Special

The 20 Tallest Skyscrapers in the World

by Chris Newens  |  Published February 28, 2017

Tallest in California. Wilshire Grand Center, U.S.A.

A long, wide thoroughfare in New York's Chinatown (Photo: Vivienne Gucwa via Flickr / CC By 2.0)

Finishing touches; skyscraper building isn’t all high wire work (Photo: Neon Tommy via Flickr / CC By 2.0)

With the ever-present threat of earthquakes, skyscrapers on the West Coast of the United States were not as fast to take off as those on the East, and when they did, they seldom went up as tall.

That’s not to say that Californians are a slouch when it comes to big buildings, though; as earthquake proofing technology has improved, so they’ve also reached for the skies.

The Wilshire Grand Center, completed in 2016, is a 335-meter multi-use skyscraper in the Financial District of Downtown Los Angeles. As with other similar giant structures it contains a hotel, observation deck, offices, and a shopping facility.