Houses made of paper, building in fast motion – how much do you know?

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1. Tall, taller, tallest

At almost 830 meters, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai is the highest building in the world. Size can be measured in other dimensions though, namely in usable floor area.^[1]

Where is the building with the largest amount of usable floor area worldwide located?

2. Small is beautiful

More and more people across the world are moving to big cities and major metropolitan areas, putting a premium on space. Space is getting so short that architects are coming up with really amazing ideas in response. Micro-housing, for instance, which is what the smallest units are called.^[2]

How big is the smallest house in the world?

3. The sky’s the limit

New York without its skyline, Singapore without its distinctive towers, Hong Kong without its skyscrapers? Unimaginable. High-rises are part of any big city landscape.^[3]

How many high-rises does the city with the most high-rises have?

4. Anybody can build up

Some buildings are built underground these days. Among other things, to take advantage of the insulation effect of the ground.^[4]

How far under the surface of the earth is the deepest building in the world?

5. Animal role model

The animal world often serves as a model for architects: For example, termite mounds, which are often 10 meters high, have a sophisticated cooling system – that doesn’t use electricity. But animals and other creatures are not only capable of building big.^[5]

How big is the smallest “animal house”?

6. Sturdy

When strolling through a city on vacation, most people like visiting architectural landmarks. Whether the cathedral of Palma de Mallorca or the Colosseum in Rome, the most important thing is that it is steeped in history.^[6]

How old is the oldest building in the world?

7. Yesterday a can, today a loft

Car tires, beer cans, bottles – these days houses are also being made of recycled materials. That's good for the environment and for your wallet as new building materials don’t have to be produced. And it is good for the CO₂ footprint.^[7]

How much can the use of recycled building materials reduce CO2 emissions by?

8. Or cardboard

Buildings are made of stone or wood – at least they always used to be. Today there are houses that are actually made of cardboard.^[8]

How long will houses made of cardboard hold up?

9. More speed

It took about 632 years to complete the Cologne Cathedral. With today’s modern methods, buildings can be constructed in a much shorter span of time.^[9]