# Buildings that are wider at the top **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 23, 2013, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buildings-that-are-wider-at-the-top/656491 "2013-04-23T13:46:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buildings-that-are-wider-at-the-top/656491/21 "2013-04-23T18:32:38Z")
[The Grand Lisboa casino in Macao.](http://calvinayre.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/macau-casino.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Satchmo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/satchmo/32/4223_2.png) [@Satchmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satchmo)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buildings-that-are-wider-at-the-top/656491/22 "2013-04-23T18:53:37Z")
> [@dstarfire](#): > > There are reasons for the narrower-at-the-top design of tall buildings that have nothing to do with physics, architecture, or engineering limitations. In New York, for example, buildings are required by law to have setbacks every dozen floors or so. > > I’m sure the psychology wise dopers can explain some of the others. IANAPWD but I believe initially it was to get more daylight down to street level. When skyscrapers became the default new building in downtown NYC, the streets got darker and darker and the city wanted to avoid that. I think I heard that during a documentary about building the Empire State Building. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buildings-that-are-wider-at-the-top/656491/23 "2013-04-23T19:22:12Z")
Famously, the [Guggenheim Museum](http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/avp/cas/fnart/fa267/FLW_guggenheim.html) by Frank Lloyd Wright. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buildings-that-are-wider-at-the-top/656491/24 "2013-04-23T19:28:08Z")
> [@Xema](#): > > Could just be the photo, but that building is some kind of ugly. It’s a bad render. I pass quite close to it on my commute so I have been watching it growing. It looks pretty cool in reality. [Here](http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=321409&page=449) is (currently) the last page of the huge thread on Skyscrapercity. Lots of photos of the work in progress. BTW lots of Tudor and mock-Tudor buildings have projecting upper stories, e.g. [this street in Chester](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b2/Bridge_Street,_Chester.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![Svejk\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea666f/32.png) [@Svejk\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Svejk_1)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buildings-that-are-wider-at-the-top/656491/25 "2013-04-23T19:33:41Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > [Yes!](http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tempe_City_Hall_-_Tempe,_AZ.JPG) The [Slovak Radio](https://www.google.ca/search?q=slovensky+rozhlas&aq=f&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=wuF2UeHREomQtAa21YGACw&biw=1366&bih=655&sei=xOF2UcWwJIPUtAbrlICABg) building in Bratislava is another example of an upside-down pyramid. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buildings-that-are-wider-at-the-top/656491/26 "2013-04-23T19:36:43Z")
And don’t forget [upside down houses.](http://www.google.com/search?q=upside+down+house&safe=off&hl=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=Y-J2UYf7Guj-4APIx4DQCw&sqi=2&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAA&biw=1024&bih=644) ---
**Author:** ![Ponderoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponderoid/32/19221_2.png) [@Ponderoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponderoid)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buildings-that-are-wider-at-the-top/656491/27 "2013-04-23T20:30:39Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#): > > [The CIT Building](https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-a&hs=hTM&hl=en&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=KrF2UfmaKPD_4AOFjIC4Cw&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1280&bih=638&q=CIT%20building%20dulles%20virginia) I’m very amused that a picture of the Jawa sand-crawler appeared in those results. (perhaps not for others, I understand Google will use your cookie and customize the results, even if you don’t have an account) ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buildings-that-are-wider-at-the-top/656491/28 "2013-04-23T21:31:19Z")
Two from Toronto: The [former Sears Canada headquarters](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/00/Sears_Canada_Building.JPG). The [Manulife Centre](http://static.rogerebert.com/redactor_assets/pictures/scanners/tiff-2007-wrap-personal-best-and-indelible-images/manux.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buildings-that-are-wider-at-the-top/656491/29 "2013-04-23T21:40:56Z")
> [@Tierce](#): > > [Rainier Square](https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1920&bih=950&q=rainier+square+seattle&oq=rainier+square+seattle&gs_l=img.3..0j0i24l2.1465.4766.0.4870.22.16.0.6.6.0.133.1534.11j5.16.0...0.0...1ac.1.11.img.5YeTyzGtxK8) in downtown Seattle. This is the one that I expected to see first in the thread. It really gave me a case of vertigo or something when I walked by it, I felt like it was going to fall on me no matter where I was standing. I did not go in. Roddy ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buildings-that-are-wider-at-the-top/656491/30 "2013-04-23T21:59:58Z")
The [Citigroup Center](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Citigroup.center.JPG) building in Manhattan is another with a prominent cantilever. The reason is that there was a church at the building site that wanted to remain in place but not be attached to the office building. And about a year after the Citigroup Center was completed, the structural engineer figured out a major mistake he made in the design. They had to weld on additional braces at night to deal with the issue. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buildings-that-are-wider-at-the-top/656491/31 "2013-04-24T07:04:34Z")
And then there’s [this](http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GYfD8W5_yZY/UGaLXODzlcI/AAAAAAAAAgQ/FxBPvrXogCw/s1600/i1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://factsstop.blogspot.com/2012/09/the-basket-building-united-states.html&h=998&w=1500&sz=467&tbnid=kbWrpt1huZ5f7M:&tbnh=90&tbnw=135&zoom=1&usg=__WuHhXrxsPFd729PFA6aYVJoQp_U=&docid=xszDTUcWAv1BaM&sa=X&ei=voJ3Uf3pMZH1qwHpmICACQ&ved=0CDwQ9QEwAQ&dur=525). ---
**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 8:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buildings-that-are-wider-at-the-top/656491/32 "2013-04-24T08:07:17Z")
Northern Sweden is full of hay barns like these: > **[Webhosting, WordPress and domains](https://www.simply.com/en/)** > > Professional, cheap and stable web space at a price that everyone can afford. Simply.com makes web hosting easy, smart and available for everyone. 5 stars on Trustpilot. [http://www.algonet.se/~mats-nil/nff/bilder/sommar\_ladrike.jpg](http://www.algonet.se/~mats-nil/nff/bilder/sommar_ladrike.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Mycroft\_Holmes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a5b964/32.png) [@Mycroft\_Holmes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mycroft_Holmes)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buildings-that-are-wider-at-the-top/656491/33 "2013-04-24T08:20:50Z")
These [cube houses](http://mocoloco.com/fresh2/upload/2010/03/rotterdam_cube_houses_as_stayokay_hostel/stayokay_hostel.jpg) in Rotterdam. ---
**Author:** ![glaeken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@glaeken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glaeken)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 9:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buildings-that-are-wider-at-the-top/656491/34 "2013-04-24T09:09:53Z")
> [@Xema](#): > > Could just be the photo, but that building is some kind of ugly. Well that is just an artist’s impression. I don’t think the finished thing is going to look to dissimilar though. I do like the artists impression for the top floor that is going to be a garden. > **[Time Out London news](https://www.timeout.com/london/news)** > > Your up-to-the-minute guide to London life, news, culture, pop-ups, openings and LOLs Of course if you are in the garden looking out you don’t actually have to see the building itself. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Librarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_librarian/32/402_2.png) [@The\_Librarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Librarian)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buildings-that-are-wider-at-the-top/656491/35 "2013-04-24T09:41:44Z")
> [@Mycroft\_Holmes](#): > > These [cube houses](http://mocoloco.com/fresh2/upload/2010/03/rotterdam_cube_houses_as_stayokay_hostel/stayokay_hostel.jpg) in Rotterdam. I came in here to post those. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 9:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buildings-that-are-wider-at-the-top/656491/36 "2013-04-24T09:54:48Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > The [Citigroup Center](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Citigroup.center.JPG) building in Manhattan is another with a prominent cantilever. The reason is that there was a church at the building site that wanted to remain in place but not be attached to the office building. And about a year after the Citigroup Center was completed, the structural engineer figured out a major mistake he made in the design. They had to weld on additional braces at night to deal with the issue. “At night”?? ---
**Author:** ![deltasigma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e5b9ba/32.png) [@deltasigma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deltasigma)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buildings-that-are-wider-at-the-top/656491/37 "2013-04-24T10:06:33Z")
Not sure it counts since it has supports. [Library of Science and Medicine](http://kenlew.com/collections/postcards/ru/070-l.jpg) at Rutgers University. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 10:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buildings-that-are-wider-at-the-top/656491/38 "2013-04-24T10:17:30Z")
The [old Central Bus Station](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/66/PikiWiki_Israel_4218_Architecture_of_Israel.jpg/800px-PikiWiki_Israel_4218_Architecture_of_Israel.jpg), Haifa, Israel. ---
**Author:** ![sandra\_nz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@sandra\_nz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sandra_nz)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 10:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buildings-that-are-wider-at-the-top/656491/39 "2013-04-24T10:22:48Z")
500 years old, and it’s still standing (just!) [Little Moreton Hall, Cheshire, UK](http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/little-moreton-hall/) ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buildings-that-are-wider-at-the-top/656491/40 "2013-04-24T13:17:03Z")
> [@Mycroft\_Holmes](#): > > These [cube houses](http://mocoloco.com/fresh2/upload/2010/03/rotterdam_cube_houses_as_stayokay_hostel/stayokay_hostel.jpg) in Rotterdam. Fa-reaky! They look cool, but I feel like you’d be losing a not insignificant amount of usable space. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buildings-that-are-wider-at-the-top/656491.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buildings-that-are-wider-at-the-top/656491.md?page=3)