Daily Almanac for
Feb 16, 2012
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The Question:

I am helping my daughter learn more about skyscrapers, but I have been unable to locate the answer to one question. How many stories does a building have to be, to be considered a skyscraper?

The Answer:

The word "skyscraper" is a general term for tall buildings. There is no height or floor requirement a building must reach for it to be considered a skyscraper.

In fact, one of the first skyscrapers ever built was the 10-story Home Insurance Building (1884-85) in Chicago. It was desined by William Le Baron Jenney and featured a metal frame that supported much of its load. Since then skyscrapers have benefited from more efficient techniques in building steel frames and high-speed elevators, meaning taller buildings than ever before.

Here is a link to a chart of the World's Tallest Buildings.

—The Editors

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