Skyscrapers: A New Wave and a New Record Breaker

From 1890 right through to 1998 the U.S. remained home to the tallest buildings in the world, only relinquishing the title in 1998' to the 'Petronas Towers' in 'Kuala Lumpar' 'Malaysia'. Although the 'Sears Tower' still looks taller if you compare the two. Anyway, in recent years there has been a resurgence of interest and many proposed plans for future skyscrapers reaching far beyond the lofty heights of those that currently exist. Some of these look like something out of a 'Bladerunner' sci-fi fantasy. An elegant silvery shard of glass reaching into the heavens this is what I'd always imagined a skyscraper to be. Currently the tallest (completed) building is the 'Taipei 101' situated in Taipei, Taiwan, which rises to 1,667 feet. Since 2001 America has obviously been averse to accepting proposals for such buildings but some consideration should be given to the fact that technology, computer aided architectural design and new composite materials have pushed these buildings in a totally new direction. Structural steel may be a thing of the past judging by what's happening in 'Saudi Arabia' right now. However take heart as Chicago is currently building the 'Chicago Spire' a 2,000 foot plus residential building that will be the tallest building in America once finished in 2010, surpassing the will it/won't it be built 'Freedom Tower' in Manhattan.