High-Rise

High-Rise, published in 1975, is a novel by J.G.

Ballard that delves into the psychological and social disintegration of the residents in a 40-storey luxury high-rise building.

The story follows Dr. Robert Laing, a newly divorced doctor, and other characters such as Richard Wilder, a documentarian, and Anthony Royal, the building's architect, as they navigate the escalating violence and societal breakdown within the building.

The residents, initially affluent and civilized, gradually succumb to primal urges, leading to a dystopian environment characterized by gang fights, vandalism, and complete isolation from the outside world.

The novel explores themes of urban disillusionment, the effects of modern social and technological landscapes on the human psyche, and the inherent flaws in the design of such high-rise communities.