Skyscrapers | Civil Seminar Topics
Skyscrapers
Skyscrapers are known to be super tall building either residential, work place or of mix use. They are now tends to coincide with major downturns in the economy. Today the number of skyscrapers that are being built all around the world are increasing where the land is highly expensive (as in big / metropolitan cities) as they provide high ratio of floor space to be used to per unit area of available land.
They are not built just for the economy of space, they are considered to be symbol of city’s economic power. They do not only define the skyline but also defines the city’s identity. In many places exceptionally tall skyscrapers have been built not just because of necessity of space but to define the city’s identity and presence of power as a city.
The first skyscrapers would have been typically an office building of more than 10 storeys. The concept was undoubtedly originated in the USA, in Chicago and in New York, where space was limited and where the best option was to increase the height of the buildings. The crucial developments for skyscrapers were steel, reinforced concrete, water pumps, and elevators. Until the 19th century, buildings of over six stories were rare.
So many flights of stairs were impractical for inhabitants, and water pressure was usually insufficient to supply running water above about 15 metres (50 feet). The weight-bearing components of skyscrapers differ substantially from those of other buildings. Buildings up to about four stories can be supported by their walls, while skyscrapers are larger buildings that must be supported by a skeletal frame.
