There is something extraordinary about standing on the sidewalk next to a massive skyscaper, looking up at the top and staring into the sky.
Something about skyscapers has always fascinated me.
kyscapers embody the image of the modern world. They are the ultimate combination of engineering and design, means and production. They represent a change of course in human history: the densification and urbanization of earth. They speak to the status of not only a city but a nation and a civizilation. They define our world physically and psychologically.
So much symbolism can be closely or loosely associated with skyscapers but the simple fact is they can be undeniably amazing structures.
The scale of a single skyscraper is enough to boggle my mind, but most skyscrapers are clustered in high density areas with many tall buildings and structures. The view of these buildings seen from a distance is referred to as a skyline. City skylines create some of the most stunning and dramatic views of the modern world.
This combination of factors compels me to travel around the world to experience and digest the magnitude of great cities. I've written a little bit about a few places that I've been and a few places that I want to visit one day.
Completed in 1870, the Equitable Life Assurance Building at 120 Broadway in New York City is considered by some the world’s first skyscraper. It's 7 stories reached a height of 40 meters. It was the first office building with passenger elevators and was, at the time of its completion, the tallest non-church building in the world.
New York City's architectural and engineering heritage goes beyond simply being the site of the first skyscraper. Seemingly by the year, a taller and more beautiful building would be completed. There is such a rich and interesting history in it's buildings, from the neo-Gothic Woolworth Building, constructed in 1913, to the easily recognizable Art Deco Chrysler Building. Standing at 319 meters, the Chrysler Building was the tallest structure of any kind in the world and the first man-made structure to stand taller than 1,000 feet.
Less than a year later later, the Chrysler Building was topped by the Empire State Building. With it's pinnacle at 443 meters the Empire State Building, it's name derived from the nickname for New York, was the tallest building in the world in 1931. It stood as the tallest building in the world for 41 years. The 1972 completion of the World Trade Center "Twin Towers" meant New York had new record holding buildings. Since the destruction of the World Trade Center in the 2001 terrorist attacks, the Empire State Building reclaimed it's title as the tallest building in New York.
For all these reasons, New York City is one of the places I most want to visit. No other city in the world has the same modern architectural history or sheer volume of buildings. I can only imagine how a walk through New York might change my sense of scale and history.
Hong Kong, ChinaThe most stunning city I have ever had the pleasure of seeing and walking through in person is Hong Kong. Hong Kong is amazing because of it's rich history, it's 3000 buildings that are over 90 meters tall, and it's natural beauty and geographical location.
Hong Kong, the world's most vertical city, easily surpassed my expectations when I arrived. Being able to stand in the center of such a high concentration of skyscrapers is overshadowed only by the sight of it's skyline from across Victoria Harbour, especially at night. The International Commerce Centre (484m) is the tallest building in Hong Kong.
A nightly event called "A Symphony of Lights" turns the skyline into the world's largest permanent light show. 44 buildings on both sides of Victoria Harbour participate in a 10 minute synchronised decorative light and laser display. The natural setting, with a beautiful mountainous background, makes Hong Kong even more special. Amazing views are easy to find from any angle, especially from Tsim Sha Tsui and the top of Victory Peak. Hong Kong is one of the few major cities that I am truly excited about revisiting one day.
Shanghai is located on the eastern coast of China on the mouth of the Yangtze River. With over 22 million people living in the metro area, Shanghai is one of the largest cities in the world. Not only the most populous city in China, Shanghai is also a commercial and financial center of Mainland China. Since the economic boom of the 1990s it has experienced rapid re-development. Nowhere is this better exemplified than in the Pudong District where a number of spectacular and unique buildings reside.
Some of the buildings that comprise the stunning skyline of Shanghai include: The Jin Mao Tower; the Oriental Pearl Tower; and the Shanghai World Financial Center, the tallest building in China. As if the skyline across the
Huangpu river wasn't spectacular enough, the construction of Shanghai Tower will be completed in 2014, making it the second tallest building in the world.
Although Shanghai is among the world's elite modern urban centers, what I also find interesting is the rich collection of historical buildings. Built during the construction boom of the 1920s and 1930s, Shanghai boasts a variety of architectural styles including: the neoclassical HSBC Building; the art deco Sassoon House; and a range of Soviet neoclassical buildings.
Although rich with history, Shanghai's modern skyscrapers and architectural styles creates a skyline reflective of China's rapid growth and development.
I’m lucky enough to live in one of the most beautiful cities in the world. In terms of architecture and engineering the skyline of Vancouver is not nearly as dominant as other cities around the world. There is a quality to Vancouver's skyline that is powerful in a completely different way. Vancouver's tallest building, Living Shangri-La, adds significant
visual interest to the skyline. The Vancouver skyline is maintained through careful planning and consideration. Restrictions on building heights and sizes help protect viewing corridors of Vancouver's most unique asset: it's natural beauty. The dynamic combination of the North Shore Mountains, the Pacific Ocean, and the downtown highrise peninsula creates an impressive and beautiful juxtaposition.
Since the start of the millenium there have been 26 buildings taller than 228m constructed in Dubai. As a comparison, New York has only built 7 buildings that tall. A number of top engineering and architectural design firms from around the world have had a part in shaping the skyline of Dubai. Some of the tallest buildings in Dubai include: the Emirates Park Towers (376m); Almas Tower (363m); the Emirates Office Tower (355m); and the Burj Al Arab (320m). Along Sheikh Zayed Road stand a number of other massive buildings.
Dubai's appeal as a destination comes from more than just the height of its current buildings, it comes from the outrageous concepts and scale of its proposed development projects. The Burj Al Alam, expected completion in 2012, is going to be a 510m hyperboloid skyscraper part of a massive business district called Business Bay. The Palm
Islands are an artificial archipelago off the coast of Dubai. Dubailand, a mindbogglingly massive entertainment complex planned to be up 278 square kilometers. The Pentominium skyscraper will be 516m tall when it's completed in 2013, making it the tallest residential building in the world.
Although Dubai has been growing steadily, 2010 marked a spectacular new plateau not only for the city, but for the world of engineering. In 2010 the Burj Khalifa (828m) was completed. It is now the world's tallest building by over 300m. With it's completion Dubai became the world's tallest city.
I followed the planning and construction of the Burj Khalifa with great interest. The scale of the building became increasingly unbelievable as it grew out of the desert. It currently holds a number of world records. When it topped out at 163 floors or 2,717 feet the Burj Khalifa became the tallest structure ever built.
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