A recent Arabian Gulf Business Insight article examines advancements in super-tall towers and their potential to redefine architectural limits. Bill Baker, consulting partner and structural engineer at SOM, shared insights from a 2021 study in which the firm conceptualized designs for towers reaching up to 9 kilometers—nearly the height of Mount Everest.
“Using advanced structural engineering and construction methods, we conceptualized a 3-kilometer tower and found that with emerging technology like ultra-high-performance concrete, it might be possible to reach up to 9 kilometers,” said Baker in the article.
He noted that buildings of these heights will require designs capable of addressing several key factors. These include ensuring structural stability to withstand wind and seismic forces, accommodating the physical effects of high altitudes on occupants and developing advanced elevator systems to efficiently transport people across unprecedented vertical distances. Such considerations, he emphasized, are critical to making these ambitious structures feasible.
