Skyscrapers are nothing if not an architectural marvel. The tallest buildings of ancient times were mostly extremely wide-bottomed buildings that built to a peak, like the pyramids. Very rarely did anyone even come up with the idea of creating a building that could stretch as tall as skyscrapers we have today. Louisville boasts some extremely tall buildings, but how do Louisville skyscrapers compare to skyscraper marvels worldwide?
Highest Skyscraper
The tallest skyscraper in Louisville is 400 West Market, also known to locals as the Aegon Building. It stands 549 feet tall and is the tallest building in Kentucky, as it has been since it was completed in 1993. That may not sound like much, especially when compared to the tallest skyscraper in the world, the Burj Khalifa is a whopping 2,717 feet tall. That’s nearly five times the height of 400 West Market.
400 West Market is only 37 feet taller than the second tallest building in Louisville, the PNC Tower.
Oldest Skyscraper
Skyscrapers got their start over 100 years ago when more modern building materials started to allow architects and builders to reach higher and higher. The oldest standing skyscraper in Louisville over 37 meters or 121 feet tall is the Seelbach Hotel, which dates back to the year 1906.
Worldwide, the oldest skyscraper still standing is the 5 Beekman Street. Formerly Temple Court Building, this skyscraper completed construction in 1883, just a few years before the Seelbach Hotel.
Floors
What about when it comes to how many floors different skyscrapers have? Worldwide, due to its sheer size, the Burj Khalifa takes this honor again. This skyscraper has a whopping 163 stories. Wow!
When it comes to Louisville skyscrapers, the second-tallest building, the PNC Tower, is actually the one with the most floors. 400 West Market has 35 floors, whereas the PNC Tower has 5 more with 40 floors.
Skyscrapers and Their Foundations
Skyscrapers are nothing if not architectural wonders. From 400 West Market to the One World Trade Center, the tallest building in the United States, and even all the way to the Burj Khalifa, every skyscraper requires a lot of thoughtful planning and knowledge to make sure it doesn’t collapse before anyone even steps inside.
One of the most important elements of skyscrapers is their foundations. Not all buildings have their foundation depths public, but likely the deepest foundation in the world is the Petronas Towers. These towers are twin buildings that were the tallest in the world from 1998 to 2004. The foundation reaches down to 374 feet in some places, which is significantly deeper than even the depth of the foundation of the Burj Khalifa, which stretches down 164 feet.
Conclusion
When you look at a skyscraper, you will see a variety of elements that all come together to form these incredible structures. This is true whether you are in Louisville Kentucky, New York City, or Dubai. The next time you see one, just remember all that must have gone into their design and construction.
