why don't we have tall skyscrapers in europe and uk?

Question

and don't give me canary wharf./ canada one

Answer 1

cause we dont need to reinforce our national ego to find an identity in the big bad world.

they are good for base jumping though :)

Answer 2

Actually, the very first skyscaper in the world was the Eiffel tower. It was built for the 1870(?) Worlds Fair by a French engineer by the name of Eiffel in order to prove to the world that sky scrapers were indeed possible mathematically and engineering wise. Large American corporations seized on the idea, finding that it was much more efficient to house all of a corporation's secretaries, file cabinets, and various departments all under one big roof. But I have recently heard that the coming of the desktop computer and the internet has made sky scrapers essentially obsolete, because nowadays there is no real advantage to having everyone all together in one spot, or even in one country any more. The huge American retailer Sears Roebuck found this out and promptly sold the Sears tower in Chicago to some Japanese investors. As far as I know, the only new large mega skyscrapers that are seriously planned are in the Orient, where space is at an extreme premium. I think that in the not too distant future, the largest man made structures will be large Geodesic domes erected on the surfaces of the Moon and Mars, where it will be necessary to hold in the breathable atmosphere. I am looking forward to it. Someday we may even build the "space elevator" that will be a structure that will extend from the Earth's equator to 3 or 4 Earth diameters out into space. You just get on the elevator like any other elevator and just ride up into Earth orbit! Now that will be one heck of a tall building!

Answer 3

You very nearly spoke back your question your self. Skyscrapers do no longer slot in alongside the classic and historic structure of the cities that you've reported. lots of the homes that you could call "skyscrapers" in London, as an party, even as are reported to be outfitted, are frequently protested against by most of the inhabitants and in the experience that they are outfitted continuously finally end up with an embarrassing and derogatory nickname - alongside with "the Gherkin", "the Testicle" and so on. purely those that are built faraway from the older and far extra eye-catching homes contained in the added cutting-edge parts of London are tolerated (alongside with One Canada sq. in Canary Wharf) regardless of the very undeniable actuality that the present tallest progression contained in the ecu, The Glass Shard, status at a million,016ft in excellent, stands close to London Bridge, the 900 twelve months previous Borough marketplace and the unique 1587 Elizabethan Rose theatre.

Answer 4

Because Singapore, Manhattan and Hong Kong are too small to build wide buildings and Dubai, Toronto and Chicago need to show off.

Europe still has space to build (although not the water resources in London), and would rather build legislation than tall buildings.

Why are tall buildings so important anyway?

Answer 5

Isn't Canary Wharf tall enough for you then?

Answer 6

Skyscrapers are built by private companies. Typically, older cities in Europe tend not to like to ruin their older ambiance with newer structures. This happened to Paris a while back.

Answer 7

Maybe because England values it's old world style and sees that no lasting goodness comes from skyscrapers.

Answer 8

You may not have skyscrapers - but you have castles and cool old buildings that have been around for centuries. I'd take those over skycrapers any day of the week.

Answer 9

You do. Not like there are in the united states, but they're there.

Here's the tallest buildings in europe as of right now:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_skyscrapers_in_Europe

And i believe they're building a rather large skyscraper in Spain as i write this.

Answer 10

Because we keep having wars in Europe and knocking 'em down!

Actually it is because we have a sense of history and class - US and Asia is too new and thinks everything has to be new and big. It's all a bit phallic.

Answer 11

tall buildings sometimes block architectural and historic landmarks, such as St. Paul's Cathedral in London. Would u like it blocked by a tower of glass?