Supertall
The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) defines a ‘supertall’ building as one that is more than 300 m (984 ft) in height. This classification is exceeded by ‘megatall’ buildings which are those exceeding 600 m (1,968 ft) in height.
The widely recognised CTBUH criteria for determining the height of a building is the ‘…lowest, significant, open-air, pedestrian entrance to the architectural top of the building, including spires, but not including antennae, signage, flagpoles or other functional-technical equipment.’
The first supertall skyscraper was the Chrysler Building, completed in New York in 1930. Only 15 were built between 1930 and 1995, with a rapid increase in building heights since. Between 2010 and 2015, 50 supertall buildings were built. In January 2016, the 100th supertall building was completed, 432 Park Avenue, again in New York.
There are many structural and technical issues facing supertall buildings, and they must be designed to mitigate the threat of seismic activity, heavy winds (as well as the variation in wind speeds between ground and higher levels), and fire. The ability to use structure-mounted cranes and to lift items to the required heights have enabled more supertall buildings to be built.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
Featured articles and news
Local leaders gain new powers to support local high streets
High Street Rental Auctions to be introduced from December.
Infrastructure sector posts second gain for October
With a boost for housebuilder and commercial developer contract awards.
Sustainable construction design teams survey
Shaping the Future of Sustainable Design: Your Voice Matters.
COP29; impacts of construction and updates
Amid criticism, open letters and calls for reform.
The properties of conservation rooflights
Things to consider when choosing the right product.
Adapting to meet changing needs.
London Build: A festival of construction
Co-located with the London Build Fire & Security Expo.
Tasked with locating groups of 10,000 homes with opportunity.
Delivering radical reform in the UK energy market
What are the benefits, barriers and underlying principles.
Information Management Initiative IMI
Building sector-transforming capabilities in emerging technologies.
Recent study of UK households reveals chilling home truths
Poor insulation, EPC knowledge and lack of understanding as to what retrofit might offer.
Embodied Carbon in the Built Environment
Overview, regulations, detail calculations and much more.
Why the construction sector must embrace workplace mental health support
Let’s talk; more importantly now, than ever.
Ensuring the trustworthiness of AI systems
A key growth area, including impacts for construction.
Foundations for the Future: A new model for social housing
To create a social housing pipeline, that reduces the need for continuous government funding.
Mutual Investment Models or MIMs
PPP or PFI, enhanced for public interest by the Welsh Government.
Key points and relevance to construction of meeting, due to reconvene.