Reaching for the sky

08 May 2024 CW Team

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

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

Infrastructure Urban

17 Jul 2026

Ion Exchange Wins USD 52.83 Million Supply Contract From Hyundai

Ion Exchange (India) (Ion Exchange) has been awarded an international contract by Hyundai Engineering and Construction Co., (Hyundai Engineering) for the supply of filtration units in the Middle East. The contract is valued at USD 52.83 million and is to be executed over a period of 18 months. The order aggregates to approximately Rs 5.03 bn based on the prevailing exchange rate. Delivery schedules and technical specifications will be governed by the contract terms. The scope covers manufacture and supply of filtration units to be deployed across projects in the Middle East and follows the pro..

Infrastructure Urban

17 Jul 2026

3i Infotech Subsidiary Wins Talent Deployment Contract With Krung Thai Bank

3i Infotech (Thailand), a wholly owned step down subsidiary of 3i Infotech, has won a contract from Krung Thai Bank Public Company on nine July 2026. The order covers talent deployment to support application development, enhancement, testing and digital transformation programmes. Roles specified include full stack development, backend development in Java, frontend development using Angular, DevOps engineering, quality assurance and test automation, business analysis and solution architecture. The engagement reflects the subsidiary's continued focus on banking technology services in the region...

Infrastructure Urban

17 Jul 2026

HFCL Secures Export Order For Data Centre Fibre Connectivity

HFCL (HFCL) has secured an export order worth US dollar (USD) 51.98 million (mn), equivalent to Rs 4,958 mn, for the supply of optical fibre cable based data centre connectivity solutions through its overseas wholly owned material subsidiary. The contract was awarded by an international customer and underscores HFCL's manufacturing capabilities, technological competence and product quality in global markets. The company stated the award arises from normal business operations and aligns with its export strategy. The scope covers the supply of optical fibre cable based data centre connectivity s..