What Do You Need to Build a Skyscraper?

Are you planning to reach for the sky?

Skyscrapers are a ubiquitous feature of the modern urban skyline and that’s not likely to change soon. They offer a variety of benefits to urban businesses and they offer excellent investor opportunities.

But how do you build a skyscraper? Let’s take a look at what you’ll need.

A Lot of Money

Unsurprisingly, building a skyscraper isn’t cheap. The world’s most expensive skyscrapers sit comfortably in the billions.

Naturally, the people behind a skyscraper construction project rarely pay out of their own pockets. Investment, loans, and government funding are all prominent ways of generating the financial backing for a skyscraper project.

These are all given with an eye on what they’ll get back. Skyscrapers can turn some fantastic profits, justifying the time and expense to build them.

Get Permits

It’s an unlikely city that would allow skyscrapers to be thrown together by anyone with some spare materials. Skyscrapers usually require reams of permits and other red tape paperwork before they’re approved for completion.

On top of that, many municipal authorities set hard limits on skyscrapers, such as their permitted height or impact on the city skyline. There’s a labyrinth of bureaucracy to get through before construction starts.

Land to Build On

While skyscrapers offer an efficient way of generating large amounts of business and residential space relative to their footprint, they still need ample space.

In a crowded downtown, opportunities for skyscraper construction might be limited. It often takes the demolishing of an older building to clear the way for a new project, often with a view to regenerating the city’s image.

Skyscrapers also need the right kind of land to build on. The downward pressure of a skyscraper is immense, and a solid foundation needs the kind of bedrock capable of supporting it.

Some Serious Equipment

Putting together a skyscraper is a small miracle of modern engineering. There’s as much in the way of physics and math in a skyscraper as there are physical materials. But heavy equipment is still the order of the day to turn those equations into reality.

That’s why a skyscraper construction project may be full of equipment you’ve never heard of or seen in action, from a plate compactor to pile drivers.

A Purpose

Most municipal authorities will only approve a construction project with a clear purpose. Skyscrapers are a high-impact construction project, so the pressure is on them to justify the space they create.

That’s why skyscrapers are often able to advertise the future before anyone breaks ground. Businesses may queue up for space in a new skyscraper, and apartments may be in high demand in places where residential space is limited or where the building offers prestige living space.

Build a Skyscraper Today!

Okay, perhaps not today. But you now have some idea what it takes to build a skyscraper. Who knows? It might be your first step toward doing it.

Looking for more insights on the world of construction? Check out some more of our construction features.

Weirdomatic is the place where all weird things come to life through the amazing world of photographs – a corner of our wild imagination or the whimsical face of the reality?