Earlier this year Emaar Properties announced a project that will top Burj Khalifa (currently the world’s tallest building). Called ‘The Tower’, the US $ 1 billion structure will primarily be used as an architectural tower. A few floors will be used for a hotel complete with restaurants and function rooms, plus an interior garden area and an observation deck. Designed by Spanish-Swiss architect Santiago Calatrava, the tower should hopefully be ready for Expo 2020. This prompted CNN to discuss the world’s obsession with building tall…

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The article mentions that historically tall structures were the preserve of great rulers, and how that has changed over time

Why won’t we show off? Burj Khalifa is a sucessful mark of our progress from desert land to a metropolitan city

The Burj Khalifa makes anything look small

According to CNN, the success of today’s skyscrapers can be traced back to 1880’s

This is the time skyscrapers appeared in New York and Chicago and it’s the insurance businesses of that time that exploited technological advancements that made these structures possible. The first tall building of the industrial era was Chicago’s Home Insurance one – 12 floors high.

Then came the American technological revolution of 1880 to 1890 which brought with it materials such as Bessemer steel (it enabled taller and flexible frame design) and the patenting of AC electricity. This meant elevators could be electrically powered and go upto ten stories or higher.

Eventually access to street trams, subways and elevated rail links meant people could be transported to a single location, therefore encouraging taller facilities.