# Top 5 Skylines Of The World



## deranged (Jan 22, 2009)

```
[B] 1. New York City	USA
 2. Hong Kong		China
 3. Paris		France
 4. Sao Paulo		Brazil
 5. Shanghai		China[/B]
 6. Chicago		USA
 7. Vancouver		Canada
 8. Rio de Janeiro	Brazil
 9. Benidorm		Spain
10. Manila		Philippines

11. Buenos Aires	Argentina
12. Moscow		Russia
13. Gold Coast		Australia
14. Shenzhen		China
15. Singapore		Singapore
16. Sydney		Australia
17. Dubai		United Arab Emirates
18. Guangzhou		China
19. Seoul		South Korea
20. Caracas		Venezuela
```


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## HK999 (Jul 17, 2009)

*1. Hong Kong*
*
2. New York City*








chrispar340









3. Shanghai

4. Chicago

5. Dubai


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## yellowboy06 (Nov 27, 2009)

Sorry, I have been a fool. I was hurrying last night to finish the last two and they are not that great now that I look at them...

I will change them now. :nuts:


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## Grey Towers (Oct 22, 2002)

poltak said:


> in my opinion, toronto skyline is not in top 5. I think there are other cities that are better than toronto such as tokyo, seoul, sezhen, gounzhou, bangkok which are *100000000000times better*.


Mm hmm, opinion aside, you are an utter fool.


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## isaidso (Mar 21, 2007)

Grey Towers said:


> Mm hmm, opinion aside, you are an utter fool.




That's what I wanted to say, but used every ounce I could muster to keep my mouth shut. 

He/she couldn't even spell the cities he preferred better correctly. I counted 11 zeroes in his very scientific analysis. 100 billion times better? Does Tokyo even have 100 billion buildings?


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## Yellow Fever (Jan 3, 2008)

isaidso said:


> Hong Kong will eventually fully integrate into the rest of China. That will probably involve switching to driving on the right. I found data online that says the distance between the 2 is 27 km which is also the distance between Mississauga and downtown Toronto. Do these statistics seem accurate to you?


Hong Kong is already 100% part of China, there is no argument there, but full integration? It might but I highly doubt that it would happen in the near future. When China resumed the soverenty of HK back in the 90's, the then supreme leader, Deng, promised that Hong Kong would be left alone for 50 years. 

As far as the merging of the HK and Shenzhen, its almost impossible. As Skybean mentioned earilier, there are way too many differences between the two cities and don't forget that HK is still administrated in the "one country, two systems' format. Shenzhen is also a major city itself, not a small city like Hamilton which would be easily merge with Toronto.


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## Yellow Fever (Jan 3, 2008)

yellowboy06 said:


> Sorry, I have been a fool. I was hurrying last night to finish the last two and they are not that great now that I look at them...
> 
> I will change them now. :nuts:


Not to worry, you're not a fool! 


As much as I love Vancouver, I don't think it deserves to be up there with the big boys.


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## isaidso (Mar 21, 2007)

Yellow Fever said:


> Hong Kong is already 100% part of China, there is no argument there, but full integration? It might but I highly doubt that it would happen in the near future. When China resumed the soverenty of HK back in the 90's, the then supreme leader, Deng, promised that Hong Kong would be left alone for 50 years.
> 
> As far as the merging of the HK and Shenzhen, its almost impossible. As Skybean mentioned earilier, there are way too many differences between the two cities and don't forget that HK is still administrated in the "one country, two systems' format. Shenzhen is also a major city itself, not a small city like Hamilton which would be easily merge with Toronto.


Yes, it won't happen in the near future, but it will surely happen eventually. Let's not forget that Shenzhen is a very prosperous Chinese city. It's not a stretch to see income levels approach those in Hong Kong 20 years from now. 

Shenzhen is the more populous of the two, so any merger would end up looking more like a merger of equals than the Toronto-Hamilton area.


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## the spliff fairy (Oct 21, 2002)

the real merger is between Shenzhen and Guangzhou, which if you check on Google Earth is already contiguous via Dongguan. That would make an urban population of at least 20.6 million. At the higher end of the population estimates, including illegal migrants, the cities together would be hitting 33 million, second only to Tokyo (39 million).

Shenzhen 4 -14 million
Dongguan - 6.9 million
Guangzhou 9.7 - 12 million


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## deranged (Jan 22, 2009)

^ Zhongshan and Jiangmen also look reasonably continuous on Google Earth, do you think they should be included?


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## Dimethyltryptamine (Aug 22, 2009)

China is going to become a city in itself soon  rawr.


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## rosonator (Oct 9, 2009)

1st - Chicago
2nd - Hong Kong
3rd - New York

I do not think that Dudai could be in any place in this list. Yes, Dubai has lost of skyscrapers, but he hasn't got any else, and a city needs an urbanity plan.


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## HK999 (Jul 17, 2009)

rosonator said:


> 1st - Chicago
> 2nd - Hong Kong
> 3rd - New York
> 
> I do not think that Dudai could be in any place in this list. Yes, Dubai has lost of skyscrapers, but he hasn't got any else, and a city needs an urbanity plan.


well, we are talking about skylines here, and dubai is certainly in the top 5 imo!


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## FabriFlorence (Sep 29, 2004)

1) CHICAGO
2) SHANGHAI
3) NYC
4) MOSCOW
5) DUBAI


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## KAZAN RESIDENT (May 6, 2009)

1 New York
2 Hong Kong
3 Chicago
4 Shanghai
5 Toronto


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## Dimethyltryptamine (Aug 22, 2009)

chinarulez said:


> well, we are talking about skylines here, and dubai is certainly in the top 5 *imo!*


Emphasis on the IMO. Meaning, IN YOUR OPINION!

I wouldn't even put Dubai in the top 20... IMO.


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## bonivison (Jan 17, 2007)

nothing meaningful should be discussed


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## poltak (Sep 25, 2008)

1.HongKong
2.NewYork
3.Shanghai
4.Chicago
5.Dubai


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## Erhan (Feb 4, 2008)

My list is almost the same as yours:

*1. New York*









http://www.flickr.com/photos/sjpadron/3936879587/

*2. Hong Kong*









http://www.flickr.com/photos/jrgcastro/3171026110/

*3. Chicago*









http://www.flickr.com/photos/hao_nguyen/2850199048/

*4. Dubai*









http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/3523508119/

*5. Seattle*









http://www.flickr.com/photos/rayfischer/358622155/


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## Heroico (Sep 14, 2009)

for me

1. NY
2. HONG KONG
3. DUBAI
4.SHANGHAI
5.CHICAGO


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## Eduardo L. Ramirez (Jul 24, 2008)

1. New York & Hong Kong
3. Chicago & Shanghai
5. Dubai, Tokyo & Shenzhen


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## jack_ery (Jan 28, 2012)

Dubai's skyline is in this "top skylines" ?? Im sorry but I don't get it. Most skyscrapers in this city are soulless and look the same. Even Burj Khalifa is one of the ugliest in this forum. Just my opinion. My top5 skylines:
1. NY
2. Toronto
3. L.A
4. Brisbane
5. HK


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## Hudson11 (Jun 23, 2011)

1. NYC
2. Hong Kong
3. Chicago
4. Dubai
5. Seattle


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## 1Filipe1 (Jul 13, 2012)

1.New York
2.Hong Kong
3.Chicago
4. Shanghai
5.Dubai


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## waldenbg (Feb 2, 2011)

Toronto is definitely in the top 5, and it is getting better at an amazing rate. We have the most skyscrapers under construction in North America, and are still running hard.


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## isaidso (Mar 21, 2007)

5 years ago, I had Toronto in 10th or 11th. These days I flip flop between Tokyo, Dubai, and Toronto for spots 5-7. Another year of construction, and Toronto's spot in 5th is going to get cemented. 

The current crop of new proposals would solidify the skyline's claim to that lofty rank. If they get built, Toronto will have about 30 buildings over 200m, and about 340 buildings over 100m. It will be one of the big boys.


*1. New York
2. Shanghai
3. Hong Kong
4. Chicago
5. Toronto*


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## Nouvellecosse (Jun 4, 2005)

Assuming "top" means the largest and most impressive, my list would be:

1) NY
2) Shanghai
3) HK
4) Chicago
5) Tokyo

But if top actually means personal aesthetic preference, my list would be:

1) Sydney
2) Chicago
3) Toronto
4) Melbourne
5) London


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## linum (Oct 5, 2010)

1. Manhattan (NYC)
2. Hong Kong
3. Chicago
4. Shanghai
5. Brisbane (it's my hometown and I love the skyline - which is slowly getting taller!!!)


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## CxIxMaN (Jun 12, 2009)

New York is the king of all skylines

1. New York
2. Chicago
3. Hong Kong
4. Dubai
5. Sydney


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## dmoor82 (Jul 7, 2009)

1.Hong Kong 2.New York 3.Shanghai 4.Chicago 5.Dubai


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## Eduardo L. Ramirez (Jul 24, 2008)

isaidso said:


> 5 years ago, I had Toronto in 10th or 11th. These days I flip flop between Tokyo, Dubai, and Toronto for spots 5-7. Another year of construction, and Toronto's spot in 5th is going to get cemented.
> 
> The current crop of new proposals would solidify the skyline's claim to that lofty rank. If they get built, Toronto will have about 30 buildings over 200m, and about 340 buildings over 100m. It will be one of the big boys.
> 
> ...


When will Toronto finally receive its 1st supertall?? The CN Tower still dwarfs Toronto's skyscrapers and to me it will look relatively unimpressive until taller towers get built (and please not within the currently tallest cluster).


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## SASH (Apr 15, 2005)

Top 5, Top 10... Too many of the same Threads on SSC.


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## dc88 (Aug 6, 2009)

new york
london
chigaco
toronto
dubai


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## DZH22 (Aug 9, 2009)

1. HK
2. NYC
3. Chicago
4. Shaghai
5. tie: Dubai and Guangzhou

Within 2-3 years I expect 1 to flip with 2, 3 to flip with 4, and Guangzhou to take over 5 by itself (with a few dark-horse contenders for 5 in the background).


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## waldenbg (Feb 2, 2011)

Eduardo L. Ramirez said:


> When will Toronto finally receive its 1st supertall?? The CN Tower still dwarfs Toronto's skyscrapers and to me it will look relatively unimpressive until taller towers get built (and please not within the currently tallest cluster).


We really do have Supertalls in Toronto. The whole Supertall classification can be debated. 

If you do not classify the CN Tower as a Supertall, fine. It is Iconic and breathtaking however. 










However, is if fair that the first building in this picture is a supertall while the second one is not?


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## Eduardo L. Ramirez (Jul 24, 2008)

^ Common, a TV tower is not a skyscraper..
But anyway, it's not the actual height of the buildings that generates the lack of impressiveness imho, it's more the overall effect caused by the combination of the different existing buildings (that I already described above). Some taller skyscrapers would probably minimize that effect in Toronto.

I would not go that far to say the Gold Coast has a better skyline than Toronto, but I think its skyline looks much more harmonized and is amazing for a city of its size..


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## Jhonnsscott (Sep 14, 2012)

1. *Chicago* - size, aesthetics

2. *Los Angeles* - height, compactness

3. *Philadelphia* - best mid-rise to hi-rise transition 

4. *Pittsburgh * - aesthetics, setting

5^^. *Denver* - density, setting


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## isaidso (Mar 21, 2007)

Eduardo L. Ramirez said:


> When will Toronto finally receive its 1st supertall?? The CN Tower still dwarfs Toronto's skyscrapers and to me it will look relatively unimpressive until taller towers get built (and please not within the currently tallest cluster).


Toronto is pragmatic to the core and won't ever build a super tall unless demand warrants one. Toronto's pre-war vanity projects are a thing of the past. That said, land values, demand, and available lots are dictating heights of around 280m at the upper limit. 

If Toronto keeps on its current trajectory, it won't be too far off till developers see 350m as the upper limit that makes sense economically. Who knows though. An industrialist/developer who wants to put their own stamp on the skyline may surface. Toronto has certainly had them in the past: John Maryon being a notable example.

Btw, I'd rather see the next big office tower go outside the CBD as well. Yorkville or near College Park are my preferred locales, but it will likely be 45 Bay which is just east of the Air Canada Centre. I'd be surprised if it becomes the city's new tallest. You can see the ACC in this photo to the right of the train track. 45 Bay will go east of that, or behind the ACC in this photo.

*Toronto CBD (left), Southcore (right)*








Courtesy of Jasonzed

I agree that the top 4 (New York, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Chicago) are relatively more impressive at this point, but there isn't really an obvious #5 in my opinion. One could argue that it should be Dubai, but it's not my cup of tea at all. Tokyo? Possibly.


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## dean87 (May 18, 2010)

here goes my lists (in terms of skyline n hierarchial profile)...
1- shanghai
2- new york
3- dubai
4- singapore
5- kuala lumpur


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## dean87 (May 18, 2010)

kuala lumpur



guy4versa4 said:


> some of banner i made


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## isaidso (Mar 21, 2007)

What's the next big building in the works for KL and where would it go in relation to Petronas?


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## KillerZavatar (Jun 22, 2010)

i love kuala lumpur and the petronas twins are my favorite building or skyscraper complex if you will, however the skyline i think is rather unimpressive compared to other similar skylines in asia. i think it is lacking density in form of supertalls. considering it is a very wide city it has to pull of very big buildings in one area to give a distinct skyline feeling to it. but i also know that kuala lumpur is awaiting insane skyscraper projects so my opinion will change in the next years  and i would be happy to see the city again one day.


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## KillerZavatar (Jun 22, 2010)

isaidso said:


> What's the next big building in the works for KL and where would it go in relation to Petronas?


warisan merdeka ~2km southwest of petronas. it's approved and in the early preparation state, yet they keep the designs their own secret. the suspected height is at about 600m

thread

and there is a building of 275m very very close to petronas that is under construction and will become very visible in the skyline in 2013 i think.

thread


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## isaidso (Mar 21, 2007)

My biggest beef with KL's skyline is that it lacks a dominant cluster. Buildings seem to be scattered all over the place and there's a huge drop off from Petronas/Menara and the rest.


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## ThatOneGuy (Jan 13, 2012)

1. Chicago
2. NYC
3. Panama
4. Dubai
5. Minneapolis

I also like Pyongyang's skyline.


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## dean87 (May 18, 2010)

isaidso said:


> What's the next big building in the works for KL and where would it go in relation to Petronas?





teckkang said:


> KL 1:1500 Scale Model at KL City Gallery


^^
if u noticed , there will be 2 more skyscrapers of 80+ storeys with 500+ m high from the pic

referring to second pic, the left one is warisan merdeka of 100+ storeys, 500+ m...but currently the project was halted for soil testing
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=956606&page=79

the tallest one in btween kl tower n warisan merdeka is the signature tower of tun razak exchange ot TRX (formerly KL international financial district) of 80+ storeys...currently on piling works
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=1135763&page=37

another one not in the pics, was the signature tower of naza matrade metropolitan city...not sure the height, but for sure it kinda as huge n as TRX ...unluckily, the site was quite further away from the CBD...also now still on ground works
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=1001931&page=20


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## dean87 (May 18, 2010)

KillerZavatar said:


> i love kuala lumpur and the petronas twins are my favorite building or skyscraper complex if you will, however the skyline i think is rather unimpressive compared to other similar skylines in asia. i think it is lacking density in form of supertalls. considering it is a very wide city it has to pull of very big buildings in one area to give a distinct skyline feeling to it. but i also know that kuala lumpur is awaiting insane skyscraper projects so my opinion will change in the next years  and i would be happy to see the city again one day.


i do agree the skyline was still lack of supertall volumes in the CBD, but i believe in 5 years to come at least, the landscape/profile of the skyline will greatly differ n improve as it is today...currently there are least around 10 more supertalls on works (mostly on ground works) just hundred of metres neighbouring petronas twin towers...some are already updated in my above pics...

these are some of the proposed skylines nearby from the same developer (excluding the other supertalls from other developers)..
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=1479312


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## Denjiro (Jun 18, 2012)

1. Panama City
2. Gold Coast
3. Dubai
4. Singapore
5. Shanghai


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## skyscraper 007 (Sep 9, 2012)

1=Dubai
2=Hong Kong
3=New York City
4=Singapore
5=L.A


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