World has seen the skyscrapers (extremely tall buildings) starting from 19th century. Initially skyscrapers were built in New York and Chicago but later whole world fallen in love and started building skyscrapers. Most of the top cities in developed countries are having skyscrapers as they provide huge space for offices and other rental apartments in the crowded metros. Few skyscrapers became so popular that they became the identity of the city. Following is a list of top 10 skyscraper building in the world.
1. Empire State Building, New York: Build and opened in 1931 Empire State Building remains the tallest skyscraper till WTC twin tower. It provides 360 degree view of entire New York City. You must have seen this building in classic King Kong Movie.
2. Petronas Twin Towers, Malaysia: The Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur were the world’s tallest buildings before being surpassed in 2004 by Taipei 101. However, the towers are still the tallest twin buildings in the world. The towers feature a sky bridge between the two towers on the 41st and 42nd floors. It is not directly bolted to the main structure, but is instead designed to slide in and out of the towers to prevent it from breaking during high winds. The sky bridge also acts as a safety device, so that in the event of an emergency in one tower, people can evacuate by crossing the sky bridge to the other tower.
3. Chrysler Building, New York: Prior to Empire State Building, Chrysler Building was the tallest skyscraper in the world. The Chrysler Building is a classic example of Art Deco architecture and considered by many contemporary architects to be one of the finest buildings in New York City.
4. Burj Al Arab, Dubai: This is one of the most exclusive Hotel and not a office building, still it is the second tallest building in the world. The Burj Al Arab stands on an artificial island and is connected to the mainland by a private curving bridge. It is an iconic tower, designed to symbolize Dubai’s urban transformation and to mimic the sail of a boat.
5. Burj, Dubai: Already the world’s tallest structure and still growing taller every day, the Burj Dubais is one landmark in Dubai you cannot possibly miss seeing. After completion at the end of this year it will stand at 818 meters (2,684 ft). An Armani Hotel will occupy the lower 37 floors. Floors 45 through 108 will have 700 private apartments on 64 floors. An outdoor swimming pool will be located on the 78th floor of the tower. Corporate offices and suites will fill most of the remaining floors, except for a 123rd floor lobby and 124th floor observation deck.
6. Shanghai World Financial Center, China: Shanghai World Financial Center is a mixed use skyscraper which consists of offices, hotels, conference rooms, observation decks, and shopping malls.
7. Bank of China Tower, Hong Kong: China Tower is the tallest in entire Asia. The structural expressionism adopted in the design of this building resembles growing bamboo shoots, symbolizing livelihood and prosperity. The building has been criticized by some practitioners of Feng Shui for its sharp edges and its negative symbolism by the numerous ‘X’ shapes in its original design.
8. Taipei 101, Taipei: Still the world second tallest building, Taipei 101 is designed to withstand the typhoon winds and earthquake tremors common in Taiwan. The tower features a series of eight segments of eight floors each.
9. Gherkin, London: Being an unorthodox layout and appearance, Gherkin is one of London’s tallest skyscraper. The building uses energy-saving methods which allow it to use half the power a similar tower would typically consume. The primary occupant of the building is Swiss Re, a global reinsurance company.
10. Sears (Willis) Tower, Chicago: Sears towers were also world’s tallest building in the world for some time. The observation deck is located on the 103rd floor of the tower and is one of the most famous tourist attractions in Chicago. Tourists can experience how the building sways on a windy day. They can see far over the plains of Illinois and across Lake Michigan on a clear day.
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