “expected”.

He told local news outlet News 6 that Legends Tower could be a “little shorter” if necessary.

In an interview earlier this year, AO studio partner Bruce Greenfield told Dezeen that the height was not “necessary” and did not drive the initial designs of the project.

Boardwalk at Bricktown, the multi-use development that includes Legends Tower, will be constructed over multiple phases and has yet to break ground, though the developer said it had secured “full funding” for the project as of March 2024.

The FAA does have regulations regarding building height, and according to the administration, this limits most buildings to a max height of 2,000 feet (609 metres) in cities, though it does note that “local conditions” should be taken into account when making height restrictions.

Complaints about height have previously caused the FAA to issue notices asking developers to lower heights. In 2016, the FAA told the developer of a long-harried Seattle skyscraper that it must reduce its height due to claims of operation disruption.

The renders are courtesy of AO.

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