Integrated Design and Construction of Tall Buildings

Tall buildings are an integration of architecture, structural, and environmental systems, and they require substantial resources to build and operate. Therefore, design and construction of tall buildings is a highly multidisciplinary process. To realize a desirable built environment through tall buildings, all professionals involved in the design and construction of such projects should work collaboratively from project inception to completion. Further, operation and maintenance of the building after completion must be taken into consideration during the design stage. The knowledge, experience, and input that each team member can offer throughout the design and construction process will add substantially to producing a built environment that is creative, environmentally sensitive, aesthetically pleasing, functional, and reasonable to construct, operate, and manage. Every team member's basic background and knowledge of aspects of tall building design and construction beyond his/her own discipline is crucial. It is true that the workload of individual design and construction team members varies throughout the process, but every professional has a significant role to play at every stage. © 2010 ASCE.