Arch bridge A bridge with an arched structure beneath its deck. Arched bridges are one of the oldest types of bridge. The arch shape gives great strength to the structure.

Bank of China Tower A 307-metre-tall (1007-feet) skyscraper in Hong Kong, housing the headquarters of the Bank of China. It was the tallest building in Asia from 1989 to 1992.

Bascule A bridge with a section that can be raised or lowered like a drawbridge, enabling tall ships to pass beneath it.

Beam bridge A simple bridge formed of horizontal beams supported at each end by vertical posts.

Burj Khalifa A 828-metre-tall (2716-feet) skyscraper in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The Burj Khalifa, opened in 2010, is currently the tallest structure ever built.

Cable-stayed bridge A bridge held up by steel cables. The cables are fixed to the tops of towers standing on the ground. The weight of the deck is supported by the towers.

Cantilever bridge A bridge constructed from beams supported at just one end. A cantilever bridge can have just one beam, supported at one end; many have two beams reaching out from each end to meet in the centre; some have beams reaching out in opposite directions from central supports.

Chrysler Building A 319-metre-tall (1047-feet) Art Deco-style skyscraper in New York City. Completed in 1930, it was the tallest building in the world for 11 months, before the Empire State Building was completed.

CN Tower A 553-metre-tall (1814-feet) structure in Toronto, Canada. It is a TV transmission station and a tourist attraction, with two observation decks. Completed in 1976, the CN Tower was the world’s tallest structure until the completion of Burj Khalifa in 2010.

Dam A barrier built across a river to hold water back for drinking or watering crops, to generate electricity by hydroelectric power, or to control flooding.

Eiffel Tower A 300-metre-tall (984-feet) iron structure, built in Paris in 1889. At the time of its construction, the Eiffel Tower was the world’s tallest structure.

Empire State Building A 381-metre-tall (1250-feet) skyscraper in New York. Completed in 1931, the Empire State Building was the world’s tallest building until 1973. Its spire was intended to be a mooring post for airships, but was only used for this once.

Ericsson Globe The national indoor arena of Sweden, in its capital city, Stockholm. At 100 m wide and 85 m tall (328 x 279 feet), it is the largest hemispherical building in the world.

Gateway Arch The tallest monument in the world, rising 192 metres (630 feet) above the Mississippi River in the USA. It was built in 1965 to mark St. Louis’s historic role as “Gateway to the West”. The steel arch is hollow, with lifts going up inside it.

Petronas Towers Twin skyscrapers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The 452-metre-tall (1483-feet) Petronas Towers were the tallest buildings in the world from 1998 to 2004. Each tower has 88 floors and a sky bridge connects the 41st and 42nd floors.

Skyscraper A very tall building, usually more than 20 storeys high. Skyscrapers provide lots of space while using little land. They are a feature of many large cities, where land is limited and expensive.

Suspension bridge A bridge hung from steel cables strung between towers. Suspension bridges are ideal for long, high spans as they do not require a row of supporting columns that may interfere with river transport.

Sydney Opera House One of the most famous modern buildings in the world, on the edge of Sydney Harbour in Australia. Built during the 1960s, Sydney Opera House's roof is designed to imitate the sails of the ships in the harbour.

Consultant: Chris Oxlade