Building
A structure in Tabriz, Iran stands as a historical building with walls and a roof. This physical form separates human habitat from the outside world. Dictionary definitions describe such an object as having three core elements: a roof, walls, and permanent placement. William Dwight Whitney wrote about this definition in 1901 within The Century dictionary. Russell Sturgis noted that the word differs from architecture by excluding artistic treatment. It also differs from construction by excluding scientific or highly skillful treatment. A fence might be called a building under broadest interpretations, yet it lacks walls. Structural height measures to the highest architectural detail from street level. Spires and masts used as antennas do not count toward this measurement. Paul Francis Wendt and Alan Robert Cerf published their analysis on real estate investment in 1979. They stated that three stories or less generally defines a low-rise building.
Clear evidence of homebuilding exists from around 18,000 BC. Buildings became common during the Neolithic period. Historical records show people lived in communal longhouses. Smaller dwellings known as pit-houses appeared in ancient times. Some structures combined houses with barns, creating housebarns. Yurts and motorhomes are considered dwellings but not buildings due to lack of permanence. Common materials included brick, concrete, stone, and combinations thereof. Timber-framed houses appear in Marburg, Germany today. Belle Époque city-houses stand on Strada Arthur Verona in Bucharest, Romania. The Mitilineu House dates from 1898 in Bucharest. These forms reflect how societies adapted to weather conditions and land prices. Ground conditions influenced where and how these structures rose. Prestige and aesthetic reasons drove design choices throughout history.
Single-family residential buildings are most often called houses or homes. Multi-family residential buildings containing more than one dwelling unit are duplexes or apartment buildings. Condominiums represent apartments that occupants own rather than rent. Houses may be built in pairs as semi-detached units. Terraces form rows where all but two houses have neighbors on either side. Apartments can surround courtyards or exist as rectangular blocks surrounded by ground plots. Hotels, especially extended-stay varieties called apartels, classify as residential spaces. Building types range from huts to multimillion-dollar high-rise apartment blocks. Such blocks can house thousands of people. Increasing settlement density responds to high ground prices near employment centers. Terms like cottage, great house, shack, or mansion reflect size and value. Log homes and mobile homes describe manner of construction. Earth shelter, stilt house, houseboat, and floating home relate to geographical features. Institutions include nursing homes, orphanages, psychiatric hospitals, and prisons for those needing care. Barracks and dormitories serve group housing needs.
A commercial building hosts at least one business without residents living inside. Examples include stores, restaurants, and hotels. Industrial buildings facilitate heavy industry activities such as manufacturing. These edifices encompass warehouses and factories. Agricultural buildings function as outbuildings like barns located on farms. Some structures incorporate multiple uses, most commonly commercial and residential elements. An aluminum panel framed steel building stands in Korea. The BB&T Building in Macon, Georgia is constructed of aluminum. Vehicles such as trailers, caravans, ships, and passenger aircraft are treated as buildings for life safety purposes. Zoning ordinances apply regardless of intended use. Building codes regulate all structures within the United States. Fire codes and life safety standards govern these spaces. Regulations ensure compliance across diverse functional categories.
Designing, constructing, and operating buildings requires a collective effort from different professional groups. A real estate developer secures funding for any given project. Financial institutions or other investors provide necessary capital. Local planning and code authorities oversee regulatory compliance. A surveyor performs ALTA/ACSM and construction surveys throughout the project lifecycle. Construction managers coordinate efforts among various participants. Licensed architects and engineers design buildings and prepare construction documents. Civil, structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and drainage engineers form principal design disciplines. Fire prevention, acoustic, façade, and building physics specialists may also participate. Telecommunications and audio visual experts contribute to modern systems. Automatic controls and building management systems require specialized attention. Landscape architects shape outdoor environments around structures. Interior designers focus on internal spatial arrangements. Contractors install climate control, electrical, plumbing, decoration, fire protection, security, and telecommunications systems. Marketing or leasing agents handle occupancy strategies. Facility managers operate buildings after completion. All projects must comply with zoning ordinances and building codes in the US.
Any building requires internal infrastructure to function properly. Heating and cooling systems occupy large amounts of space within commercial edifices. Power and telecommunications networks run through walls and ceilings. Water and wastewater systems constitute essential utility components. These intricate systems sometimes reside in separate areas or double floors. False ceilings often conceal complex mechanical equipment. Maintenance costs reflect the scale of these internal operations. Elevators transport people vertically between floors. Escalators move individuals up or down inclined surfaces. Moving sidewalks exist as horizontal and inclined transport options. Skyways connect interconnected buildings above ground level. Underground cities link structures beneath the surface. An under construction building in Pune, India stands in an area known as Nine Hills. This high-rise structure rises in the South-Eastern Part of the city. Storms, explosions, subsidence caused by mining, water withdrawal, or poor foundations can damage buildings. Landslides pose additional threats to structural integrity. Fire damage and flooding remain common risks. Dilapidation occurs through lack of proper maintenance or improper alteration work.
Common questions
What is the definition of a building according to William Dwight Whitney?
William Dwight Whitney defined a building as having three core elements: a roof, walls, and permanent placement. He published this definition in 1901 within The Century dictionary.
When did clear evidence of homebuilding first appear in history?
Clear evidence of homebuilding exists from around 18,000 BC. Buildings became common during the Neolithic period when people lived in communal longhouses or pit-houses.
How many stories define a low-rise building according to Paul Francis Wendt and Alan Robert Cerf?
Paul Francis Wendt and Alan Robert Cerf stated that three stories or less generally defines a low-rise building. They published their analysis on real estate investment in 1979.
Which structures are considered buildings for life safety purposes despite being vehicles?
Vehicles such as trailers, caravans, ships, and passenger aircraft are treated as buildings for life safety purposes. Zoning ordinances apply regardless of intended use for these objects.
Who secures funding for any given building project?
A real estate developer secures funding for any given project. Financial institutions or other investors provide necessary capital to support the development.