Thousands of laborers worked on ancient Egypt's pyramids, Europe's cathedrals, and many more towers, all in the pursuit of something awe-inspiring. Skyscrapers are built largely for their convenience—they allow for the creation of a large amount of real estate from a little amount of land. They also allow for very tall buildings which would be impossible or impractical to build otherwise.
The first skyscraper was built in 1884 by William Le Baron Jenney. He called it the "Wigwam" because its shape resembled that of a Native American tipi. It had 13 floors and stood 50 feet high. The Wigwam is still standing today in Chicago, Illinois.
The next major development came after the turn of the 20th century when architects and engineers began experimenting with steel framing and elevators. The first true skyscraper design was proposed by George Washington Maher in 1896. He called his design the "Artistic Type Building" because it included lots of windows and other artwork. It was actually built in 1901 by Henry Hobson Richardson.
In the years following World War II, the price of steel has decreased while the price of concrete has increased. This led architects to explore new materials such as aluminum and glass. In 1956, the Lever House in New York City was completed. It was the first building to use reinforced concrete and metal rods as its frame and beams.
Skyscrapers, like towers, are designed with a specific function in mind. Skyscrapers were developed for three reasons: to reduce housing costs, to reduce inequality, and to allow more people to dwell in city centers.
They're used for all kinds of things today, but most often as high-rise apartments or office space. In addition, they are used for luxury hotels, shopping malls, and even casinos. The world's tallest building is currently the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, which is also the highest building outside of Asia (though it should be noted that there are several other buildings that claim this title). The second tallest is the Shanghai Tower, which was completed in 2008. Other notable buildings include the Petronas Towers in Malaysia, the World Trade Center in New York City, and Chicago's John Hancock Center.
In conclusion, skyscrapers are useful because they can provide more living space than regular houses or offices, which helps lower the cost of living. They don't just exist to look pretty!
What compelled architects to develop skyscrapers? The cost of urban real estate has skyrocketed. The cities offered a plethora of additional sorts of amusement. And so they built tall.
The earliest known skyscraper was the Menkir, built in 2700 B.C. It was a large temple in Choga Mita, India. It had 72 stories plus a five-story base. This makes it the first building over 400 feet high.
The next major development in skyscrapers came half a world away in 1848. American architect William Le Baron Jenney invented the steel frame architecture that would come to be used extensively in America and around the world after his death. One of his designs did not get built but it gave rise to the now common arrangement of separate rooms called apartments. Each apartment has a private entrance way with its own door handle!
In 1884, Charles Tyson Yerkes built the Chicago Tribune Tower at the intersection of Michigan Avenue and State Street. It is currently the second tallest building in Chicago (after the Willis Tower). It has 92 floors and is made of marble and granite. Inside the tower there are several restaurants, a nightclub, a theater, and offices. The building was designed by Holabird & Roche/Chicago.
Some structures are referred to be skyscrapers because they are extremely tall and feature an iron or steel frame within that supports their floors and walls. Stone or brick walls had to sustain the weight of constructions that could not stand up if they were built too high before builders discovered out how to manufacture such frameworks. The name comes from the fact that these buildings resemble towers.
The first true skyscraper was built in New York City in 1881 and was called the Equitable Building. It was 105 feet (32 m) tall with bronze-tipped American elm beams that it was possible to bend back on themselves without breaking.
Other famous examples include the Chrysler Building in New York City, the Lever House in Chicago, and the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur. There are also many smaller buildings that are referred to as "skyscrapers" including housing developments, office blocks, and shopping malls.
Long before steel frames were used, wood was the most common material for construction. Between 1753 and 1838, New York City alone constructed over 75 wooden skyscrapers - some as high as 36 stories - that were very difficult if not impossible to build today. The Panic of 1837 caused the collapse of many tall buildings due to lack of funding and experience with large-scale construction. The Great Chicago Fire of 1871 destroyed nearly 150 buildings between Wacker and Ohio Streets, including much of the city's central business district.
Copyright © 2020 - 2023 BindleyHardware & Co Inc.
