This document provides an introduction and overview of the structural design considerations for tall buildings. It discusses how mankind has sought to build taller structures throughout history as symbols of power. For tall buildings, lateral loads from wind and earthquakes must be effectively resisted to prevent shear failure, overturning, or excessive deflection. Various lateral load resisting systems are explored, including moment frames, braced frames, tube structures, and outrigger systems. Rigidity indices are used to compare the bending and shear resistance of different structural configurations. The challenges of seismic design are also addressed. The document reviews previous research on improving the performance of reinforced concrete frames through the addition of bracing or shear walls.