The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitats defines a tall building as one having more than 14 storeys, or being 50 metres high, and a supertall building as one that is over 300 metres high. In that context, India’s major metros are gradually becoming home to more tall and supertall buildings, especially residential buildings.

Building taller necessitates advanced technologies including formwork systems and scaffolding. Forms that worked for a shorter building may prove unsuitable for a tall building for consuming too much time or not be amenable to the use of safety systems and so on. What forms work best? A few experts share their preference and the reasons for them.

“We used Doka formwork for Tridhaatu Kshitij at Matunga (W), Mumbai, which is 33 floors high,” says Govind Krishnan Muthukumar, Co-Founder & Director, Tridhaatu Realty. “Doka formwork uses prefabricated steel frames and plywood sheets to form a mould for the concrete. It is designed for different types of structural members such as columns, beams, slabs, walls, etc. While our initial investment was huge, Doka formwork can be reused multiple times for different projects, which makes it cost-effective in the long term. Doka formwork is efficient, reliable, quicker and safe.”

“We used a combination of the coupler system (H-frame scaffolding) to construct Omkar Altamonte,” says Madan Mistry, Head - EPC (Engineering Procurement Construction), Omkar Realtors & Developers. “Cup-lock system scaffolding is renowned for its versatility and robustness, providing a secure platform for construction activities. It also offers stability and ease of assembly, ensuring the safety of workers at great heights. This strategic combination allowed for efficient and safe construction operations throughout the project. Omkar Altamonte utilised aluminium formwork, which is environment-friendly, engineered for precision and speed, offers benefits such as exceptional durability, reduced construction time and enhanced concrete finish quality, and contributes significantly to cost savings over the life of a project.”