Today is National Skyscraper Day!
On this day, we "unofficially" celebrate our fellow architects and engineers in their enduring spirit to build larger and more impactful buildings, which seem to scrape the very sky!
Here are some fun facts about skyscrapers:
- Unlucky numbers miss out when it comes to naming the floors of skyscrapers. It is not uncommon to go from the 12th floor to the 14th floor! Guess no one wants to be on the 13th floor!
- Modern buildings must be a minimum of 492 feet in height or over 40 floors to be considered a skyscraper.
- The first skyscraper constructed was the Home Insurance Building in Chicago, Illinois. It was constructed in 1885 and was quite the sight at 10 stories!
- The Burj Khalifa, is currently the tallest skyscraper, standing 2,716.5 feet tall with 160 stories!
- Once the Jeddah Tower is completed, it will be the tallest: 3,280 feet tall with 252 stories!
- Typically a skyscraper will last about 500 years.
- Modern skyscrapers do not contain load-bearing walls, but have steel frameworks which supports curtain walls.
What fun ways did you celebrate today?
- Climb the stairs from the ground to as long as your legs would carry you?
- Take a round trip elevator ride?
- Google to learn more about skyscrapers and the tallest one in your city?
- Build a small-scale model of your favorite skyscraper?
- Visit your favorite city and look up to appreciate the architecture?
- Watch construction workers as they construct a new skyscraper?
Before today, you may not have been familiar with National Skyscraper Day but hopefully we have helped educate you on a few tidbits about these great buildings!