Skyscrapers

Introduction

The theme of this project is: “Skyscrapers”. I have chosen this subject because I find interesting mankind evolving through time, from the first pyramid to the latest skyscraper. We will find that these skyscrapers are also a proof that mankind has evolved through time. In the year 1873 the tallest building had 142 feet (43m, 6 floors, ‘Equitable Life Building’ in New York) and after only 58 years later, a building was born, a building that is a symbol of power, of engineering success a symbol that persists even in our days: ‘Empire State Building’ tall of 1,250 feet; that’s 381m and has 102 floors and where else could it be build other then New York.

During this presentation we'll examine the main architectural issues involved in keeping skyscrapers up, as well as the design issues involved in making them practical. Finally, we'll peer into the future of skyscrapers to find out how high we might go. I will talk about the role that the “ancient skyscrapers” had and the role that they have today. In this project you will also find out, in short, how skyscrapers are build.

Throughout the history of architecture, there has been a continual quest for height. Thousands of workers toiled on the pyramids of ancient Egypt, the cathedrals of Europe and countless other towers, all striving to create something awe-inspiring. People build skyscrapers primarily because they are convenient -- you can create a lot of real estate out of a relatively small ground area.

The Industrial Revolution opened up the interiors of tall towers so many people could fit inside. A hundred years' war of the tallest led to such trophy towers as New York's Chrysler Building and Empire State Building (381 meters), the Sears Tower in Chicago (443 meters) and the vanished World Trade Towers (417 meters). But the relatively new Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lampur, Malaysia--at 452 meters, the tallest buildings in the world--suggest the race is still on.

But ego and grandeur do sometimes play a significant role in the scope of the construction, just as it did in earlier civilizations.

In addition to this you can also see what you think about skyscrapers; if they are useful for society or if we don’t need them.

CAP. 1

The Beginning

1.1 Ancient Skyscrapers

It all began in the 26th century B.C. when Cheops (a king of Egypt) has built his tomb, the Great Pyramid of Cheops (146 meters high). In fact the Egyptians were the first among all civilizations that started to build high buildings, but they were not the only ones.The Mesopotamian people, the Aztecs, the Mayas and there even is a pyramid in Europe on French soil.

The Pyramids of Egypt, among the largest constructions ever built, constitute one of the most potent and enduring symbols of Ancient Egyptian civilization. It is generally accepted by most archaeologists that they were constructed as burial monuments associated with royal solar and stellar cults, and most were built during the Old and Middle Kingdom periods.

The number of pyramid structures in Egypt today is reported by most sources as being between 80 and 110, with a majority favoring the higher number. In 1842 Karl Lepsius made a list of pyramids, in which he counted 67, although more have been identified and discovered since his time. The imprecise nature of the count is related to the fact that as many smaller pyramids are in a poor state of preservation and appear as little more than mounds of rubble, they are only now being properly identified and studied by archaeologists. Most are grouped in a number of pyramid fields, the most important of which are listed geographically, from north to south, below.

Giza, on the southern outskirts of Cairo is the location of the Pyramid of Khufu (also known as the "Great Pyramid" and the "Pyramid of Cheops"), the somewhat smaller Pyramid of Khafre (or Kephren), and the relatively modest-sized Pyramid of Menkaure (or Mykerinus), along with a number of smaller satellite edifices, known as leens pyramids, and the Great Sphinx.

Of the three, only Khafre's pyramid retains part of its original polished limestone casing, towards its apex. Interestingly this pyramid appears larger than the adjacent Khufu pyramid by virtue of its more elevated location, and the steeper angle of inclination of its construction — it is, in fact, smaller in both height and volume.

The Giza Necropolis has arguably been the world's most popular tourist destination since antiquity, and was popularized in Hellenistic times when the Great Pyramid was listed by Antipater of Sidon as one of the Seven Wonders of the World.