Buildings (skyscrapers)

A skyscraper is a tall, continuously habitable building. There is no official definition or height above which a building may clearly be classified as a skyscraper. Most cities define the term empirically; even a building of 80 meters (262 feet) may be considered a skyscraper if it protrudes above its built environment and changes the overall skyline

Definition

The word "skyscraper" originally was a nautical term referring to a small triangular sail set above the skysail on a sailing ship. The term was first applied to buildings of steel framed construction of at least 10 stories in the late 19th century, a result of public amazement at the tall buildings being built in major cities like Chicago, New York City, Detroit, and St. Louis. The first steel frame skyscraper was the Home Insurance Building built in Chicago, Illinois in 1885. Some point to New York's seven floor Equitable Life Assurance Building built in 1870 and it was arguably the first office building built using a kind of skeletal frame but it depends on what factors are chosen and even the scholars making the argument find it academic.

Skyscraper and supertall

The Emporis Standards Committee defines a high-rise building as "a multi-story structure between 35-100 meters tall, or a building of unknown height from 12-39 floors" and a skyscraper as "a multi-story building whose architectural height is at least 100 meters." Somestructural engineers define a highrise as any vertical construction for which wind is a more significant load factor than earthquake or weight. Note that this criterion fits not only high rises but some other tall structures, such as towers.

List of tallest buildings in the world

Sears Tower(chicago)

was the tallest building in the world from 1974 to 1998 and is currently the tallest in America(442 m). 

The Petronas Twin towers (kuala lumpur, Malaysia)

The Petronas were the world's tallest buildings from 1998 to 2004(452 m). 

Taipei 101 (Taipei Taiwan)

Taipei 101 was the tallest building in the world for 6 years(509 m), until it was surpassed by the Burj Khalifa(828 m). 

Shanghai World Financial Center (Shanghai, China) 

is the 3rd tallest building in the world, the tallest building in the People's Republic of China(492 m), and has world's highestobservation deck. 

The International Commerce Centre ofHong Kong

is currently the 4th tallest building in the world. The top 15 floors are occupied by the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company; this hotel will be the world's tallest 6-star grand hotel, replacing the Park Hyatt Shanghai Hotel. 

Empire State building (New York)

was the tallest building in the world from 1931 to 1972 and is the 3rd tallest building in America(381 m). 

The Trump International Hotel and Tower in Chicago

is the second tallest building in the United States(415 m). 


Q1 on the Gold Coast in Australia 

is the world's tallest residential building(323 m).


The US Bank Tower in Los Angeles  

is the tallest building in the United States west of the Mississippi River(310 m).


The Yokohama Landmark Tower 

 is the tallest building in Japan(296 m). 




The Kingdom Center 

is the tallest building in Saudi Arabia and 45th in the world(302 m). 


Sapphire of Istanbul, Levent,Istanbul, Turkey 

 is the tallest skyscraper in Istanbul,Turkey(261 m).


The Ryugyong Hotel is North Korea's tallest building(330 m). 

The pearl tower in panama city(242 m).

 

Torre Colpatria in Bogota (196 m).  

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tallest_buildings_in_the_world