Sunday, January 24, 2016

America Is Losing At Skyscrapers

From New York Magazine:


The Shanghai Tower (center) is the world's second-tallest building. The one on the right can also open beer bottles. Photo: Gensler
If you think those 1,200-foot beanpoles going up in midtown are impressive, you should see what's sprouting in Shanghai. According to a new report from the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, 2015 was a record year for skyscraper construction — more than 100 were completed. The United States built two of them. China built 62, making it the prevailing skyscraper champ for the eighth consecutive year. 

 
(click to enlarge
New York does have the second-tallest building on the list: 432 Park Avenue, which reaches 1,396 feet and is now the tallest all-residential building in the world. But you'd have to put a 60-story building on top of that one to match China's Shanghai Tower, the year's biggest. At about 2,073 feet, it's now the second-tallest building in the world (the Burj Dubai is still the king)....
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