Facts on engineering - Part 3 Buildings - Information and tasks for kids

Just like there are different types of bridges, there are also different types of building in all shapes and sizes, depending on their function.  Is it a building where you live in or work in?  Is it a few stories high or only one?  All the questions an engineer will answer once he is part of the building process.

Lets learn a few interesting interesting facts on buildings.

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The word 'skyscraper' is used when we talk about very high buildings, but it use to be the type of sail on a specific sailing boat.  Skyscrapers have to be build very strong because it has to carry a lot of weight.  They are held together by steel and beams.  The engineer must plan precisely how the weight will be distributed that it does not compromise the building.

In Italy there is a building called 'The leaning tower of Pizza' and this building leans over at an angle of 4 degrees.  Over the years the tower started leaning more and engineers had to strengthen and build parts of it to get it back to the original degrees it leaned.

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Lets look at some other interesting facts on well known buildings.  Make sure you find a picture or video on each of the buildings that you know where you will find it and what it looks like.

• the roof of the Sydney Opera House is covered with  1 056 006 tiles
• the Colosseum in Rome was build in 80 AD and it was used for events like gladiator fighting.  It could seat around 50 000 people.  It was an amphitheater which means it is in the open air, no roof
• about 20 000 workers help to build the Taj Mahal in India
• the world's largest office building is the Pentagon in the USA
• the world's first skyscraper with more than a 100 floors was the Empire state building in New York and stayed the highest till about 1972

 The Chrysler Building in New York was built at a time when there was a strong desire to build the world’s tallest skyscraper, before being overtaken by the Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building was the world’s tallest for around 11 months. During the construction, floors were being completed at a staggering four per week. Despite the rush, no workers died during its construction. 

If a building is very high, it needs very fast lifts, otherwise it will take people too long to get to the correct floor.  Some elevators can travel up to 1000m per minute.

There are not only very high buildings across the world, but also a few strange ones in very weird shapes.  Have a look at the video to see what a few looks like.

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