 | Eastern cities are winning the battle for the world´s skyline 16-06-2008 Skylines have been important elements of attraction for cities in the past
100 years. This article 'the battle for the world´s skyline´, published in
´Spiegel Online´, explores the global battle among cities for the best skyline.
Whereas New York used to be the most famous skyscraper capital, today cities in
Asia, Russia and on the Persian Gulf are the ones constructing their skylines
most enthusiastically. Meanwhile, cities in the West, like London and New York,
do not have the money to compete. The authors therefore wonder: 'Will Western
urban landscapes soon look outdated?'
The authors of 'the battle for the world's skyline' observe that
'economically booming megacities - such as Beijing, Shanghai and Dubai - where
extravagant skyscrapers are shooting up all over, mean that cities like New York
are beginning to look old and outdated, despite attempts to modernize.' They
also point to the fact that cities in Eastern Europe are starting to look more
modern than their Western counterparts. Cities like Istanbul and Moscow are more
dynamic than London, Paris or Milan, they state.
Also in Asia, a true building frenzy is taking place. In the global skyline
battle, it is clear that Middle Eastern and Far Eastern cities could soon be
aesthetically more dominant than European or American cities. The authors stress
that it is interesting to note that this development is mainly driven by Western
architects now working for newly enriched governments and real estate tycoons.
What seems to be impossible in their home countries is possible in the East.
Cities in the West can only watch these developments with jealousy. The
downturn in the American credit market has caused the cancellation or
postponement of many major architectural and urban-planning projects. Also
Europe is suffering. The authors wonder whether Europe will have to start
getting used to the idea of becoming a museum.
Source:
Spiegel
Online
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