High-rise High-rise

High-rise - Definition and Overview

A high-rise is a tall building or structure. Normally, the function of the building is added, for example high-rise apartment or high-rise offices.

High-rise buildings first became possible due to the invention of the elevator (also known as the lift in British English).

Although the exact definition is immaterial, various bodies have tried to define what 'high-rise' means:

  • The International Conference on Fire Safety in High-Rise Buildings defined a high-rise as "any structure where the height can have a serious impact on evacuation"
  • The New Shorter Oxford English Dictionary defines a high-rise as "a building having many storeys".

See also: skyscraper, tower block.

Copyright 2009 WordIQ.com - Privacy Policy  :: Terms of Use  :: Contact Us  :: About Us
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the this Wikipedia article.