Introduction
Tall buildings are on the increase as countries strive to use them as symbols of wealth, power, and national pride rather than their engineering capabilities. There has been increased competition among big cities of the world, business corporations, and states as to who owns the tallest and most impressive building in the world. There are over ninety thousand buildings in more than seven thousand cities of the world with China, the United States, and Brazil having the most skyscrapers. Due to their positioning and prominence, tall buildings have become targets of terrorists as illustrated by the attacks on the World Trading Centre and a building in Istanbul in the years 2001 and 1993 respectively. As a result of the attacks and fires on high-rise buildings, some safety concerns have been raised concerning the occupants in the building regarding their evacuation and safe exit from the affected buildings (Langford, 100). The safety of the users of high-rise buildings remains a dilemma since no definite safety measures have been put in place through some proponents have suggested the use of effective fire distinguishing techniques that use foam rather than water to minimize loss of life and property.
Designing
When designing tall buildings, engineers not only have a duty to research the materials of construction but they must also do a written presentation of the desired design of the building they want to construct (Peurifoy, 20). A similar challenge is encountered by constructors of high-rise buildings in the world; therefore, they require a conventional approach when designing. The construction of tall buildings has lately embraced the use of computer technology which is able to generate architectural designs that are complex. In order to construct a tall building, a good number of components have to be integrated because of the many functions which give the architects a complex task coming up with the design. The combination of various components in construction is to necessitate a conducive and safe environment for work. Therefore, all components in construction have to be used together when developing a project (Peurifoy, 123).
User requirements
Expectations are high on tall buildings by all stakeholders in recent times, and as the times keep going the future generation demands will even be more. It is in this regard that a constructor must design floors that offer the best services and are fit for their purposes. Before designing tall buildings, it is important to put into consideration the needs of the final user and also come up with structures that are modern so that they can be captivating to both business and residential users (Smith, 50).
Examples
The tallest declared building in the world is in Dubai. Burj Khalifa building which is eight hundred and twenty-eight meters high is taller than any other structure ever built by man. Australia boasts of Eureka Tower, one of the tallest residential buildings in the world located in Victoria. The building is three hundred meters high and its design incorporated the gold rush period of the 1850s (Antill,5).
Conclusion
As tall buildings become the tradition of the world, there are environmental concerns being raised all over the world. For instance, in Wales, environmental experts have reported effects on the skyline industry as a result of the hindrance of tall buildings. The construction of tall buildings has also met resistance from politicians and experts in France and Prague over environmental concerns. Despite any resistance against the construction of tall buildings, the demands for tall buildings will be on the increase as a result of the population explosion in urban areas and cities (Meredith, 12).
Works cited
Antill Jimmy, Ryan, Williama,etal. Civil Engineering Construction 6th Edition, McGraw Hill: Sydney, Australia, 1988.
Langford Dickson, Hancock Harris, etal. Human Resources Management in Construction Longman Group Ltd: UK, 1995.
Meredith Russell, Mantel Jones etal. Project Management – A Managerial Approach 5th edition, John Wiley, 2003.
Peurifoy Rowl, Ledbetter King, etal. Construction Planning, Equipment and Methods. 5th Edition, McGraw Hill: USA 1996.
Smith Randy, Andres Calvin. Principles and Practices of Heavy Construction 4th Edition, Prentice Hall: USA, 1993.