The Builder of Bridges

Buildering (also known as edificeering, urban climbing, structuring, skywalking, boulding, or stegophily) describes the act of climbing on the outside of buildings and other artificial structures. If done without ropes or protection far off the ground, buildering is extremely dangerous. It is often practised outside legal bounds, and is thus practised mostly at night. Night climbing is a particular branch of buildering which has been practised for many years in a variety of locations, especially at the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge. Night climbing, as distinct from buildering, is performed mainly by undergraduates under cover of darkness. The term "night climbing" has replaced the older term "roof climbing". The philosophy behind night climbing has undergone great change during the 21st century, with urban disciplines such as parkour having a heavy influence on the evolution of night climbing techniques and movements. Practitioners of buildering who climb buildings without authorization are regularly confronted by police after completing their exploits. Spectacular acts, such as free soloing skyscrapers, are usually undertaken by lone, experienced climbers and sometimes draw large crowds of onlookers and media attention. Such feats, however, remain relatively rare. Buildering can also take a form more akin to bouldering, which tends towards ascending 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 and Tufts University, turn a blind eye towards the practice in many locations. Although often practised as a solo sport, buildering has also become a popular group activity. As in more traditional rock climbing, routes are established and graded for difficulty. Buildering is a blend word formed from "building" and "bouldering".