What Kafka wrote in 1920 still holds true today: “The main aspect of the whole undertaking is the idea of building a tower that reaches up to the sky.” Once such a notion has gained currency, it can no longer be stopped. It is scarcely surprising, therefore, that the highrise block is at present witnessing something of a renaissance – not only in Asia, but in London, Moscow, Barcelona, Vienna and Frankfurt. Nevertheless, no building type arouses such strong emotions as a skyscraper – at least in countries like Germany. Reactions range from reservation on cultural grounds to recognition of a new global rule of life.