Reaching for the sky
Real Estate

Reaching for the sky

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

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

Next Story
Technology

Atlas Copco Unveils Innovation Centre in Pune for Smart Manufacturing

Atlas Copco Tools has inaugurated its first Smart Factory Innovation Centre in India, a cutting-edge facility in Pune designed to showcase advanced technologies powering Smart Integrated Assembly ecosystems. The centre will serve as a hub for businesses across automotive, aerospace, electronics, heavy machinery, and manufacturing sectors to explore automation and smart manufacturing solutions for zero-defect production.The Innovation Centre offers hands-on demonstrations of the latest torquing and dispensing technologies, highlighting software-driven solutions that optimize efficiency, enhance..

Next Story
Resources

Elite Elevators Unveils India’s First Fully Customizable Home Elevator

Elite Elevators, a leader in the premium home lift segment, has launched Elite Elevators Bespoke—India’s first fully customizable luxury home elevator. The launch event, held at the company’s Chennai headquarters, showcased how the new offering redefines residential mobility by integrating state-of-the-art technology with personalized design.Speaking on the launch, Vimal Babu, Founder and CEO, Elite Elevators, said, “At Elite Elevators, our mission has always been to revolutionize home mobility with world-class innovations. Through its enhanced customizable features, our Bespoke elevat..

Next Story
Real Estate

Under-Construction Homes Now Costlier Than Ready-to-Move Properties

Under-construction (UC) homes are now more expensive than ready-to-move (RTM) properties across major Indian metros, according to the latest insights from Magicbricks.In Delhi, UC homes are priced at Rs 25,921 per sq. ft., surpassing RTM properties at Rs 18,698 per sq. ft. Similarly, in Gurugram, UC homes cost Rs 17,185 per sq. ft., compared to Rs 14,617 per sq. ft. for RTM properties.Mumbai, India’s costliest real estate market, has also seen a sharp rise, with UC home prices soaring 33.4 per cent Y-o-Y in Q1 2025 to Rs 32,371 per sq. ft., while RTM properties stand at Rs 28,935 per sq. ft...

Advertisement

Advertisement

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get daily newsletters around different themes from Construction world.

STAY CONNECTED

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Talk to us?