Community questions

Question 1

Why do data sources matter?

Accepted Answer

When you change a field, add the source that supports the value. A source can be a document, a website, a measurement, or an observation. A value without a source is harder for another editor to verify.Select an existing data source if it describes the evidence you used. Add a new source if none fits. Include the exact page, URL, document title, or observation circumstances when you have them. Date witnessed is the date on which you accessed or observed the source. It is not the date on which the building fact became true.Sources help when two records disagree. Editors can inspect the underlying evidence instead of relying on the value alone. If you do not know the source, do not invent one. You can still enter the value and add evidence later.

Question 2

How object mapping works

Accepted Answer

SKYDB can translate building data between different representations. The API calls this process Object Mapping. It works in both directions: source information can be mapped into the SKYDB data model, while SKYDB objects can be converted back into another schema, data format or human-readable representation.A source does not need to follow the SKYDB structure. It may provide a text description, an address, JSON from another API, a database record or only a few known properties. The mapper determines which parts correspond to SKYDB fields and related objects. For buildings, this may include names, location, height, floors, usage, status, dates, companies or regions. It can also report information that cannot be mapped clearly, conflicts with existing data or is missing altogether.Developers access this functionality through the SKYDB API. A mapping request specifies the source data and the representation it should be mapped to. The response contains the resulting values and object references, together with mapping issues where relevant. Reverse mapping uses the same principle and converts an existing SKYDB object into the requested target representation.

Question 3

Is there an entry fee, and what do recipients receive?

Accepted Answer

There is no fee to nominate a building or vote in the SKYDB Awards. A paid membership is not required. Participation is subject to the nomination rules and voter eligibility requirement.Architects and owners do not need to submit a separate application. A member nominates an eligible building through its SKYDB record during the published nomination period.The placed buildings are named on the annual award page, and the award is recorded on their building pages. The award carries no cash prize. The archive keeps the results available after the annual selection has ended.Depending on budget availability, trophies will be produced and shipped to the top three selected buildings. In the past, award ceremonies have been held worldwide.

Question 4

How do membership and editorial roles affect participation?

Accepted Answer

A member is a person with a SKYDB account. Registration is free, and any member may nominate one eligible building per award year during the nomination period.An editor is a member with editorial responsibilities. Senior editors and administrators have additional permissions to maintain the database. These roles do not automatically confer voting rights. Administrators are exempt from the nomination limit.For the awards, the contributor requirement means that a member has added at least 100 buildings to SKYDB. This is the threshold for voting. Every eligible member has up to three votes per award year, with one vote per building.Paid membership does not change voting eligibility, the number of votes or their weight. A member without an editorial role who has added 100 buildings can vote; an editor who has added fewer cannot.

Question 5

Can I nominate or promote my own building?

Accepted Answer

Yes, every SKYDB member may nominate an eligible building, including one they own or worked on, or a project belonging to their firm or client. You do not need an invitation or a paid membership. Simply join SKYDB to take part.You are welcome to share the building's award page and invite colleagues and others interested in the project to join SKYDB. Encourage them to contribute and take part in the awards. Owners and project teams are welcome in the community.The same building eligibility requirements and nomination limits apply to your own project. Voting has separate participation requirements. Offering payment, gifts or other benefits in exchange for votes is prohibited.

Question 6

Can a building missing from SKYDB be considered?

Accepted Answer

An eligible building can be considered once it has been added to SKYDB and nominated during the relevant nomination period. Creating a database record does not automatically nominate it.Before adding a record, search SKYDB to check whether the building is already listed under another name. If it is missing, sign in and simply add the building. Record its location, construction status and dates accurately, and cite the sources for the information you enter.Height measurements and photographs help members assess the building. Information about the design and project team also helps explain the nomination. Existing records can be corrected or supplemented in the same way.Allow time to prepare the record before nominations close. The award page gives the dates; a record added after the deadline does not create a late nomination.

Question 7

How is the integrity of the vote protected?

Accepted Answer

Voting is restricted to members who have added at least 100 published buildings to SKYDB. This ties voting eligibility to a record of contributions and raises the effort required to establish additional voting accounts. It does not, by itself, verify a person's identity or guarantee that abuse is impossible.Each eligible account may cast up to three votes per award year, with no more than one vote for the same building. Withdrawing a vote frees that choice for another candidate; it does not increase the total allowance. These limits are enforced when votes are recorded.Running vote totals are not displayed during the voting period. This allows members to make their selections without following a published tally.Promoting a nominated building is permitted. Payment, gifts or other benefits offered in exchange for votes are prohibited. Suspected violations can be reported to SKYDB, with the award year and details of the activity concerned.

Question 8

Who can vote in the SKYDB Awards?

Accepted Answer

SKYDB differs between nominating and voting. Voting means to vote for the best skyscraper which has previously been nominated for the given year. Any SKYDB member may vote three buildings per award year during the voting period. The only requirement is that you must have entered at least 10 buildings which got accepted. This safeguard ensures that people demonstrate their interest in and seriousness about tall buildings. Editing existing records or uploading photographs does not count toward that total. Paid membership does not confer voting rights or increase the weight of a vote.Each eligible member may vote for up to three different nominated buildings per award year, with one vote per building. Votes may be withdrawn or reassigned during the voting period. Once that period closes, members can no longer change their choices.The award page provides the voting dates and available choices. Members who have not reached the voting threshold can still nominate a building.Not a member yet? Join SKYDB

Question 9

How are construction status and award year used?

Accepted Answer

The annual selection uses the construction year and status recorded in SKYDB. Buildings recorded as @completed or @topped out can appear in the candidate list. Completion is therefore not a requirement for every candidate.Topping out and completion describe different stages. A topped-out building has reached its full structural height; facade work or interior construction may still be in progress. Its SKYDB record should retain the status that accurately describes the work.The award year identifies the annual group of candidates. Nominations and voting may take place later: a vote held in 2026 can concern the 2025 award. The annual award page gives the participation dates.Correct an inaccurate status or construction year with supporting sources before nominations close. A projected completion date should not be presented as a confirmed one.

Question 10

Who can nominate a building?

Accepted Answer

SKYDB differs between nominating and voting. Nominating means to propose a building to be voted on. Voting means to vote for the best skyscraper which has previously been nominated. Any SKYDB member may nominate one eligible building per award year during the nomination period. The only requirement is that you must have entered at least 10 buildings which got accepted. This safeguard ensures that people demonstrate their interest in and seriousness about tall buildings.To nominate, sign in to SKYDB and open the relevant year. While nominations are open, the candidate list provides the option to nominate a building. You do not need a paid membership or an editorial role.Each member may have one nomination per award year. You can withdraw it and nominate another building while the nomination period is open. A building appears once in the nominated list, and the number of nominations it receives does not add votes.Administrators may nominate more than one building for making sure all relevant buildings are present. This exception applies to nominations only; administrators must meet the same voting requirement and vote limit as other members.Check the published eligibility requirements and the rule on nominating your own work before making a nomination. Voting is a separate stage with its own participation requirements.

Question 11

How are the SKYDB Awards decided?

Accepted Answer

Each year's annual award page sets out the nomination and voting periods. These dates govern participation, even when the selection takes place after the award year.The nomination period is usually every January for buildings completed or topped out in the previous year. During nominations, each member may put forward one eligible building. Nominated buildings appear in a public list. There is no separate editorial shortlist selecting which nominations proceed to the vote. Administrators are exempt from the nomination limit.The voting period usually follows right after the nomination period, typically in February, for buildings completed or topped out in the previous year. During voting, members who have added at least 10 buildings to SKYDB may vote for up to three different nominated buildings. Each vote has equal weight. Voters can withdraw or replace their choices while the voting period remains open.Voting closes on the published date. The first, second and third places are announced on the award page. For participation requirements, see nominating a building and voter eligibility.

Question 12

Why does SKYDB give an architectural award?

Accepted Answer

SKYDB records the physical characteristics and history of tall buildings. The awards give members a way to assess their architecture and select buildings from each year's candidates.The database provides a common reference for that assessment. Members can compare building records and photographs, check the information behind a nomination, and contribute corrections before voting.A nomination does not depend on an application or payment from a building's architect or owner. Members put buildings forward through SKYDB, within the nomination rules. The annual results remain available on the award pages.

Question 13

Does the tallest building of the year win?

Accepted Answer

The SKYDB Awards are decided by votes. A building does not receive extra points for its height, and being the tallest candidate does not guarantee a place.The past results include Burj Khalifa, the 2010 winner, and EPIQ, the 2024 winner. Their recorded heights are 828 meters and 100 meters, respectively.The award archive lists the placed buildings for each year. For a ranking ordered by height, see the Top 1000 Skyscrapers.

Question 14

What do the SKYDB Awards recognize?

Accepted Answer

The subject of the award is an individual building. Voters assess the nominated buildings and choose those they consider the strongest architectural work in the annual selection.Building records and photographs provide a basis for comparison. They can inform an assessment of the design and its relationship to its surroundings. SKYDB does not publish a weighted scoring formula for these qualities; each eligible voter makes a judgment when selecting up to three buildings.Height does not carry additional voting weight. Past first places include EPIQ and Burj Khalifa, buildings of very different scales. The voting rules apply equally to all candidates.

Question 15

Which buildings are eligible to participate in the award?

Accepted Answer

The SKYDB Awards recognize the best new skyscraper of each year for design and functionality. To qualify, a building must have been completed or topped out during that award year and must be at least 100 meters tall, based on the building mass height.Buildings from any country may be nominated. A building is eligible only for the year in which it was completed and cannot be carried forward to a later award year.Nominees and winners are chosen by SKYDB members. A building must have a SKYDB record and receive a nomination during the published nomination period to appear on the ballot. The SKYDB Awards page lists the annual selections and results.

Question 16

What are the SKYDB Awards?

Accepted Answer

The SKYDB Awards recognize new tall buildings through an annual selection. The published record begins in 1999 with Burj Al Arab. From 2000 onward, each decided year has a first, second and third place.The current process consists of member nominations followed by a vote. Any SKYDB member may nominate one eligible building per award year. Members who have added at least 100 buildings to the database may vote, with up to three votes each. The selection process explains the stages and deadlines.There is no entry fee. Candidates are drawn from SKYDB records and must be nominated during the published nomination period to reach the ballot. The award pages list past results and provide access to each building's record.

Question 17

What is the SKYDB map and what is it for?

Accepted Answer

The SKYDB map is a software which allows users to access objects like buildings and regions online on a map. Users need to be signed in in order to access the map and relevant information. Depending on your access level and/or subscription, you will see different functionalities and details of information.

Question 18

How can I communicate with other members?

Accepted Answer

SKYDB on TelegramThe best way to join the discussions with SKYDB members is to join the official SKYDB chat on Telegram. Telegram is a free chat program which is available to smartphones and computers and can be downloaded on Telegram.org and app stores. Using Telegram you can chat 24/7, ask questions, and get immediate feedback.Discussion GroupsIf you do not want to use Telegram, you can use the SKYDB discussion groups. These are website forums where users exchange about the use of SKYDB and discuss building-related topics.

Question 19

Why are skyscrapers important?

Accepted Answer

Efficient Use of Space: Skyscrapers allow for the efficient use of limited space in densely populated areas. With the increase in urbanization, the demand for land in cities has grown tremendously. Skyscrapers provide a solution to this problem by enabling developers to construct vertically, thereby maximizing the use of limited land.Iconic Symbols of Modernity: Skyscrapers have become iconic symbols of modernity and progress. They represent the ability of humans to push the boundaries of engineering and architecture. The tallest skyscrapers in the world have become tourist attractions, drawing millions of visitors each year.Economic Benefits: Skyscrapers can have significant economic benefits for cities. They can create jobs during the construction phase and also generate revenue for businesses and the local economy. Many skyscrapers are also home to offices, hotels, and retail spaces, which can generate ongoing economic activity.Sustainability: With advancements in building technology, many new skyscrapers are being designed to be energy-efficient and sustainable. They incorporate features such as green roofs, solar panels, and efficient heating and cooling systems, making them more environmentally friendly.Social Significance: Skyscrapers have significant social significance as well. They often become cultural landmarks and symbols of national pride. The design and construction of a skyscraper can also serve as a source of community pride and identity.

Submitting information

Can I delete my submitted files whenever I want?

Getting started as an editor

How can I communicate with other members?

How can I delete a building?

How can I remove false or outdated information?

How can I set my files to public domain?

How can I submit an update for a project?

How can I upload photos?

How do I create a collection?

How do I link a building to a company?

How is the Building of the Week determined?

How related objects work

How to add a building

Mistakes to avoid

My submission is not displayed. What can I do?

Shortkeys explained

What determines the sequence of images?

What do object ratings mean?

What does SDC mean?

What is SKYDB and how can I benefit from it?

What is a scope?

What kind of objects does SKYDB support?

new Why do data sources matter?