Designing Tall Buildings: Structure as Architecture

By: Sarkisian, Mark

This third edition of Designing Tall Buildings is an enhanced and accessible reference that guides the reader through the fundamental principles of designing high-rise buildings.

This new edition includes four new chapters, including initial concepts for tall building design, techniques for optimization, considerations for carbon, and the use of alternative materials such as timber. The third edition also includes 300 additional illustrations, and current code requirements and equations. Each chapter focuses on a theme central to tall-building design, giving a comprehensive overview of the related architectural and structural engineering concepts. Author Mark Sarkisian, PE, SE, NAE, LEED, provides clear definitions of technical terms and important equations, gradually developing the reader's knowledge. Projects drawn from SOM's vast portfolio of built high-rises, many of which Sarkisian engineered, demonstrate these concepts. The book considers the influence of particular site geology, wind conditions, and seismicity. With this contextual knowledge, the reader can develop structural systems best suited for a tower that are not only safe but constructible and economical. Sarkisian specifically addresses the influence of nature in design, urging the integration of structure and architecture for building of superior performance, sustainability, and aesthetic excellence.

This third edition is a must-have reference for students and designers.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0367643863
• ISBN13: 9780367643867
• Release Date: April 2026
• Publisher: Routledge
• Length: 422 Pages