Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat

Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat is an international organization that focuses on the planning, design, and construction of skyscrapers and other tall buildings, as well as the urban planning and urban design of citys like New York City, Tokyo, and Shanghai. The organization was founded in 1969 by Lynn S. Beedle and is headquartered at the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago, Illinois, near the Willis Tower and the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Robie House. The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat has members from over 100 countries, including architects like Frank Gehry, Norman Foster, and Zaha Hadid, as well as engineers from companies like Arup and Skidmore, Owings & Merrill.

● History

The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat was established in 1969 by Lynn S. Beedle, a renowned expert in structural engineering and tall building design, who worked with Fazlur Rahman Khan on the design of the Willis Tower and the John Hancock Center. Beedle was inspired by the work of Le Corbusier and the Bauhaus movement, and he sought to create an organization that would bring together experts from around the world to share knowledge and best practices in the field of tall building design and construction, including sustainability and green building experts like Amory Lovins and Janine Benyus. Over the years, the organization has grown to include members from over 100 countries, including China, India, and the United Arab Emirates, and has become a leading authority on tall building design and construction, with members like César Pelli and Helmut Jahn. The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat has also worked closely with other organizations, such as the American Institute of Architects and the International Code Council, to promote building codes and zoning regulations that support the development of sustainable and resilient cities, like Vancouver and Copenhagen.

● Organization

The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat is headquartered at the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago, Illinois, and is led by a chairman and a board of trustees that includes experts like Santiago Calatrava and Renzo Piano. The organization has a number of committees and working groups that focus on specific areas of interest, such as sustainability, seismic design, and wind engineering, and includes members from companies like Samsung and Hyundai. The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat also has a number of regional chapters and committees that provide a forum for members to share knowledge and best practices at the local level, including the Asia Pacific region, which includes countries like Australia and Singapore. The organization works closely with other organizations, such as the World Bank and the United Nations, to promote urban development and sustainable growth in cities around the world, including Rio de Janeiro and Mumbai.

● Activities

The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat is involved in a number of activities, including research, education, and outreach, and works with organizations like the National Science Foundation and the European Union. The organization conducts research on a range of topics related to tall building design and construction, including structural engineering, architectural design, and sustainability, and includes experts like William F. Baker and George Ehrlich. The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat also provides educational resources and training programs for professionals in the field, including workshops and conferences, and has partnered with organizations like the American Society of Civil Engineers and the Institution of Structural Engineers. In addition, the organization provides outreach and advocacy services to promote the development of sustainable and resilient cities, and has worked with cities like Barcelona and Melbourne to develop urban planning strategies and zoning regulations that support the development of tall buildings and other urban development projects.

● Publications

The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat publishes a number of reports and guides on topics related to tall building design and construction, including the CTBUH Journal and the CTBUH Newsletter, which are distributed to members and non-members alike, including university libraries and research institutions like the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of California, Berkeley. The organization also publishes a number of books and monographs on topics related to tall building design and construction, including case studys of iconic buildings like the Burj Khalifa and the Shanghai Tower, and has partnered with publishers like Routledge and Wiley. In addition, the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat maintains a comprehensive database of tall buildings around the world, which includes information on building height, architectural style, and structural system, and is used by researchers and professionals like Antoine Picon and Kengo Kuma.

● Awards

The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat presents a number of awards each year to recognize excellence in tall building design and construction, including the CTBUH Skyscraper Award and the CTBUH Urban Habitat Award, which are presented to architects, engineers, and developers who have made significant contributions to the field, like I.M. Pei and Richard Rogers. The organization also presents a number of other awards, including the CTBUH Lifetime Achievement Award and the CTBUH Young Professional Award, which are presented to individuals who have made significant contributions to the field of tall building design and construction, like Norman Foster and Zaha Hadid. The awards are presented at the annual CTBUH Conference, which is held in a different city each year, like Dubai and Hong Kong.

● Membership

The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat has members from over 100 countries, including architects, engineers, developers, and other professionals who are involved in the design and construction of tall buildings and other urban development projects, like Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and Gensler. Members of the organization have access to a range of benefits, including research reports, educational resources, and networking opportunitys, and can participate in committees and working groups that focus on specific areas of interest, like sustainability and seismic design. The organization also offers a number of different membership categories, including individual membership, corporate membership, and student membership, and has partnered with organizations like the American Institute of Architects and the International Code Council to promote building codes and zoning regulations that support the development of sustainable and resilient cities, like Vancouver and Copenhagen.