# Worst skyscraper ever **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 21, 2019, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-skyscraper-ever/828146 "2019-01-21T11:12:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Capn\_Carl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/838e76/32.png) [@Capn\_Carl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capn_Carl)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2019, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-skyscraper-ever/828146/1 "2019-01-21T11:12:04Z")
I watched a movie in which Criminal Mastermind proposes to stage a superhuman cage fight on top of a skyscraper. He’s also planning some destruction involving a chemical lab, also located in the skyscraper. I thought it odd that the buildings owners, and the city building codes, would allow a chemical lab on a skyscraper. So I made some calls, and I’ll be damned, they’ll let us open any kind of businesses we want. There are 80 floors. So far, only the 50th is fully occupied, by the chem lab. So what sort of business are you opening? I’ve leased some of the gleaming corridors of the 51st floor. I’m opening a small gas station. Sure, not much traffic up here, but not much competition, either. “But Cap’n…”, you say, “…what about the enormous weight of those steel gasoline storage tanks, so high up?” Well, I have that figured out. I’m going to use tanks made out of the same sturdy plastic used for water jugs. “But Cap’n…”, you say, “…gasoline melts those water jugs!” No problem; my plastic storage tanks will be DOUBLE thick. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2019, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-skyscraper-ever/828146/2 "2019-01-21T12:07:17Z")
I thought you were going to talk about that postmodern Leaning Tower of San Francisco, where if you place a ball on one corner of your $12 million penthouse suite, you’ll have to retrieve it from the other end as if you live on a cruise ship. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2019, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-skyscraper-ever/828146/3 "2019-01-21T12:16:50Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > I thought you were going to talk about that postmodern Leaning Tower of San Francisco, where if you place a ball on one corner of your $12 million penthouse suite, you’ll have to retrieve it from the other end as if you live on a cruise ship. The one I thought of was the “[Death Ray Skyscraper](https://www.businessinsider.com/death-ray-skyscraper-is-wreaking-havoc-on-london-for-a-few-totally-insane-reasons-2015-7)” that melts cars. I’ll say this for fictional criminal masterminds like the OP talks about; at least when\* they \*build a Death Ray, they do it _on purpose._ ---
**Author:** ![Sarabellum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sarabellum/32/3492_2.png) [@Sarabellum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarabellum)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2019, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-skyscraper-ever/828146/4 "2019-01-21T13:42:22Z")
Haha, I was certain this was a reference to that Death Star-looking hotel in Pyongyang. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2019, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-skyscraper-ever/828146/5 "2019-01-21T15:10:15Z")
> [@Sarabellum](#): > > I was certain this was a reference to that Death Star-looking hotel in Pyongyang. As was I. It’s the [Ryugyong Hotel](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryugyong_Hotel), which has been termed “the worst building in the world.” Begun in 1987, initially scheduled to be done in 1989, finally topped out in 1992 it remains unoccupied today. It began, of course, as a glorious emblem of North Korea and a focus of national pride. After construction ground to a halt, anyone who wanted to stay out of trouble learned never to photograph, mention or take any notice of what is very much the tallest and most prominent building in Pyongyang. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2019, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-skyscraper-ever/828146/6 "2019-01-21T16:37:13Z")
OP, if an inferno ever breaks out in your tower, make sure you DON’T let [sub]McQueen[/sub]/[sup]Newman[/sup] blow those tanks on 51; definitely contraindicated. ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2019, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-skyscraper-ever/828146/7 "2019-01-21T16:44:30Z")
> [@Sarabellum](#): > > Haha, I was certain this was a reference to that Death Star-looking hotel in Pyongyang. I thought a Death Star was a sphere, not an arrowhead? Dennis ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2019, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-skyscraper-ever/828146/8 "2019-01-21T20:07:34Z")
I think the Ryugyong Hotel is what happens when you hire a Scientologist architect to build a replica of the Transamerica Pyramid. ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2019, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-skyscraper-ever/828146/9 "2019-01-21T20:43:03Z")
You know what I think is funny? If you call the code people and tell them you’re building a structure 1,000 feet long and every exit is going to be at one end they’d laugh you out of the zoning office, but tell them you’ll stand it on end and an 80 story building has every exit on the bottom and Bob’s your uncle. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2019, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-skyscraper-ever/828146/10 "2019-01-21T21:52:45Z")
Well, tall buildings do have exits at the other end, you just need to flap your arms really goddamn fast. ---
**Author:** ![Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/regallag_the_axe/32/445_2.png) [@Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Regallag_The_Axe)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2019, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-skyscraper-ever/828146/11 "2019-01-21T22:11:35Z")
I’ll take the top floor to sell pianos and other heavy object that won’t fit in the elevators. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2019, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-skyscraper-ever/828146/12 "2019-01-21T22:13:06Z")
> [@Capn\_Carl](#): > > I watched a movie in which Criminal Mastermind proposes to stage a superhuman cage fight on top of a skyscraper. He’s also planning some destruction involving a chemical lab, also located in the skyscraper. I thought it odd that the buildings owners, and the city building codes, would allow a chemical lab on a skyscraper. I think I saw the same movie, and yes, it seemed weird to have a chemical lab in a skyscraper downtown. As for worst skyscraper ever, I nominate [this building in Mumbai](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antilia_(building)). It was built by the richest man in India and cost something like two billion dollars and yet it’s absolutely ugly. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2019, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-skyscraper-ever/828146/13 "2019-01-21T22:40:36Z")
Isn’t there a Russian skyscraper that looks suspiciously like a vulva? Searches are mostly linking me to clickbait. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2019, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-skyscraper-ever/828146/14 "2019-01-21T22:47:00Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I think I saw the same movie, and yes, it seemed weird to have a chemical lab in a skyscraper downtown. > > As for worst skyscraper ever, I nominate [this building in Mumbai](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antilia_(building)). It was built by the richest man in India and cost something like two billion dollars and yet it’s absolutely ugly. It’s not perfect, but it’s my favorite building in the thread. At least some thought was put into it and it’s quite obviously a building, albeit a Dr-Seuss-meets-Le Corbusier- building. I’d rather live in it than an anonymous glass box. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2019, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-skyscraper-ever/828146/15 "2019-01-21T22:54:08Z")
Sign me up for a Hide Tanning operation on the 63rd floor. ---
**Author:** ![CaptMurdock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/captmurdock/32/11736_2.png) [@CaptMurdock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptMurdock)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2019, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-skyscraper-ever/828146/16 "2019-01-22T00:04:32Z")
> [@Xema](#): > > As was I. > > It’s the [Ryugyong Hotel](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryugyong_Hotel), Sounds like a place Scooby Doo would stay at… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2019, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-skyscraper-ever/828146/17 "2019-01-22T00:31:37Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > As for worst skyscraper ever, I nominate [this building in Mumbai](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antilia_(building)). It looks like the Ambani boys said “Hey, I know, let’s build a $2 billion skyscraper in the back yard! It’ll be our Secret Clubhouse! We can get some scrap materials from that construction site down the block!” ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2019, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-skyscraper-ever/828146/18 "2019-01-22T00:44:00Z")
As to the OP: Don’t forget to have some kind of Master Control Computer that runs all the security and fire suppression systems and lights and elevators and communications and everything for the entire building. For convenience, the MCC should be fully accessible from the Internet, but for security reasons there should probably also be some kind of special card or USB drive or attache case or something required to access the MCC, that you can carry with you at all times (except for the backup Security MacGuffin, which you can keep in a secure vault with a [giant steel door](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:NORADBlast-Doors.jpg), [state of the art laser-based security system](https://giphy.com/gifs/catherine-zeta-jones-598APpTX4NsB2), pressure-sensitive alarms in the vault floors, and a nice big skylight, so you can use sunlight to illuminate the vault and save a few bucks on electric bills–gotta be environmentally conscious, these days). ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2019, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-skyscraper-ever/828146/19 "2019-01-22T01:17:40Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > Sign me up for a Hide Tanning operation on the 63rd floor. Great! Now I have a place to send the hides from my meat-packing operation on the 85th floor. Oh, and if you’re building from the ground up, [don’t make it taller while eliminating support columns to open up more floor space.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sampoong_Department_Store_collapse) ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2019, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-skyscraper-ever/828146/20 "2019-01-22T01:20:53Z")
> [@Bill\_Door](#): > > You know what I think is funny? If you call the code people and tell them you’re building a structure 1,000 feet long and every exit is going to be at one end they’d laugh you out of the zoning office, but tell them you’ll stand it on end and an 80 story building has every exit on the bottom and Bob’s your uncle. Sure, someone with a name like yours would be expected to say that. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-skyscraper-ever/828146.md?page=2)