From Burj Khalifa to The Shard: 10 structural engineering masterpieces with incredible viewpoints

Masterpieces of structural engineering and architecture that have redefined the skylines of large cities; suspended terraces with a futuristic design; glass paths capable of creating new and unthinkable engineering structures at the limits of the imaginable and of gravity. We are talking about some of the most dizzying infrastructures on the planet, places from which the world takes on another dimension because they offer incredible observation points.

It can happen for example in New York City by going to 10 Cubed, the highest “private residential club” in the world which is located on the 100th floor of the Central Park Tower. The “tenants” of the tower can delight in the cuisine of executive chef Nduvo Salaan, recently better known thanks to a New York Times article dedicated to him, and admire a breathtaking view of Manhattan. After all, with its 472 meters of height, the Central Park Tower is the second tallest building in New York City and therefore deserves to be included in the list of “extreme constructions” that put physical and psychological resistance to the test (certainly if you go up to the upper floors using the stairs), but also in leaning downwards to enjoy the view.

And precisely because the city of skyscrapers is not the only one to offer records for mind-boggling constructions, here is a mini-review of other spectacular structural engineering masterpieces from the top of which the gaze of visitors will have no boundaries.

For explorers seeking pure adrenaline, the Tianmen Mountain Glass Walkway is a must-see. Located in the Hunan province on Tianmen Mountain, one of China’s highest peaks, reaching it requires traversing a long, winding cliffside path. After this first obstacle, the glass walkway, suspended on the mountainside at 1,430 meters (4,690 feet), is a nerve-wracking experience. Known as the Walk of Faith, the transparent floor creates the illusion of walking on air.

Since its completion 15 years ago, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai has held the record as the tallest building in the world at 829.8 meters (2,722 feet). The skyscraper features two observation decks: the first on the 124th floor at 442 meters, and the second on the 148th floor at 555 meters (1,820 feet). From the highest observatory, the human eye can see up to 95 kilometers (59 miles) away, offering a stunning view of Dubai’s skyline and the surrounding desert.

Shanghai Tower is a symbol of sustainable design, energy efficiency, and futuristic architecture. At 632 meters (2,073 feet), it is currently the second-tallest building in the world and the tallest building in China. While it does not surpass the Burj Khalifa in height, its highest observation deck, Top of Shanghai, on the 121st floor at 562 meters (1,844 feet), exceeds the Burj Khalifa’s highest deck. The title for the highest observation point is contested by another Chinese skyscraper, the Free Sky deck of the Ping An Finance Center in Shenzhen, also at 562 meters.

However, the record may soon be claimed by Saudi Arabia’s Jeddah Tower. Still under construction, the Jeddah Tower aims to become the world’s tallest building, surpassing one kilometer in height, with an observatory at 652 meters (2,139 feet).

CN Tower, Toronto’s telecommunications tower, at 553 meters (1,814 feet), is the fourth-tallest structure of its kind globally and the third-tallest freestanding building worldwide. Adventurous visitors can experience the EdgeWalk, a 20-minute walk along the tower’s 1.5-meter-wide external ledge, harnessed and suspended 356 meters above ground.

For a less heart-racing experience, the CN Tower offers two other observation points: the LookOut Level at 346 meters, which features a restaurant, and the SkyPod at 447 meters, where visitors can enjoy a 360° view. On clear days, the view extends southward to the United States.

Opened in 2016, the Glass Bridge in China is one of the world’s most thrilling scenic walkways. Spanning 6 meters wide and 430 meters (1,410 feet) long, it connects two mountains in Zhangjiajie National Park, known for inspiring the landscapes of Avatar. Designed by Israeli architect Haim Dotan, the structure is 300 meters (984 feet) above the canyon below, with 99 transparent glass panels supporting up to 800 people at once. Walking on the world’s longest glass bridge immerses visitors in a surreal, breathtaking natural panorama.

In the heart of the renewed Hudson Yards district, The Edge is the highest suspended observation deck in the Western Hemisphere. This angular, protruding terrace, located on the 100th floor at 335 meters (1,100 feet), offers breathtaking panoramic views of the city. Part of the platform is covered with a transparent glass floor, allowing visitors to see the void beneath their feet. Suspended in Manhattan’s sky, the experience is both thrilling and dizzying.

The Sky Tower in Auckland, a telecommunications tower, hosts the highest observation point in the country and the second-tallest building in the Southern Hemisphere. From 328 meters (1,076 feet) high, visitors can enjoy a unique view of the city and bay. Thrill-seekers can choose between the SkyWalk—a ring-shaped walkway encircling the tower with 360° views—or the SkyJump, a freefall plunge lasting 11 seconds. In such conditions, those 11 seconds feel like an eternity.

At 310 meters (1,016 feet) tall, The Shard is London’s tallest building and one of Europe’s most iconic skyscrapers. Designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano and inaugurated in 2012, this London skyscraper was the tallest building in the European Union until 2020. The partially open-air observation deck on the 72nd floor offers a unique view of the British capital.

Built by Webuild and inaugurated in 2002, Saudi Arabia’s Kingdom Centre still represents the symbol of the significant economic development that has occurred in Riyadh in recent years. It consists of a central tower body of 30 floors, 300 meters high and ranks first among buildings of its kind throughout the Middle East and Europe. In 2022 it won the Emporis Skyscraper Award as the best skyscraper in the world for design.

The Kingdom Centre has a characteristic shape with splendid light effects in the highest part and hosts a hotel, residences, offices, a shopping center with various restaurants, a conference centre, a sports center with swimming pool and tennis courts, outdoor and underground car parks. The upper part of the tower built entirely of steel, 120 meters high, leads to the Observation Bridge, the highest panoramic point in Riyadh.

Designed by New York’s Pei Cobb Freed & Partners and built by the Webuild Group, Palazzo della Regione Lombardia is one of Milan’s most significant architectural landmarks and houses the regional government headquarters. The complex consists of curved buildings ranging from seven to nine stories and a central tower of 39 stories, standing 161 meters (529 feet) tall. The highest publicly accessible point is the Belvedere Terrace, offering a breathtaking panoramic view of Milan and the Po Valley. In 2012, the building received the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat’s award for Best Tall Building in Europe for combining futuristic design with eco-friendly solutions.