Groundscraper

[edit] Overview

The term ‘Groundscraper’ can be used to refer to a building that extends horizontally over a large distance while only being of a low to medium height. The term can also be used, along with ‘earthscraper’, to describe buildings that are constructed below ground level.

One of the early instances of a building being labeled a groundscraper was the 1930s Merchandise Mart in Chicago, which, having a 372,000 sq. m floor area was almost 50% bigger than the Empire State Building.

There are several notable groundscraper projects:

[edit] New Century Global Centre, Chengdu, China

With 1.7 million sq. m of floor area, this multi-purpose shopping mall is the world’s largest building in terms of floor space.

[edit] Intercontinental Shimao Shanghai Wonderland, China

This hotel complex is the first to be built below ground level, descending by 19 storeys into a disused quarry.

[edit] The Pentagon, Arlington County, USA

One of the largest and most famous groundscraper buildings, this military complex has around 600,000 sq. m of floor space.

For more information, see The Pentagon.

[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki

• 7 Engineering Wonders of the World.
• Architectural styles.
• Google King's Cross campus.
• High-rise building.
• Medium-rise building.
• Megatall.
• New York Horizon.
• Skyscraper.
• Super-slender.
• Tall building.
• Tallest buildings in the world.
• The Big Bend, New York.
• The history of fabric structures.
• The Pentagon.
• Types of building.

[edit] External references

• Skyscraper Dictionary
• What are "Groundscrapers"? - Video