Campusing

What is Buildering?

Buildering is the act of climbing on buildings or urban structures. Many people use the word buildering to include any form of climbing on buildings, regardless of height or style. With such a broad definition, the act can look a lot of different ways. According to Tim Jacobs, author of Buildering Spots International, buildering “...can be short, hard, gymnastics ascents; skyscraper climbs where one slip is fatal; drunken scrambles up scaffolding on the way home from the pub; and everything in between.” Some other names that people use to refer to buildering-like activities include but are not limited to: urban climbing, building climbing, night climbing, street climbing, buildingeering, edificeering, structuring, skywalking, stegophily, and more. Because of the niche and elusive nature of this activity, there are no strict universal definitions for these terms. Often, climbing on buildings is illegal, and thus this practice is done mostly at night.

Buildering combines the words buildering and bouldering. Bouldering is a form of rock climbing that takes place relatively low off the ground, involves technical sequences of moves, and is practiced without the use of ropes. The form of buildering emphasized most in this guidebook is identical to the practice of bouldering, except with buildings, not rock faces. The safest way to practice bouldering is with crash pads below the climber and ample people spotting, to protect the climber in case of a fall. In this book, I emphasize climbing shorter climbs, with more interesting and technical movements on the side of buildings, relatively low to the ground, with the use of crash pads and spotters. There are some climbs included in this book that are much taller, but can be protected by slinging strong features or placing climbing gear into solid cracks.

About the Author

Jordan (he/they) grew up in San Diego, California, where an early love for skateboarding and parkour shaped a playful perspective on the urban environment. This foundation naturally evolved into an interest in buildering and other explorations of play.

Jordan discovered rock climbing at the end of high school but truly immersed themselves in the practice upon joining UC Berkeley in 2019. Through the Cal Climbing Club, they found a community that deepened their passion for all disciplines of climbing—bouldering, sport, and trad. As a club leader, Jordan helped introduce others to the practice, sharing technical skills and a love for the vertical world. Their favorite style of climbing is long multi-pitch routes, particularly in Yosemite, where they had the opportunity to climb Lurking Fear on El Capitan shortly before graduating with a B.S. in Environmental Engineering Science in May 2024.

Beyond climbing, Jordan enjoys surfing, highlining, backpacking, contact improvisation, and musical jamming. Currently living in Berkeley CA, they are exploring different paths while seeking meaningful work that aligns with their passions.