Empire State Building in Manhattan
Transamerica Pyramid in San Francisco
Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Bank of China tower in Hong Kong

According to the book called "Four Extraordinary Skyscrapers" by Edward Kiester

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/01/05/DDGPOGEVSK42.DTL

Thats nice but why would you waste a post on this?

How did they ever miss out chrysler building :|

He wants his post count to raise I guess

they are nice buildings, but not the best 4

they are nice buildings, but not the best 4

I agree with you, but that really depends on who you ask and is a completely subjective viewpoint. I will say that all four of them are widely considered to be among the top ten by a lot of skyscraper fans and admirers. The Empire State Building and Bank of China are among the most original and innovative structures ever built by man, IMO. The Petronas are amazing themselves and I like the Transamerica Pyramid, just wish it was a few hundred feet taller.

True about the Empire State Building and Bank Of China. The Transamerica Pyramid could have been taller but SF lies on a major earthquake zone.

all 4 are in my top ten, and imo deserve those awards. They arent my top 4 though, my top 4 is esb/chrysler/Boc/BOA Seattle. Petronas is down at #6 or 7 and transamerica at 9 or 10 because of the bad facade. It does have an extremely original design however

I don't find the BOA that attractive at all. I even find The US Bank Tower in LA more extraordinary! What other skyscraper has that look with a crown on top!

http://www.skyscrapersunset.com/skyscrapercity/la/71.jpg

I'm quite fond of the US Bank Tower as well, although I liked it a whole lot more when it was the Library Tower and didn't have the awful US Bank lettering atop its unique and glowing crown at night. Oh, well.

I'm quite fond of the US Bank Tower as well, although I liked it a whole lot more when it was the Library Tower and didn't have the awful US Bank lettering atop its unique and glowing crown at night. Oh, well.

At least that's better marking compared to the one in Milwaukee :D

But the US Bank Tower has a very unique design. The closest skyscraper to be inspired by this design is the UOB Centre in Singapore.

I don't find the BOA that attractive at all. I even find The US Bank Tower in LA more extraordinary! What other skyscraper has that look with a crown on top!

http://www.skyscrapersunset.com/skyscrapercity/la/71.jpg

BOA is a very attractive building just take a look..

http://img352.imageshack.us/img352/8409/downtownseattle1567he.jpg

So tall and sleek and curvy near the bottom its amazing in my eyes

BOA is a very attractive building just take a look..

http://img352.imageshack.us/img352/8409/downtownseattle1567he.jpg

So tall and sleek and curvy near the bottom its amazing in my eyes

I agree that The BOA is an attractive building and is a Seattle scraper landmark :)

But to me and again, to me, it's don't consider it as one of the four extraordinary ones.

I don't know but I really like the US Bank Tower!

they are great towers...but 4 of the best? i dont think so :)

I still think The US Bank Tower can be one of the 4. The tower has a very unique design. It's the only tower I've seen with this kind of concept if not the OUB Centre in Singapore.

BTW, how about the Turning Torso?

http://www.carlaantonelli.com/Turning%20Torso.jpg

What...nobody mentioned One Liberty Place...it's simply the most attractive look. Ewspecially at night where it's lit better than most skyscrapers.

I think it would be better if this thread is called extraordinary skyscrapers instead.

Because there are alot looks extraordinary compared to others.

How did they ever miss out chrysler building :|

I'd guess because the person writting the book wanted each of the four to come from different eras in the 30's, 70's, 80's and 90's.

What...nobody mentioned One Liberty Place...it's simply the most attractive look. Ewspecially at night where it's lit better than most skyscrapers.



I have consistently noticed this building mentioned on various person's "top" lists of buildings and I personally cannot see why. I find the proportions too stocky, the texture too cheap looking, and the overall design very bland and generic. However, I have not seen it in person so that may change my mind I suppose.

One major problem I have with this list: those damn Petronas Towers. I am not a fan of those things in the slightest and could think of AT LEAST 20 more buildings that I would consider "extraordinary" before those.

I don't find the One Liberty Place interesting as well. The Petronas is considered as an extraordinary not just it took the title of world's tallest outside The US but also the Islamic elements in the twin towers!

I remember being impressed by One Liberty Place when I was younger but now I just don't really care for it at all.

Not exactly 4 but here's a list of skyscrapers that I think are extraordinary!

1) Empire State Building (New York)
2) Bank Of China (Hong Kong)
3) US Bank Tower (Los Angeles)
4) Transamerica Pyramid (San Francisco)
5) The Messeturm (Frankfurt)
6) Chrysler Building (New York)
7) Woolworth Building (New York)
8) Turning Torso (Malmo)
9) Petronas (Kuala Lumpur)
10) Cityhall Tower (Tokyo)

Very nice list, WANCH.

Forgot to mentioned The HSBC building in HK as well ;)

Forgot to mentioned The HSBC building in HK we well ;)

Actually to me, Hong Kong has a whole collection of buildings that can be considered extraordinary or at the very least fascinating.


EXCHANGE SQUARE

Not only is it home to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, this spectacular building is also recognized architecturally after being noted as an important achievement in architecture by Time magazine. With its three towers of rose-colored granite and silver glass, it is an aesthetic forum where some of the most important financial transactions are made.

HSBC HEADQUARTERS

Designed by acclaimed British architect Sir Norman Foster, the super hi-tech HSBC Headquarters in Central District is a marvel of modern architectural design. It is one of the most expensive buildings in the world, at nearly $1 billion U.S. dollars. The design makes it look as if the building has been turned inside out. The supporting structures appear on the outside, all mechanical parts are exposed and many of the walls are glass. On a more traditional note, it is believed that rubbing the paws of the two bronze lions that have guarded the portals of the bank since 1935 invokes good luck.

BANK OF CHINA

The soaring 1,209 ft. tall Bank of China Tower is one of Hong Kong Island’s most stunning landmarks and is widely recognized as one of the most innovative skyscrapers ever built. Designed by acclaimed architect I.M. Pei, the inspiration of his design is derived from the elegant poise of bamboo; its sectioned trunk being propelled higher and higher by each new growth. The building’s blue-glass walls and triangular glass façade also make it one of the most photographed buildings in the world. Even better, the sky lobby located on the 44th floor is free-of-charge.

CENTRAL PLAZA

Completed in 1992 and counting 78 stories, Central Plaza was the tallest skyscraper in Hong Kong for more than a decade at 1,229 ft. up into the sky. The whole mood of the tower is one of brooding neoclassical grandeur with its vast lobby containing huge palm trees and some terrific artwork. After dusk, bright neon rods at the top of the building change color each quarter-hour, creating the city’s most visible timepiece.

THE CENTER

Best viewed at night, this soaring 1,135 ft. harbourside skyscraper on the west side of Hong Kong Island is decorated top to bottom with the latest in computerized neon lightning. Every evening, it provides an amazing and entertaining synchronized spectacle of color.

CHEUNG KONG CENTRE

Towering 62-stories and 928 ft. in the air between the Bank of China Tower and HSBC Headquarters, Cheung Kong Center is the new headquarters for property tycoon Li Ka-Shing’s Cheung Kong Group. An immaculate example of modern architecture designed by world-renowned architects Leo A. Daly and Cesar Pelli, it is enclosed in a sheath of reflective glass interwoven in a rich tapestry of stainless steel.

2 IFC

Constructed from 1997 to 2003, this Cesar Pelli designed masterpiece is intended to inject new life into Hong Kong’s position as the financial center of Asia and put the final stamp on Hong Kong’s claim for the undisputed greatest skyline in the world. In the tradition of true skyscrapers, the design of 2-IFC is simple, strong and memorable. A great presence in the scale of the city and the harbour, it culminates in a sculptural crown that celebrates the height of the tower reaching to the sky – and it reaches some 1,362 ft., the exact height of the former World Trade Center towers. The top of 2-IFC was designed as a welcoming gesture to the city, and when lit at night it is a shimmering beacon by Victoria Harbour.


Hong Kong is very well represented as the World's Skyscraper Capital.

I don't find the One Liberty Place interesting as well. The Petronas is considered as an extraordinary not just it took the title of world's tallest outside The US but also the Islamic elements in the twin towers!

....and also, how majestic they are when you view them in reality especially at night. You'll be impressed. :)

....and also, how majestic they are when you view them in reality especially at night. You'll be impressed. :)

You took the words right out of my mouth... or fingertips? The reviews for the Petronas Towers seems like a mixed bag for the most part, but if people forget about their reign as world's tallest and how they achieved it and just judge the towers for what they are, we should have a new wave of positive opinions on them.

You put it very simple and perfect: Majestic. When the sun goes down and the Petronas light up, they look like gigantic crystals soaring above the Kuala Lumpur landscape.

Since the thread is titled "Four Extraordinary Skyscrapers", these are my personal favorites in no particular order:

> Bank of China Tower, Hong Kong
> Chrysler Building, New York City
> Petronas Towers, Kuala Lumpur
> Shun Hing Square, Shenzhen

You took the words right out of my mouth... or fingertips? The reviews for the Petronas Towers seems like a mixed bag for the most part, but if people forget about their reign as world's tallest and how they achieved it and just judge the towers for what they are, we should have a new wave of positive opinions on them.

You put it very simple and perfect: Majestic. When the sun goes down and the Petronas light up, they look like gigantic crystals soaring above the Kuala Lumpur landscape.

Since the thread is titled "Four Extraordinary Skyscrapers", these are my personal favorites in no particular order:

> Bank of China Tower, Hong Kong
> Chrysler Building, New York City
> Petronas Towers, Kuala Lumpur
> Shun Hing Square, Shenzhen

At least there's someone who has witnessed it in reality to justify my remarks. Well said BoCHK. On the debates whether the Petronas Towers deserved the World's Tallest doesn't matter to me but the fact that these towers do look imposing, majestic and is indeed an extraordinary skyscraper cannot be ignored.

At least there's someone who has witnessed it in reality to justify my remarks. Well said BoCHK. On the debates whether the Petronas Towers deserved the World's Tallest doesn't matter to me but the fact that these towers do look imposing, majestic and is indeed an extraordinary skyscraper cannot be ignored.

The Petronas of Kuala Lumpur have my full support. They don't need to be the WTB to have a place in skyscraper history, but the fact that they did for a time will just make them more famous in the future. They are modern day classics and the legends of tomorrow. They don't deserved to bashed, they're something to be proud of. It is sour grapes.

Hmm...well I suggest you guys to go see One Liberty Place for yourself...it looks EXTREMELY ELEGANT. I see it many times...cuz I live in Philly LoL. I've been to New York...and I think I can say One Liberty Place looks much more attractive and more elegant than either Chrysler or Empire. Chrysler has a really attractive look but it's not attractive enough from a distance cuz it's thin where else Empire State Building is very noticeable in the skyline but it just doesn't scream 'Look at me!' I kno New York has many tall buildings and Philly has many smaller buildings making One LP much more noticeable but still...

^^^Just my opinion

By the way, The Shun Hing Square doesn't impress me that much! It's very typical of most supertalls in the mainland!

A very under rated building is the Royal Bank plaza in Toronto. It's not a tall building (only 180m) but it has a fairly distinctive look because of its facade. The windows are laminated with gold giving it an amazing mirror like finish.

Here's a pic:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/0c/Royal_Bank_Centre.JPG

Taken by Istrian:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v442/eighteighths/Royal%20Bank/FireInTheSky.jpg






It's not the most famous building, but it is worth noting.

^^ It's a very amazing building, I like it very much.... but sometimes the buildings wich aren't very tall are under rated....

interesting why no one mentioned burj, swiss re, sears or jin mao ... some of these might be considered top ten perhaps ... I don't have a top four but BOC and ESB will probably always be within my top ten ... try walking around BOC at night ... and one would start to understand why is this building in my top ten of all time ... as for ESB ... its just a love i had for a very long time ... its imo more timeless than chrysler ...
as for the newbies even though turning torso isn't my cup of tea ... its still an achievement ... and hearst looks like one of F&P most promising skyscrapers to date ...

A nice collection of four different architectural styles
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e9/Architecture.swiss.re.arp.750pix.jpg

Undeniably original

http://www.photographyblog.com/gallery/data/3054/1950Gherkin_sm-med.jpg

Hmm...well I suggest you guys to go see One Liberty Place for yourself...it looks EXTREMELY ELEGANT. I see it many times...cuz I live in Philly LoL. I've been to New York...and I think I can say One Liberty Place looks much more attractive and more elegant than either Chrysler or Empire. Chrysler has a really attractive look but it's not attractive enough from a distance cuz it's thin where else Empire State Building is very noticeable in the skyline but it just doesn't scream 'Look at me!' I know New York has many tall buildings and Philly has many smaller buildings making One LP much more noticeable but still...

You just proved the point for anybody else that would want to refute your argument for One Liberty. I've seen it in person and I think it is a very nice skyscraper. However, more attractive than the Empire State Building and Chrysler Building? Those have been around for more than seven decades and they're both in excellent shape for their age. If you don't think so, go have a look at American International or the Trump Building in the financial district as they've been around for about the same time. The Chrysler Building is not too thin... it just happens to be in Manhattan located right across the street from the MetLife Building. The Empire State doesn't scream 'Look at me', it roars it, IMO.

By the way, The Shun Hing Square doesn't impress me that much! It's very typical of most supertalls in the mainland!

Especially to CITIC Plaza in Guangzhou, but I still like it much better.

^^ It's a very amazing building, I like it very much.... but sometimes the buildings wich aren't very tall are under rated....

Very very true.

Infact, far too many people who know Toronto's skyline well seem not to notice this building. To me that's kind of sad.

A nice collection of four different architectural styles
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e9/Architecture.swiss.re.arp.750pix.jpg

Undeniably original

http://www.photographyblog.com/gallery/data/3054/1950Gherkin_sm-med.jpg

I consider this an extraordinary skyscraper but it now has a twin which is the Torre Agbar in Barcelona!

Lake Point Tower

http://img363.imageshack.us/img363/2816/55800616cc9252a6db2dk.jpg
http://img363.imageshack.us/img363/7126/curvedbuilding9vf.jpg

Tom In Chicago:
http://img363.imageshack.us/img363/1226/538301072jw.jpg

Paradox:
http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/9330/lpt9fg.jpg

Actually to me, Hong Kong has a whole collection of buildings that can be considered extraordinary or at the very least fascinating.


EXCHANGE SQUARE

Not only is it home to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, this spectacular building is also recognized architecturally after being noted as an important achievement in architecture by Time magazine. With its three towers of rose-colored granite and silver glass, it is an aesthetic forum where some of the most important financial transactions are made.

HSBC HEADQUARTERS

Designed by acclaimed British architect Sir Norman Foster, the super hi-tech HSBC Headquarters in Central District is a marvel of modern architectural design. It is one of the most expensive buildings in the world, at nearly $1 billion U.S. dollars. The design makes it look as if the building has been turned inside out. The supporting structures appear on the outside, all mechanical parts are exposed and many of the walls are glass. On a more traditional note, it is believed that rubbing the paws of the two bronze lions that have guarded the portals of the bank since 1935 invokes good luck.

BANK OF CHINA

The soaring 1,209 ft. tall Bank of China Tower is one of Hong Kong Island’s most stunning landmarks and is widely recognized as one of the most innovative skyscrapers ever built. Designed by acclaimed architect I.M. Pei, the inspiration of his design is derived from the elegant poise of bamboo; its sectioned trunk being propelled higher and higher by each new growth. The building’s blue-glass walls and triangular glass façade also make it one of the most photographed buildings in the world. Even better, the sky lobby located on the 44th floor is free-of-charge.

CENTRAL PLAZA

Completed in 1992 and counting 78 stories, Central Plaza was the tallest skyscraper in Hong Kong for more than a decade at 1,229 ft. up into the sky. The whole mood of the tower is one of brooding neoclassical grandeur with its vast lobby containing huge palm trees and some terrific artwork. After dusk, bright neon rods at the top of the building change color each quarter-hour, creating the city’s most visible timepiece.

THE CENTER

Best viewed at night, this soaring 1,135 ft. harbourside skyscraper on the west side of Hong Kong Island is decorated top to bottom with the latest in computerized neon lightning. Every evening, it provides an amazing and entertaining synchronized spectacle of color.

CHEUNG KONG CENTRE

Towering 62-stories and 928 ft. in the air between the Bank of China Tower and HSBC Headquarters, Cheung Kong Center is the new headquarters for property tycoon Li Ka-Shing’s Cheung Kong Group. An immaculate example of modern architecture designed by world-renowned architects Leo A. Daly and Cesar Pelli, it is enclosed in a sheath of reflective glass interwoven in a rich tapestry of stainless steel.

2 IFC

Constructed from 1997 to 2003, this Cesar Pelli designed masterpiece is intended to inject new life into Hong Kong’s position as the financial center of Asia and put the final stamp on Hong Kong’s claim for the undisputed greatest skyline in the world. In the tradition of true skyscrapers, the design of 2-IFC is simple, strong and memorable. A great presence in the scale of the city and the harbour, it culminates in a sculptural crown that celebrates the height of the tower reaching to the sky – and it reaches some 1,362 ft., the exact height of the former World Trade Center towers. The top of 2-IFC was designed as a welcoming gesture to the city, and when lit at night it is a shimmering beacon by Victoria Harbour.


Hong Kong is very well represented as the World's Skyscraper Capital.

Are those descriptions from the HKTB website? They sure do an excellent job of hyping up Hong Kong's better known skyscraper marvels. All of them answer the bell.

Those marvels are only for HK but I don't think it's enough to recieve world status when it comes to being extraordinary!

By the way, The Shun Hing Square doesn't impress me that much! It's very typical of most supertalls in the mainland!

Especially to CITIC Plaza in Guangzhou, but I still like it much better.

On this I'd like to get the advice of other people who have seen both skyscrapers.

I've seen and been inside and up both of them.
I find Shung Hing Square to be a super and top quality building, very original and landmarkish (that is, immediately distinctive) and it's well-placed within my top 10 list.

I used to be quite fond of CITIC Plaza too, but now that I've been to it, I can only think of it as a boring, low quality, outdated box. Barely impressive.

Of course this is my own and subjective advice, but still ;-)

On this I'd like to get the advice of other people who have seen both skyscrapers.

I've seen and been inside and up both of them.
I find Shung Hing Square to be a super and top quality building, very original and landmarkish (that is, immediately distinctive) and it's well-placed within my top 10 list.

I used to be quite fond of CITIC Plaza too, but now that I've been to it, I can only think of it as a boring, low quality, outdated box. Barely impressive.

Of course this is my own and subjective advice, but still ;-)

It looks as if we agree on this. I put Shun Hing Sqaure in my Four Extraoardinary Skyscrapers while CITIC Plaza doesn't crack the Top 15, probably not even the Top 25 if I ever made a list.

Since the thread is titled "Four Extraordinary Skyscrapers", these are my personal favorites in no particular order:

> Bank of China Tower, Hong Kong
> Chrysler Building, New York City
> Petronas Towers, Kuala Lumpur
> Shun Hing Square, Shenzhen

On this I'd like to get the advice of other people who have seen both skyscrapers.

I've seen and been inside and up both of them.
I find Shung Hing Square to be a super and top quality building, very original and landmarkish (that is, immediately distinctive) and it's well-placed within my top 10 list.

I used to be quite fond of CITIC Plaza too, but now that I've been to it, I can only think of it as a boring, low quality, outdated box. Barely impressive.

Of course this is my own and subjective advice, but still ;-)

The thing is, architecture wise, the Shun Hing Square looks very typical of a mainland skyscraper. Doens't impress me that much! Jin-Mao is one of the few mainland skyscrapers that is of world class quality architecture wise!

I'm not quite sure what you mean by 'typical of mainland skyscrapers'...
There's quite a variety of stuff out there, some very bad and some very good too ;-)
Jin Mao for sure is a top-class tower :-)

I'm not quite sure what you mean by 'typical of mainland skyscrapers'...
There's quite a variety of stuff out there, some very bad and some very good too ;-)
Jin Mao for sure is a top-class tower :-)

Lets just say skyscrapers like Shun Hing Square and CITIC Plaza is very "mainlandish" :D I mean mainland China :D

The Shanghai World Financial Tower would be top class as well but I prefer it with a round hole :D

Lets just say skyscrapers like Shun Hing Square and CITIC Plaza is very "mainlandish" :D I mean mainland China :D

The Shanghai World Financial Tower would be top class as well but I prefer it with a round hole :D

I still prefer the ICC in Hong Kong over the Shanghai World Financial Tower whether it has has a round hole or square one.

I still prefer the ICC in Hong Kong over the Shanghai World Financial Tower whether it has has a round hole or square one.

I prefer the ICC as well but if we're talking about skyscrapers in mainland China, definitely Jin Mao and the future SWFC are few examples of world class architecture!

Whether you like the ESB or not ( I do, a lot ), you cannot have a list of great skyscrapers without including it. The building has defined "skyscraper" for 75 years.

The Sears Tower, Chicago
The Empire State Building, N.Y.
Bank of China, Hong Kong
Turning Torso, Malmo