“Indeed, whether the shifts in wealth, corporate structure, architecture taste, technological innovation, and developments in urbanization take us, they take us to the skyscraper.”
- Elise Lemire
Perhaps the icon of 20th century American architecture, the rise of skyscraper architecture is one of the last hundred years’ greatest success stories. Until the end of the 19th century, buildings of over a few storeys were quite rare, but with the development of steel, reinforced concrete, technology of elevators and advanced plumbing, taller and taller buildings were possible.
But what is a skyscraper? The specific definition of a skyscraper varies from place to place, but it’s commonly accepted that the building is a continuously habitable high-rise building that has over 40 floors and is a height of at least 130 metres.
It was the understanding and advancements of building with steel and iron that allowed for skyscrapers to be born. More specifically, it was the Bessemer Process of mass steel bean production that truly made way for skyscrapers. Now that high-quality iron beams could be produced quicker and at a lower cost, all bets were off. Architects and builders could invent and dream of new buildings that didn’t seem possible before.
As skyscrapers became more possible and the first one was actually built city planners, architects and engineers were fascinated by the ability to fit more people into smaller spaces, to provide more housing – ideally – at a lower price.
Aside from providing housing, skyscrapers help to reduce urban sprawl, add visual creativity to a skyline, and even impact the creativity and invention of those who live or work within the building.
Psychological impacts: The old age people and children will have psychological impact in living at high height.
Environmental impact : Pollution increases as lots of materials like steel, cement, etc. are used in the construction. Noise pollution due to large number of people and automobile.
Cost of construction: All the process involved are very expensive(design, construction). Safety : Hundred percent safety cannot be achieved in skyscraper. Defective towers may pose a risk of falling and cause severe damage.
Modern sources currently define skyscrapers as being at least 100 metres or 150 metres in height, though there is no universally accepted definition. Historically, the term first referred to buildings with between 10 and 20 stories when these types of buildings began to be constructed in the 1880s.Skyscrapers may host offices, hotels, residential spaces, and retail spaces.
One common feature of skyscrapers is having a steel framework that supports curtain walls. These curtain walls either bear on the framework below or are suspended from the framework above, rather than resting on load-bearing walls of conventional construction. Some early skyscrapers have a steel frame that enables the construction of load-bearing walls taller than of those made of reinforced concrete.
Modern skyscrapers often have a tubular structure, and are designed to act like a hollow cylinder to resist wind, seismic, and other lateral loads.Because each design is innovative, models of proposed super tall buildings are tested in wind tunnels to determine the effect of high wind on them, and also the effect on surrounding buildings of wind patterns caused by the new building. If tests show the building will sway excessively in strong winds, designers may add mechanical devices that counteract or restrict motion.
“Because of its hugeness and intensiveness, the skyscraper is analogues to the city itself. It is virtually a city in itself, that is a 'city-in-the-sky.'’ - The concrete Society
“Sky is the limit” foremost learning of the project. The competition for the tallest is never going to end. More ambitious projects are coming up around the world including World One in Mumbai. The greed to make the tallest has compromised the need to make a safe skyscraper. The need for Green Skyscraper is immense to reduce impact on the environment. New generation engineers have a lot to innovate and make skyscrapers green and safe.
Written By-
Prapti Vaidya
Credits - All the images does not belong to us, we are giving the credits to the right owner of the images.
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401,Diamond Trade Center, Janjeerwala Square, New Palasia, Indore 452001
D-229/1 Near Krishna Kids Academy, Tagore Nagar, Raipur, Chhattisgarh 492001
Suman Education Society Campus, Near Borivali Station Platform No.1, Near General Kariappa Bridge plot No. 89,FM Cariappa Flyover, Rajendra Nagar, Borivali East, Mumbai 400066
Ground floor, Skyline epitome Near Jolly Gymkhana, Vidyavihar Society, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400086
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