If you’re a fan of architecture, visiting big city skylines is probably on your to-do list. However, with so many great options, you may wonder, ”Where do I go first?” Don’t worry. The fact that you’re here has put you a step closer to resolving this dilemma. Here are 10 skylines you must visit.
1. Dubai
Well-known for its exquisite and luxurious skyscrapers, Dubai has a mixed-matched sea of indulgence that overlaps wealth and architectural accomplishment. Rather than complement each other, the buildings compete as each possesses a unique architectural marvel. The world’s tallest human-made structure, Burj Khalifa, has 163 floors and tops out at 1,918ft, an equivalent of 585m, beating all competition at a neck-straining tip of 828 meters or 2,722ft.
With just about all the construction equipment used to build Burj Khalifa being expensive, the project broke new ground regarding machinery, with over 600 deep piles used to build the entire project. The design resulted from extensive geotechnical and seismic studies constructed in four pours with a concrete total of 12,500 cubic feet. The city doesn’t show any signs of stopping either, as the proposed Dubai City Tower, with a height of 2,400 meters, is set to break all records. Dubai keeps setting the bar higher and higher, literally. They’re not joking about keeping that top spot.
2. New York City
There’s no way this list would be complete without New York City. The City’s skyline is famous for its impeccable and impressive architecture for recognizable big city skylines, and its dramatic changes over the decades are bound to continue. The skyscraper was invented in Chicago, but NYC made it famous and took it to the extreme with the super-tall Advent; they couldn’t just let it go.
Recently, Manhattan has constructed one of the tallest skylines in NYC for commercial businesses, the best private schools in the area, and residential purposes. The Empire State Building, the One World Trade, and the Chrysler stand out as preeminent skyscrapers in NYC but will likely be overshadowed by fascinating upcoming towers. The anticipated one is the new JPMorgan Chase World Headquarters, with a cost estimation of 3 million dollars, and is expected to loom large over the already existing breathtaking structures in Midtown Manhattan.
3. Tokyo
To view any big metropolis size, you must do it from the greatest height. Tokyo is amongst the world’s biggest cities, letting you view its skylines indoors and outdoors at different heights. If you’re lucky, you may get a view of the famous Mt.Fuji from one of the many skyscrapers. Among Tokyo’s big city skylines is the Tokyo Skytree, the tallest building in Japan. It offers an aerial perspective on two levels: the Tembo Galleria, 450 meters or 1475 feet, and the Temo Deck, 350 meters or 1150 feet tall.
Shibuya Sky, the Scramble Square building’s rooftop, with a view of the renowned Shibuya Scramble Crossing. It features a 230-meter-tall gazebo with a 360-degree open-air experience. Its central location and height provide an excellent perspective of the city center.
Shibuya Sky features hammocks for viewing and cloud gazing, allowing you to see Tokyo Tower, Tokyo Stadium, and Mt. Fuji from a distance. At night, 18 light beams create a light show called the Crossing Light to highlight the metropolitan area. Walking through Tokyo at night will make you feel like you’re on the set of a movie about a futuristic city that we won’t see for years.
4. Hong Kong
The Hong Kong skyline, a series of densely spaced skyscrapers, is considered the most beautiful in the world. The big city skylines of Hong Kong are like a vibrant picture coming to life, with viaduct bridges winding into the dense urban jungle, seductive Victoria Harbor with rock nightlife, and the city brimming with seduction. The greatest way to describe a city is to see its skyline. Hong Kong’s is so stunning that even at first glimpse, it’ll leave you with an impression that’ll remain etched in your memory for a lifetime.
Due to its rapid expansion, Hong Kong’s cityscape always has something new to see. If you go there today for a short visit and return after a few months, you’ll probably think, ”Was that there the last time I was here?” Wherever you go, you only need to look around to admire this vertical metropolis, which is enormous, iconic, or simply beautiful, meets the heavens.
The 118-story International Commerce Centre was constructed in 2010. At 484 m, it’s the ninth-tallest structure in the world and the tallest building in Hong Kong. The outside was designed by the well-known KPF, while the interior features six-star hotels with luxury portable restrooms, grade-A office buildings, and a public viewing floor.
You can point out the bamboo-inspired bank of China Tower and the triangular shape topped Central Plaza’s distinctive silhouettes of the asymmetrical. Hong Kong is a city that never sleeps and brings an array of bright displays that make the stars look like the light bulbs you have back home. You can choose ways to view the city outdoors or indoors. There’s nothing as extraordinary as enjoying the whole spectacle of the collection of buildings situated at the harbor from a prime position.
5. Singapore
What comes to mind besides Singapore’s renowned culture, food, and fantastic shopping experience? With the densely packed, eclectic big city skyline, you’ve probably seen images of the city’s skyscrapers lit at night against blue skies. Not to hate on your screen resolution, but nothing beats the real thing. Singapore has one of the most spectacular big city skylines worldwide.
The Singapore Flyer is one of the best places to experience the Singapore skyline late at night. It’s based near the Helix Bridge, right along the water, making it one of the best spots for your mini photoshoot in Singapore. No matter the time, you can expect an unparalleled view of the Singapore Skyline.
One of the best Singapore city skyline views is Merlion Park, near Raffles Place. It offers a collection of vantage points for your perfect photograph. You can see the city’s famous Mascot spurting water into the Singapore River. Some apartment rental companies will help you book a fully furnished apartment for long-term or short-term purposes. The good news is that Merlion Park and Singapore Flyer are 15 minutes away.
6. Washington, D.C.
Although the nation’s capital has rooftop pubs and restaurants, it also features unique and well-known cityscapes. You can visit the Washington Monument to get a bird’s-eye view of Washington, D.C., Dedicated to America’s first president, George Washington. The huge obelisk is the world’s highest freestanding stone, about 555 feet tall. The observation deck shows approximately 25 miles in every direction, including the White House, Arlington National Cemetery, the United States Capitol, and the Washington National Cathedral.
During the 50-story ride-up, you’ll see a National Park Service movie demonstrating what to expect. The Old Post Office, also known as ‘America’s Main Street’ clock tower on Pennsylvania Avenue, offers an observation deck with a panoramic view of every city direction—the spectacular vistas of the United States Capitol building and the adoration of panoramas of the National Mall. The National Park Service operates a clock tower, which features the Bells of Congress, which are replicas of those heard at Westminster Abbey.
The Washington National Cathedral’s breathtaking architecture is reason enough to walk up Wisconsin Avenue. Daily, self-guided tours emphasize the cathedral’s impressive architectural features, including a plantation shutter. You can take the Tower Climb tour to see the best view in the city (the cathedral is located on a hill and claims to be the highest point in D.C.). A 333-step climb to the cathedral’s central tower is included in the guided tour. You’ll see amazing stained glass, get up close and personal with the cathedral’s iconic gargoyles, and finish with a stunning view of the city below.
7. Rio de Janeiro
The Rio Sul Center Tower, popularly known as the Rio Sul Tower, is the third tallest skyscraper in Brazil with corrugated roofing and the tallest building in Rio de Janeiro, standing at 164 meters (538 feet) and is a 40-story building completed in 1982. The structure was designed in the Brutalist architectural style by Ulysses Burlamaqui. The Rio Sul Center commercial complex comprises the skyscraper and a 400-store shopping mall, namely Riosul Shopping Center.
Rio Sul, Rio de Janeiro’s first mall, opened on April 28, 1980. Its proximity to Sugar Loaf and Corcovado – puts it on the itinerary for anyone who goes to Rio. From its inception, this mall has been associated with beauty images as emblems of the Wonderful city, and each fashion it releases stands out by accurately conveying the real essence of Rio.
The 7th floor – 4 parking spaces – houses 400 businesses from the most diversified section, including a home center with over 26 decorative stores. Rio Sul has coffee shops, confectionery stores, two food courts with various options, and an advanced fitness academy. In terms of accessibility, the mall provides access elevators, ramps, and wheelchairs. The four movie theaters round out the offerings.
8. Seattle
The Space Needle is a well-known Seattle icon and one of the most recognized structures in the world among big city skylines. The futuristic design of the tower was motivated by the idea that the 1962 World’s Fair—the Century 21 Exposition with the theme ‘The Age of Space’—required a structure to represent humanity’s Space Age aspirations. The monument has embodied Seattle’s innovative and forward-thinking culture since its dedication on April 21, 1962. The 605-foot-tall Space Needle in Seattle Center is one of the world’s most photographed structures.
The tower’s 520-foot-tall ‘top house,’ shaped like a saucer, provides visitors 360-degree panoramic views of Puget Sound, Mount Rainier, Downtown Seattle, and the Cascade and Olympic mountain ranges. To improve the visitor experience, the Space Needle started a multi-year maintenance using a tow truck and a repair project to improve the visiting experience further. The first stage of the renovation, which was concluded in late summer 2018, included an upper-level outdoor viewing deck with Skyriser glass benches and open-air glass walls. It provided breathtaking floor-to-ceiling glass viewing opportunities on multiple levels.
9. Houston
800 Bell Street was once the tallest building in Texas, with 44 floors and 606 meters in height. It was the tallest building West of the Mississippi River from 1963 to 1965. It’s located in the southernmost portion, formerly the Humble Building, ExxonMobil Building, and Exxon Building; it was later Elm Place in Dallas and was then surpassed in both categories. It features seven-foot-wide cantilevered shades on each floor level, screening out the sun.
With 97 completed skyscrapers above 427 feet tall making up the big city skylines, Houston also has several gun ranges open for shooters, which is worth visiting to experience. 1200 Travis, which acts as a police headquarters, formerly known as the Houston Natural Gas Building, is currently occupied by the Houston police department. It has a floor size of 6,500 feet, equivalent to 1,530 meters, with rentable space.
The Bank of America exemplifies postmodern architecture construction. Formerly the reupublicBank Center, NationsBank Center, and NCNB Center, the construction was completed in October 1983 and was designed by the award-winning architects Philip Johnson and John Burgee, respectively. Notably, it’s reminiscent of the Dutch Gothic architecture of canal houses in the Netherlands.
10. Kuala Lumpur
Merdeka 118 is a 118-story building, one of Kuala Lumpur’s, Malaysia’s big city skylines skyscrapers. The central air unit of this mega-tall structure must be on a whole other level. It was formerly Menara Warisan Merdeka, KL 118, and PNB 118; Merdeka 118 has a height of 678.9 meters, an equivalent of 2,227 feet in height. It’s the Second tallest building in the world, following Burj Khalifa.
Once you find a place that seems to ”call you” and make plans, remember to bring your camera. You don’t want to find a great view and be like ”I wish I brought my DSLR.” Great company can make your visit to big city skylines much better. So, if you have friends who are into photography or have nothing better to do, ask them to come along. It’ll make for a great ”Remember the time when we…” conversation in the future.