Alain Robert is a French rock climber and urban climber. Known as "the French Spider-Man" or "the Human Spider", Robert is famous for his free solo climbing, scaling skyscrapers using no climbing equipment except for a small bag of chalk and a pair of climbing shoes.
Robert in 2008
Robert climbing the Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong in 2008.
Robert climbing Petronas Tower 2 in March 2007
Robert climbing the New York Times Building on 5 June 2008.
Buildering describes the act of climbing on the outside of buildings and other artificial structures. The word "buildering", sometimes misspelled bildering, combines the word building with the climbing term bouldering. If done without ropes or protection far off the ground, buildering is extremely dangerous. It is often practiced outside legal bounds, and is thus practiced mostly at night.
"Struck with a rash impulse," Han Qizhi, a 31-year-old shoe salesman, climbed the 88-story Jin Mao Building barehanded.
Alain Robert climbing Petronas Tower 2 in March 2007. On this occasion, he was arrested at the 60th floor.