THE SKYLINES THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN
Why it was never built
Some towers stop after excavation. Others remain research on paper. Follow the evidence behind the drawings and separate commercial obstacles from engineering questions.
| Project | City | Designer | What happened |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago Spire ↗ | Chicago | Santiago Calatrava | A twisting residential megatower reached foundation work, then lost its route to completion. The site subsequently became a different project. |
| Russia Tower ↗ | Moscow | Foster + Partners | An ambitious Moscow tower illustrates how a technically developed proposal can end when its financial conditions change. |
| The Illinois ↗ | Chicago | Frank Lloyd Wright | A historical design vision, not an abandoned construction contract. |
| Sky Mile Tower ↗ | Tokyo Bay | Kohn Pedersen Fox | An urban research study; its horizon is not an opening date. |