Knowra Tower block Tower block A tower block is a tall, multi-storey building, usually containing apartments or offices. Its height and concentrated floor area distinguish it from lower-rise buildings.
Structural system : The arrangement of elements that carries a building’s loads and keeps it stable. Tower blocks rely on coordinated structural elements to support many floors.
Apartment building : A residential building divided into separate dwellings, each intended for independent occupancy. Many tower blocks are apartment buildings that concentrate homes on a small site.
Modern architecture : An architectural movement emphasizing new materials, functional planning, and forms distinct from historical styles. Modern architecture shaped the plain forms and planning principles of many early tower blocks.
Skyscraper : A very tall building whose height makes it a prominent feature of the urban skyline. The term usually suggests greater height or landmark status than an ordinary tower block.
Reinforced concrete : Concrete strengthened with embedded steel bars or mesh to resist tension and bending. It is widely used to form tower-block cores, columns, walls, and floors.
Office building : A building primarily designed to accommodate workplaces and business activities. Office tower blocks use vertical floor plates to concentrate workplaces.
Le Corbusier : A Swiss-French architect and urban planner whose work strongly influenced modern architecture. His visions of high-rise housing helped popularize towers as tools for reorganizing cities.
Low-rise building : A building with relatively few storeys and a modest height above the ground. Low-rise buildings distribute floor area across more land rather than stacking it vertically.
Steel frame : A building structure whose primary loads are carried by connected steel beams and columns. Steel frames provide another way to support tall buildings with long spans.
Mixed-use development : A project combining multiple uses, such as housing, shops, offices, or public facilities. Some tower blocks place shops or workplaces below apartments.
Show all 21