This article is about climbing to the top of tall structures. For the act of climbing the outside of a building, seeBuildering. For the US college tradition, seeRoof and tunnel hacking.
A rooftopper on top ofFrankfurt Cathedral, Frankfurt, GermanyBuildering and rooftopping on a cable-stayed bridge in Kyiv, Ukraine
Rooftopping, sometimes calledroofing, refers to the (typically illegal) unsecured ascent ofrooftops, skyscrapers, towers, cranes, antennas, smokestacks, or other tall structures. Rooftoppers usually take photos or videos of their climbs.
The practice of scaling skyscrapers often results in security crackdowns and arrests.[1] Many people have died or been injured when falling while rooftopping.[2][3]
Rooftopping is chiefly an undertaking of younger people. Rooftoppers clandestinely access off-limits staircases, roof hatches, ladders, etc., and it incorporates some aspects ofbouldering orfree solo climbing. It is an offshoot ofurban exploring, but is not universally condoned among urban explorers and is considered a stunt due to its illegality and high risk of fatal injuries.
Rooftoppers usually take photos or videos and panoramic photographs—either a selfie by themselves or with the help of a crew of assistants or accomplices, present on the climb or filming from a distance. Rooftoppers often usehelmet cameras for videos.[4][5][6] Some also usequadcopterdrones for exploration and recording.[7] Because it is often practised in the pursuit of making viral-ready videos or photos, it tends to result in heightened security and greater restriction against access to desirable exploration venues.[8]
In one report presented toAmerican Educational Research Association in 1995 participants were suggested as thrill seekers who enjoy "high levels of stimulation and complexity of thinking," although other theories explaining their motivation exist.[9][1]
There was a rooftopping "craze" inRussia around 2017.[10]
Kirill Oreshkin, the Moscow-based "Russian Spiderman"; has published pictures of himself in the midst of dangerous stunts on some of Russia's tallest buildings. Oreshkin started scaling buildings as a hobby in 2008. Videos of his ascents have been posted onYouTube.[16]
Tom Ryaboi, a Canadian photographer who has been credited as a pioneer in the community.[18][19][20] His photo "I'll Make You Famous" in 2011 was the first Rooftopping image to go viral.[15]
Wu Yongning, known as the Chinese Superman; died in 2017 while performing a rooftopping stunt.[22][23][24][25]
Remi Lucidi aka Remi Enigma, a 30-year-old French daredevil and photographer known for climbing skyscrapers, fell to his death from the 68th floor ofTregunter Towers in Hong Kong in 2023.[26]
