When did people decide to build upwards

[wolram]

A home can be any thing from a one roomed tent to a palace, but when
did people decide to build upwards and why? i can understand todays
land prices drive buildings upward but was that the original consideration?

 

[arildno]

In ancient Rome, there were many property "sharks" who built at least four-story rental blocks. These were readily and cheaply constructed, but unfortunately for the inhabitants, they had a nasty habit of falling down again.
For enterprising souls in a city with a large population pressure on it, getting as many people as you could crammed into your own house meant a big profit.

 

[matthyaouw]

For a vantage point perhaps? Or just as a display of wealth/power.

 

[Astronuc]

It depends where and when.

Early on people lived in natural caves, but some could make cave dwellings.

There are mud and straw huts still in Africa.

Then when tools and skills developed, houses could be build of stone or wood. Wealthy royalty and nobles could build castles, merchants could build mansions, and the vast majority of poor lived in cottages, huts or other small dwellings.

In the US (1600-1800's), people would cut trees and build log cabins. If one had money, one could import lumber. Once lumber (precisely cut timber) could be produced, complicated buildings could be built.

When I bought a house 16 years ago, I bought (mortgaged) what I could afford and have spent nearly as much expanding and upgrading it, so my mortgage is now 1.5x what it was.

 

[wolram]

Arildno has mentioned (ancient roam) i remember reading that some poor
quarters were multi story in roaman times, but were they the first to build
upwards ?

 

[Astronuc]

ancient roam

Yes, that's me. I love to roam, especially in ancient places - like ancient Rome.

 

[arildno]

I would assume that multi-storey rental buildings could be found in ancient towns like Jericho, Nineveh, and the cities in Old Egypt.

 

[wolram]

Yes, that's me. I love to roam, especially in ancient places - like ancient Rome.

my spelling gets worser and worser.

 

[selfAdjoint]

I would assume that multi-storey rental buildings could be found in ancient towns like Jericho, Nineveh, and the cities in Old Egypt.

Notably there is a biblical reference to building high in Babylon. See also the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.

 

[arildno]

Notably there is a biblical reference to building high in Babylon. See also the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.

That would be in Nineveh (wasn't that the capital of the Babylonian kingdom?)
Sure, they had monumental buildings, and grand palaces.


But I didn't want to leave the impression that I knew that they had multi-storey common housings (homes?); I don't know that, but I think it was true.