Free construction of CAT(1) spaces (Q868647)

Let \(G\) be a spherical building of dimension \(n\). From definition for any two points in \(G\) there exists an isometric embedding from the standard unit \(n\)-sphere to \(G\) whose image contains the given two points. From the other side we say that a CAT(1) space is \(n\)-round if any two points are contained in an isometrically embedded unit \(n\)-sphere. The main purpose of the paper is to construct an \(n\)-round space of dimension \(n\) that is not a spherical building. In fact the following theorem is proved. Let, \((X_\lambda)_{\lambda\in \Lambda}\) be a family of CAT(1) spaces of diameter \(\leq\pi\). Then for any \(n\) there exists an \(n\)-round space \(Y\) such that (1) \(\dim Y=\max \{n,\sup_{\lambda\in\Lambda}\dim X_\lambda\}\); (2) all points in \(Y\) are non-manifold points; (3) each \(X_\lambda\) is isometrically embedded in \(Y\). In particular, there exists an \(n\)-round space of dimension \(n\) that is not a spherical building. In the proof the Reshetnyak gluing theorem [cf. \textit{Yu. G. Reshetnyak}, Mat. Sb., N. Ser. 52(94), 789--798 (1960; Zbl 0101.40201)] is used as well as the idea of free construction of \textit{J. Tits} [Invent. Math, 43, 283--295 (1977; Zbl 0399.20037)].