A high-rise is a tall building or structure. Normally, the function of the building is added, for example high-rise apartment or high-rise offices.

High-rise buildings first became possible due to the invention of the elevator (also known as the lift in British English) and a cheap building material.

Although the exact definition is immaterial, various bodies have tried to define what 'high-rise' means:

• The International Conference on Fire Safety in High-Rise Buildings defined a high-rise as "any structure where the height can have a serious impact on evacuation"

• The New Shorter Oxford English Dictionary defines a high-rise as "a building having many storeys".

• Massachusetts General Laws define a high-rise as being higher than 70 feet.

See also

• Skyscraper
• Tower block