# Is China surpassed U.S. in architecture?



## Ivan the Immigrant (May 20, 2014)

Well, China is still on 2nd place as world economy, just behind United States. But, as we can see here in Skyscraper city forum in supertalls section, China seems surpassing U.S. in field of architecture. While U.S. is building supertalls that do not exceed 400 metres category, China is seting new standard with 600+ metres supertalls. Can it be simbolic projection of China's future as world's biggest superpower....:cheers:


----------



## Melonus (Aug 31, 2014)

In terms of architecture, I don't think so. Chinese cities mainly look to America and Europe for architectural talent. For example, some of China's tallest like the Shanghai Tower, Ping An Finance Center, Shanghai World Financial Center, Zifeng Tower and Jin Mao Tower are all designed by American architectural firms. This can be attributed to years of Mao's cultural revolution in China, and the fact that America is the birthplace of the modern skyscraper, with several decades of experience in the field.


----------



## Tk.Alv-87 (Oct 26, 2012)

First, how do you define "American architecture" and "Chinese architecture" ?? 
Did you mean "architects" or "architecture firms" ? 

I mean, nowadays, these global architecture firms all pretty much have their own "China Specialist Team", which hires both western and Chinese architects ... and when they design a skyscraper for a Chinese city, they would always try to throw in some of the local elements ... 

For instance, the Jin Mao Tower in Shanghai, the Zifeng Tower in my hometown Nanjing, or the Taipei 101 in Taipei, they all resemble ancient Chinese pagodas


----------



## teddybear (Sep 12, 2002)

There is no such thing as competition in architecture... China has its own traditional architecture. China might has more supertall and high rises but many of them designed by Western architect and probably mixed with local too.


----------



## isaidso (Mar 21, 2007)

Building tall and architecture aren't 2 quite different things.


----------



## Taller Better (Aug 27, 2005)

Country vs Country.


----------

