These Staggering Skyscrapers Are Changing City Skylines
If you ever find yourself wondering what the future looks like — just look around you. We are living in it. City skylines are changing now more than ever before. With the help of architectural geniuses and great feats of engineering, new breeds of "supertall" (300-600 meters) and "megatall" (600+ meters) skyscrapers are dotting the skylines of cities across the country and around the world. New York City alone is home to 27 supertall towers that are either completed, under construction or in development. These 10 skyscrapers are sure to leave your head spinning.
Central Park tower is the tallest tower in the New York City skyscraper boom. Upon completion, it will be the second-tallest building in the city (after One World Trade Center) and the tallest residential building in the world. It will also have the tallest roof height of any structure in the western hemisphere. Designed by Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture, the tower is the pinnacle of New York’s “Billionaire’s Row,” and will dramatically alter the Midtown Manhattan skyline. As of August 2019, the structure is close to topping out at 1,550 feet, and is set to be fully completed in 2020.
In a city that isn’t known for its skyscrapers, L.A.’s newly completed Wilshire Grand Center is an impressive addition to a stagnant skyline. At 1,100 feet, the tower is the tallest on the West Coast, housing a hotel, office space and retail outposts on the lower levels that are expected to revitalize downtown L.A. Designed by A.C. Martin Partners, the tower features the first pinnacle roof and spire in the city, which stands out among all the flat-topped structures.
2 World Trade Center is the final piece in the redevelopment of the World Trade Center site. After much deliberation—and a scrapped Norman Foster draft—Bjarke Ingels Group’s stair-stepped design has been crowned winner, featuring a series of green-space terraces all the way up the tower’s facade. Construction is halted on the building for now, while developers await a corporate tenant. When completed, it will stand 1,270 feet tall and complete the new Lower Manhattan skyline.
The Lakhta Center in St. Petersburg, Russia was completed earlier this year, making it the tallest building in Europe. This supertall is an anomaly because it is located in an area completely devoid of any other skyscrapers, standing alone and towering 1,516 feet over the Gulf of Finland.
Another residential supertall tower nearing completion along “Billionaire’s Row” in Midtown Manhattan is 111 West 57th Street. It’s an engineering marvel by SHoP architects, earning the title of the skinniest supertall tower due to its narrow lot and tapered design. The full-floor residences are now publicly listed on StreetEasy, ranging from $18 million—$57 million. Mansions in the sky do not come cheap!
Philadelphia’s skyline remained unchanged for about 15 years, until the arrival of the 1,121-foot Comcast Technology Center in late 2018. The tower is the tallest in the city and one of the tallest new buildings in the country. It is also the greenest in the city, aiming for LEED Platinum certification by the time it reaches full occupancy. Famed architect Norman Foster lead the project, with the ambitious goal of building the first tech tower in the heart of a city.
The Vista Tower is Chicago’s answer to the supertall, super-luxe residential buildings popping up in New York City. The 1,191-foot, 101-story structure topped out in spring of 2019 and is now the third-tallest in Chicago. Vista is also the tallest structure in the world designed by a woman (congrats, Jeanne Gang!). The three-tower development is slated to be completed in 2020, housing 406 residences and a 210-room, 5-star hotel.
Beyond the U.S. and Europe, an entirely new skyscraper boom is happening in Asia and the Middle East—the megatalls. A megatall skyscraper is anything rising over 600 meters (1,969 feet). One of only three megatalls currently completed in the world is the Shanghai Tower in Shanghai, China. It is also the newest one, soaring 2,073 feet in an undulating, cylindrical shape that stands out amidst the city’s rigid skyline. It is the centerpiece of Shanghai’s famed Pudong district.
Kuala Lumpur is a city put on the map by its skyscrapers. It is home to the world’s tallest twin structure, the Petronas Towers, and soon-to-be home of megatall Merdeka PNB 118. When completed in 2021, PNB 118 will likely be the third-tallest structure in the world at 2,185 feet. Construction on the tower is well underway as of July 2019.
Ever since Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1956 proposal of The Illinois for Chicago, humans have been dreaming of a (literal) mile-high tower. Well, we may get one step closer in 2021. The Jeddah Tower in Saudi Arabia, formerly known as the Kingdom Tower, will rise to a staggering height of one kilometer at its pinnacle (3,280 feet). Designed by Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture (the same designer responsible for Central Park Tower in New York City) the Jeddah Tower will bear resemblance to the world's current tallest building and Smith’s pièce de résistance, the Burj Khalifa. The mixed-use tower will house a Four Seasons hotel, residential apartments, office space and the world’s highest observation deck. Hope you aren't afraid of heights!
These Staggering Skyscrapers Are Changing City Skylines
If you ever find yourself wondering what the future looks like — just look around you. We are living in it. City skylines are changing now more than ever before. With the help of architectural geniuses and great feats of engineering, new breeds of "supertall" (300-600 meters) and "megatall" (600+ meters) skyscrapers are dotting the skylines of cities across the country and around the world. New York City alone is home to 27 supertall towers that are either completed, under construction or in development. These 10 skyscrapers are sure to leave your head spinning.
#10 will blow your mind.
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