Human being’s have always had the aspiration to ‘reach for the sky’. From the 10th century 239.5 feet tall Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple in Tamil Nadu to the 30th century pyramids of Egypt initially standing tall at 481 feet height, construction technological advancements have constantly enabled taller structures being constructed across the globe.

Post 1850 with the advent of modern day cement carved ways to build stronger structures and by the turn of the 19th century we were building stronger and taller structures. Ingalls Building in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA (completed in 1903), standing 210 feet tall, became the world’s first reinforced concrete skyscraper.

The use of steel, as a stronger and lighter material than iron, further enabled construction of taller buildings. The Ritz Hotel in London became the first steel framed structure, 235 feet tall. With the increasing population the skyscrapers, which were earlier seen as only a form for commercial buildings, became a form of residential buildings as well. Post World War II, Glass curtain walls became the modern identity of urban morphology in many cities across the globe.

The 20th century saw the world’s tallest building at that time standing at 792 feet, ‘The Woolworth Building in New York City (completed in 1913) was the world’s tallest building at the time, standing at 792 feet (241 meters). By the end of the century The Empire State Building of New York took the rank with 1250 feet height.

The 20th and 21st century saw the need for energy conservation as an integral component of skyscraper designs. Fast forward to today - Burj Khalifa, Dubai, stands at 2717 feet, as the tallest building and an epitome as nothing less than a construction marvel. Kingdom Tower, Jeddah and Azerbaijan Tower, Baku stand as strong contenders for the future to ‘touch the sky’.

Ashima Banker, Director, Chandigarh University Institute of Design