Buildering

Buildering (also known as urban climbing or stegophily) is the act of climbing the outside of buildings and other urban structure. The word "buildering" itself is a pun on bouldering.

Related Topics:
Urban - Bouldering

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Usually involving free climbing in difficult conditions, buildering can be very dangerous and is often practiced outside of legal bounds, and is thus mostly undertaken at night-time. Adepts of buildering who are seen climbing on buildings without authorization are regularly met by police forces upon completing their exploit. Spectacular acts of buildering, such as free climbing skyscrapers, are usually accomplished by lone, experienced climbers, sometimes attracting large crowds of passers-by and media attention. These remain relatively rare.

Related Topics:
Free climbing - Media

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Buildering can also take a form more akin to bouldering, which tends towards climbing and/or traversing shorter sections of buildings and structures. While still generally frowned upon by property owners, some, such as the University of Colorado at Boulder turn a blind eye towards the practice in many locations.

Related Topics:
Bouldering - University of Colorado at Boulder

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Less impressive forms of urban climbing can be observed in demonstrations, as a mean of protest, or technoparade events, where people frequently climb on sign posts and other small structures.

Related Topics:
Demonstration - Technoparade

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In contrast to many other extreme sports, buildering has probably been practised for perhaps as long as man has constructed buildings.

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