Skyscraper Heights

**NewYorkYankee** · March 14th, 2005, 09:39 PM

How many floors or height (In Ft) does a building have to be to be considered a skyscraper? Also, how do they decide on worlds tallest buildings?In diagrams it clearly looks as if The Sears Tower is taller than the Petronas Towers. ???

**Gulcrapek** · March 14th, 2005, 10:23 PM

The age old debate...

Generally, 12 floors and above is considered high-rise. Some say 120 feet.

As for the spires, the Sears vs. Petronas debate is legendary, but now mostly over. Spires officially count, antennae don't.

**NewYorkYankee** · March 15th, 2005, 07:53 PM

Gracias Gul! BTW, pardon my ignorance, whats the diff. in a Spire and a Antennae?

**TLOZ Link5** · March 15th, 2005, 08:00 PM

A spire, like the Chrysler Building's, is an architectural feature and doesn't serve a particular purpose. An antenna, like the broadcasting towers on the Sears Tower or whatnot, is a functional addition that is not considered a part of the building.

The Empire State Building, for instance, has a spire that is considered part of the building, which brings its height up to 1250 feet. The radio antenna on top of it, however, is not considered part of the building because it's used for transmissions aand was not originally a part of the building.

**NewYorkYankee** · March 15th, 2005, 08:19 PM

So...a SPIRE is an architectural part of the buidling? I thought that if whatever was on top served a purpose, it was included, and if it did not (Like a spire to just add height) wasnt.