Buildering - Definition and Overview

Buildering (also known as urban climbing or stegophily) is the act of climbing the outside of buildings and other urban structure. The word "buildering" itself is a pun on bouldering.

Usually involving free climbing in difficult conditions, buildering can be very dangerous and is often practiced outside of legal bounds, and is thus mostly undertaken at night-time. Adepts of buildering who are seen climbing on buildings without authorization are regularly met by police forces upon completing their exploit. Spectacular acts of buildering, such as free climbing skyscrapers, are usually accomplished by lone, experienced climbers, sometimes attracting large crowds of passers-by and media attention. These remain relatively rare.

Less impressive forms of urban climbing can be observed in demonstrations, as a mean of protest, or technoparade events, where people frequently climb on sign posts and other small structures.

Famous urban climbers

• Alain Robert has climbed the Empire State Building in New York, the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, the Sears Tower in Chicago and the Petronas Tower in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, among others.
• Dan Goodwin, aka Spider Dan climbed the Sears Tower in Chicago in 1981.
• George Willig climbed the World Trade Center.
• Heath Bunting noted for his climbing exploits at the Urban Olympics.
• Harry and Simon Westaway climbed the Palace of Westminster Clock Tower in London as an anti-war protest for Greenpeace.

External links

• Newspaper article (http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/star/2001/0215/pr21-1.html) on Alain Robert climbing the Jin Mao Tower in Pudong.
• Homepage of Alain Robert (http://gerard.rouviere.free.fr/robert/menu.htm).
• Ascent of the Arche de la Defence (http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/europe/newsid_442000/442002.stm)