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Forbes Magazine World's Most Stunning City Skylines

jaycola

jaycola

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Toronto makes the list but is not featured prominently in the article http://tiny.cc/obYgh

best-skylines-10-g.jpg


Toronto

The Canadian metropolis on the shore of Lake Ontario is recognizable around the world thanks to the presence of the CN Tower, which soars 1,815 feet above the city. (As a freestanding structure, the only thing taller in the world today is the Burj Dubai). It has neither office nor living space, but there is a restaurant with a killer view near the top. With more than 2,000 towers that exceed 300 feet, verticality is a distinguishing feature of the varied Toronto skyline. Canada’s largest aggregate of skyscrapers is located in downtown’s Financial District.
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Houston's skyline doesn't belong in the list. It seems to have few iconic buildings and isn't even that dense. (On a side note, this is a great view corridor in San Francisco)

It's another American list that's entitled "World's Best", but plays favourites and loads it up with American examples.
 
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That is one of the most flattering photos of Dubai I've seen. I always thought that all their skyscrapers were lined up along one road.
 
"With more than 2,000 towers that exceed 300 feet..."


What?

Um... no.

Maybe... MAYBE we have a ballpark figure like that if we go down to 12 stories, but nowhere near 2,000 towers at 300 feet.
 
I would drop Frankfurt and Houston and replace them with Istanbul and Moscow. The silhouettes of St. Basil's Cathedral and the Hagia Sophia are pretty damn recognizable.
 
And Paris? C'mon, it's possibly the greatest city in the world, but greatest skyline? They talk about how it's buildings are mostly of an uniform height (sort of an anti-skyline characteristic if you ask me), and declare the Eiffel Tower doesn't count for some idiotic reason, yet it's still included? This list reeks of when I fill out Academy Awards prediction sheets: I try to put down what I think is going to win, but can't help checking off a couple of films that I want to win. Like me, these guys creating this list have no discipline. Totally shows up with the overabundance of American cities too. Kuala Lumpur is missing. Tokyo is missing. Even whacked-out Shanghai is missing. And speaking of whacked-out, skipping Las Vegas while including mostly boring stuff like Houston? Puh-leeze.

42

PS Meanwhile, the good burghers of Niagara Falls, ON, will be scratching their heads wondering when their lump of buildings will get some respect...
 
Other cities that deserve to be on the list:

- Singapore
- Sao Paulo
- Vancouver
- Chongqing, China

By Forbe's "criteria" even cities like Calgary and Montreal should make the list.

*****

I would drop Frankfurt and Houston and replace them with Istanbul and Moscow. The silhouettes of St. Basil's Cathedral and the Hagia Sophia are pretty damn recognizable.
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I don't see how churches and cathedrals help to make a city's skyline "world class" this day in age. St. Basil's doesn't figure prominently in Moscow's skyline (Stalin's "Seven Sisters", the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, and the more recent International Business Centre are the prominent landmarks on Moscow's skyline), and I don't really see much mention of Istanbul in skyscraper fan circles, with or without the Hagia Sophia.

If there is a city where the skyline is determined by a church, it's Cologne.

cologne.jpg
 
Automation Gallery said:
Dont forget Melbourne Australia :cool:

300px-Melbourne_skyline1.jpg
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Looks spectacular on the F1 qualifying round now being broadcast.

Incidentally, there will be no F1 race in North America this year for the first time since 1958.

This is also the last Australian GP for now. The new markets are Asia, Asia and Asia.



.
 
Automation Gallery said:
Strange, you would drop Frankfurt and keep Pittsburgh. :confused:
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As far as skyline goes, sure. It is just a eurotrash version of the American city.

wyliepoon said:
I don't see how churches and cathedrals help to make a city's skyline "world class" this day in age. St. Basil's doesn't figure prominently in Moscow's skyline (Stalin's "Seven Sisters", the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, and the more recent International Business Centre are the prominent landmarks on Moscow's skyline), and I don't really see much mention of Istanbul in skyscraper fan circles, with or without the Hagia Sophia.
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Because they are instantly recognizable as symbols of their respective cities. The BBC did this experience a while back to see if people could recognize silhouettes of major skylines, Moscow, Paris and Istanbul were all clearly recognizable. In retrospect, I might add Rio's skyline with Christ the Redeemer. The Forbes article say's
"It has to be more than merely memorable, it must have some exceptional characteristics: It not only should be instantly recognizable but, from the traveler’s perspective particularly, it should be an enticing view of great buildings and monuments"
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If you take a skyline like Vancouver's or Sao Paulo's, even if there are a lot of buidlings, there really isn't anything very distinctive about them. St. Basil's "onion domes" though are instantly recognizable worldwide as a symbol not just of Moscow but Russia. They are, informally, "the kremlin." A few nouveau riche skyscrappers will never compete with St. Basil's in the same way that La Defense never competes for Paris' skyline with the Eiffel Tower. The same goes for the Hagia Sophia, with it's massive dome and minarets jutting above Istanbul. Even if the building isn't a skyscraper, it has a ton of identity. Even if you look at London, I suspect most people would think of it more as Tower Bridge, Westminster and Big Ben than Canary Wharf. Though, London has done a good job of integrating newer buildings into the more classical skyline, with buildings such as the Gherkin and Eye. Prior to the Gherkin, I don't think many people thought highly of the City's skyscrapers.
 
What about Rio de Janerio? I can't imagine it not being on the list, between having a great beach, Sugar Loaf Mountain and Cristo Redentor.

AoD
 
That is one of the most flattering photos of Dubai I've seen. I always thought that all their skyscrapers were lined up along one road. In that part of Dubai, the buildings are in general in a row one deep alongside an expressway, but since the photo is on an angle, it looks denser. The Burj is set somewhat further back from the expressway, adding to the effect.

I mostly agree with comments about the American-centricness of this. Skylines aren't everything, though I do think ours rocks.
 
Whoaccio said:
If you take a skyline like Vancouver's or Sao Paulo's, even if there are a lot of buidlings, there really isn't anything very distinctive about them. St. Basil's "onion domes" though are instantly recognizable worldwide as a symbol not just of Moscow but Russia. They are, informally, "the kremlin." A few nouveau riche skyscrappers will never compete with St. Basil's in the same way that La Defense never competes for Paris' skyline with the Eiffel Tower. The same goes for the Hagia Sophia, with it's massive dome and minarets jutting above Istanbul. Even if the building isn't a skyscraper, it has a ton of identity. Even if you look at London, I suspect most people would think of it more as Tower Bridge, Westminster and Big Ben than Canary Wharf. Though, London has done a good job of integrating newer buildings into the more classical skyline, with buildings such as the Gherkin and Eye. Prior to the Gherkin, I don't think many people thought highly of the City's skyscrapers.
Click to expand...

However, you seem to be confusing individual landmarks and, perhaps, "postcard shot vistas" with the notion of "skyline"...
 
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