12 Architectural Marvels That Redefine Global Skylines
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The world’s highest skyscrapers just keep getting taller. Architectural design continues to progress, resulting in cutting-edge structures that transform our cities. From the replacement for the original World Trade Center in New York to the world’s tallest twin towers today, there are iconic buildings in many global cities.
Whether you want to know where to find the tallest skyscraper on earth, or haven’t yet discovered the Gherkin-like, Gaudí-esque structure in Spain, they’re all out there, reshaping city skylines. Here are 12 marvelous feats of modern engineering inspired by a space-age flying saucer, traditional Asian pagodas, the human form, a major religious site, and more.
One World Trade Center, New York
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Known as the Freedom Tower during its early inception, the One World Trade Center in Manhattan was completed in 2014. It’s America’s highest building, and the 1,776-foot height is a nod to the year of the United States Declaration of Independence.
The One World Trade Center’s superfast elevators can travel at astonishing speeds of up to 23 miles per hour. It was created to represent the modern-day US and includes 71 floors of office space.
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Petronas Towers, Malaysia
The Petronas Towers in Malaysia are a pair of identical structures that were Southeast Asia’s answer to New York’s twin towers. Now, the latter are no more; the Petronas Twin Towers are the tallest twin skyscrapers on the planet.
A sky bridge connects the 88-story structures and houses an observation deck, a shopping mall, and more. For several years, the Petronas Towers were the world’s tallest buildings.
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Burj Khalifa, United Arab Emirates
The tallest skyscraper in the world is the merest fraction under about 2,720 feet (830 meters) high and is located in the glittering, forward-thinking Arabian city of Dubai. It was constructed using innovative methods, including a buttressed floor and tubular framework.
The 162 floors house a hotel, several viewing decks, and plush lounges offering panoramic views. Burj Khalifa forms part of the city’s prestigious Downtown development, a leisure and residential area with glossy marble sidewalks.
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Shanghai Tower, China
Shanghai Tower is a shining beacon representing China’s progress. Its unique form spirals skywards, standing at 2,073 feet (or 632 meters) tall. The elevator at Shanghai Tower is noteworthy, as it’s one of the fastest in the world and one of the highest.
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CN Tower, Canada
The CN – Canadian National – Tower in downtown Toronto has dominated the city skyline since the mid-1970s. It’s a familiar global icon, and at over 553 meters (1,815 feet) tall, it remains the Western hemisphere’s highest freestanding structure. Today, visitors to the CN Tower can take the thrilling 90-minute EdgeWalk, enjoy dinner with a view at the 360 restaurant, and see the city spread out beneath their feet.
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Torre Glòries, Spain
What’s particularly clever about Torre Glòries in Barcelona is that it echoes the style of Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí, whose structures define the Spanish coastal city. The 30-floor Torre Glòries also calls to mind the Gherkin, a riverside skyscraper that transformed the south bank of the Thames in London.
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Space Needle, Seattle
The Space Needle is one of the most instantly recognizable skyscrapers in the US. This Washington state landmark was constructed for the 1962 World’s Fair. The design, which echoes a flying saucer and a tethered hot air balloon twisting in the wind, was influenced by a couple of architects.
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Tokyo Skytree, Japan
The Tokyo Skytree held the title of the world’s tallest tower for a while but has since been surpassed. Still, at 2,080 feet (or 634 meters), it’s pretty impressive.
Due to the risk of earthquakes, special stabilizing techniques and materials were used to build the Skytree in Tokyo. Not surprisingly, it’s an observation tower, but perhaps more unexpectedly, it’s also used for TV and radio broadcasting and communications.
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The Clock Towers, Saudi Arabia
Located in Mecca, the Clock Towers comprise a group of seven skyscrapers in Saudi Arabia. The Makkah Clock Royal Tower’s central structure is the planet’s fourth-tallest building.
It’s a site of tremendous religious significance, with the Great Mosque of Mecca only 300 meters away. In addition to a prayer room and Islamic museum, the complex houses a glitzy shopping mall and several luxury hotels.
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Taipei 101, Taiwan
When it opened on New Year’s Eve in 2014, Taipei 101 was the tallest building on the planet but was overtaken by Burj Khalifa five years later.
This city skyscraper is different thanks to its contemporary design, which includes classic, pagoda-style elements. Its design is robust enough to withstand earthquakes, and the observation decks provide sweeping city views.
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Turning Torso, Sweden
The Swedish city of Malmö is home to one of the most distinctive residential skyscrapers on earth. Its name stems from the twisting shape, with the top level turned 90 degrees from the ground floor. The building towers over neighboring structures and was inspired by the moving human form.
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Marina Bay Sands Hotel, Singapore
Few hotels have become so iconic in such a short time as the Marina Bay Sands Hotel. This incredibly luxurious property is topped by a vast roof terrace with a city-view infinity pool connecting the trio of 55-floor towers. The reflection of the hotel lights in the water at night transforms Singapore’s skyline at night, as much as by day.
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