China’s Spectacular Skyscrapers

China builds skyscrapers at incredible rates – one is completely every five days – so Haute Living looks into some of the most amazing tall building located around the country.

China’s skyscrapers are examples of what great high-rise architecture is all about. Some of its tallest towers actually compete for tallest in the world and these are located in cities less known, outside of Shanghai, Hong Kong and Beijing. Here is a closer look at some of China’s greatest masterpieces.

The Canton Tower is located in the southern city of Guangzhou and is the tallest structure in China. It was completed to great fanfare before the 2010 Asian Games. The building is a twisting, LED-lit structure, which briefly held the title of world’s tallest freestanding building, only to be surpassed this year by Japan’s under-construction Tokyo Sky Tree.

The 103-story Guangzhou International Finance Center, also located in Guangzhou, may not be willing any awards for aesthetics but the incredible space in the tower, 4.9 million square feet, makes it a serious contender. The tower will soon be home to a high altitude Four Seasons Hotel, located on floors 69 to 98 that will provide breathtaking views all the way to Hong Kong.

Nanjing’s Greenland Square Zifeng Tower resembles the Burj Khalifia in Dubai because Skidmore, Owings and Merrill architect Adrian Smith led both projects. Greenland Square Zifeng Tower is 1,480 feet and contains retail and office space in the lower half and restaurants and a hotel at the top.

The Kingkey 100 is located in Shenzhen and is an impressive tower topping out at 100 stories. The Kingkey is illuminated at night by an LED lighting system that runs down one entire side of the building. Inside, a “six-star” branch of the luxurious St. Regis hotel chain takes up the 23 floors near the top of the skyscraper.

The Tianjin Radio and Television Tower was completed in 1991 and cost $45 million which is not much compared to today’s costs of construction – the Canton Tower cost $324 million.

Source: Curbed