Workshop: Tall Building Structures

28 October 2019
1:00 PM – 5:00 PM

As humans endeavor to build ever-taller buildings, structural engineers continue to make the seemingly impossible a reality; first with the supertall; then the megatall; and soon, by breaking the one-kilometer height mark. Structural engineering techniques that have revolutionized this field over the past half-century have had to contend with all the challenges introduced by building at such heights, from breaking up strong wind currents that can cause occupant discomfort, to anticipating and preparing for seismic events with variances in rigidity, strength, and stability. This workshop reviewed recent innovations such as the megacolumn and the megatruss, as well as the integration of computer-aided analysis to accurately predict structural integrity, addressing concerns ranging from weather effects to violent attacks. It also examined ongoing and future-facing topics, such as the effective integration of emerging digital design techniques, in pursuit of irregular and complex façade forms.

See the Photo Gallery for highlights from Day 1 Workshops.