High-rise
This is about the architectural term. For the book, see "High Rise".A
high-rise is a tall
building or structure. Normally, the function of the building is added, for example
high-rise apartment or
high-rise offices.
High-rise buildings first became possible due to the invention of the
elevator (also known as the
lift in
British English) and a cheap building material.
Although the exact definition is immaterial, various bodies have tried to define what 'high-rise' means:
*The
International Conference on Fire Safety in High-Rise Buildings defined a high-rise as "any structure where the height can have a serious impact on evacuation"
*The
New Shorter Oxford English Dictionary defines a high-rise as "a building having many stories".
*
Massachusetts General Laws define a high-rise as being higher than 70
feet.
*Most building engineers, inspectors, architects and similar professions define a high-rise as a building that's at least 75
feet.
High-rise structures pose particular design challenges for structural and geotechnical engineers, particularly if situated in a seismically active region or if the underlying soils have geotechnical risk factors such as high compressibility or
bay mud. They also pose serious challenges to firefighters during emergencies in high-rise structures. New and old building design, building systems like the building
standpipe system,
HVAC systems (Heating, Ventilation and Air conditioning),
fire sprinkler system and other things like stairwell and
elevator evacuations pose significant problems.
An example of challenges posed to firefighting crews in this real example. Fire companies were dispatched to a high-rise hotel in
Lexington, Kentucky with reports of smoke in the building. When the fire companies investigated the source, they found smoke in the hallways, but not in the guest rooms. This in turn helped the fire companies determine that the problem was in the
HVAC system and that a real hazard wasn't actually posed.
*
Skyscraper*
Tower block
