When American engineer William Le Baron Jenney designed the world's first skyscraper in Chicago in 1884, no one believed in his unconventional technologies. But today swapping cement and steel for timber is the vision of a number of environmentally-minded architects who are planning high-rise building across the world. Architecture firm "Rudiger Lainer and Partner" has unveiled plans to build the world's tallest wooden skyscraper in the Seestadt Aspern area of Vienna. The 84 meters, 24 stories "HoHo" tower will house a hotel, apartments, a restaurant, a wellness center and offices. 76 percent of the structure will be constructed from wood, which will save a phenomenal 2,800 tons of CO2 emissions over similar structures built out of steel and concrete. Speaking to the Guardian, project developer Caroline Palfy, of "Kerbler " explained "I think it is important everyone now... thinks in different ways. We have wood, which is a perfect construction material for building. It was used many centuries and it was perfect then and is perfect now." Not only is the material appropriate for construction of such a building, it is radically more environmentally friendly than concrete. According to research from Columbia University, the manufacturing of cement-a key ingredient in concrete-accounts for a whopping five percent of all global CO2 emissions. Trees, on the other hand, absorb CO2 as they grow-so, if wood is sustainably sourced it can serve as an eco-friendly alternative building material. Currently world's highest timber frame apartment building "Forte" at 32 meters completed in 2012 is situated in Melbourne. Another modern wooden building is in London. Called the "Stadthaus", Murray Grove, it's a nine-story residential building that stands at just less than 30 meters. Even the lift shafts and stairwells are made from wood. In previous years Norway and Canada also announced about plans to build wooden skyscrapers. In 2012 Architect Michael Green, one of three principals at "McFarlane Green Biggar Architecture + Design", announced about plans for a 30-story wooden skyscraper in Vancouver. Two years later "Bergen ? Omegn Building Society" started works on the 14 story wooden structure "Treet" or "The tree", which would rise to 49 meters.

China currently boasts the world's largest building, could soon be home to the world's tallest pair of towers, and according to Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA), we will soon be able to add an airport passenger terminal to the list. The firm has unveiled plans for its Beijing New Airport Terminal Building, which it says will be the world's largest. The project is collaboration between ZHA and airport architecture firm ADP Ingenierie, and is being carried out under the leadership of the Beijing New Airport Headquarters (BNAH). Building will initially accommodate 45 million passengers per year and "will be adaptable and sustainable, operating in many different configurations dependent on varying aircraft and passenger traffic throughout each day," states ZHA. Beyond its predicted capacity of 45 million passengers per year, details on the new terminal building are scant. Gizmag reports that the terminal will "measure 700,000 square meters, and that the entire airport will be completed in 2018, for a total budget of roughly US$13.8 billion," but notes that ZHA is yet to confirm this. The mammoth new star-shaped terminal will include "direct links to local and national rail services including the Gaotie high speed rail," and is planned as "a key hub within Beijing's growing transport network and a catalyst for the region's economic development, including the city of Tianjin and Hebei Province". The New Beijing Terminal Building is being developed so as to alleviate pressure on Beijing's existing Capital Airport. Completed in 2008, the Foster + Partners-designed airport is already one of the largest in the world, but has been operating beyond its capacity.

According to the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) annual report about skyscrapers construction all over the world, 2014 was a record year. The CTBUH has determined that 97 buildings of 200 meters' height or greater were completed around the world in 2014. Nearly half of all high-rise buildings were being built in China. The 11 of these supertalls were 300 meters or higher. The 97 buildings completed in 2014 beat every previous year on record, including the previous record high of 81 completions in 2011. This was the "tallest year ever" by another measure: The sum of heights of all 200-meter-plus buildings completed across the globe in 2014 was 23,333 meters - setting another all-time record and breaking 2011's previous record of 19,852 meters. The number of 200-meter-plus buildings in existence has hit 935, a 352% increase from 2000, when only 266 existed. China completed the most 200-meter-plus buildings (58). This represents 60% of the global 2014 total. According to CTBUH their annual number of skyscrapers will increase related to economic development of China. The Philippines took second place with five completions, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar share position three with four completions, and the United States, Japan, Indonesia and Canada tie for fourth, with three completions each. At 541 meters, One World Trade Center was the tallest building to complete in 2014 and is now the world's third-tallest building. From 97 skyscrapers, built in 2014, 47 are designed for offices. Another 26 are classified as multi-functional center with a hotel, commercial and residential areas. If anything, 2015 promises to be more active than 2014 and indeed, any year previous. We currently project the completion of between 105 and 130 buildings of 200 meters' height or greater, eight to 15 of which will be supertalls, and one of which will be a megatall - Shanghai Tower (632 meters). Founded in 1969, the Council's mission is to disseminate multidisciplinary information on tall buildings and sustainable urban environments, to maximize the international interaction of professionals involved in creating the built environment, and to make the latest knowledge available to professionals in a useful form. Now CTBUH headquarters located in Chicago.

A two-story luxury condo in Manhattan has just become the most expensive apartment ever sold in New York City. A duplex penthouse spanning the top two floors of the One57 condominium tower was sold for $100.5 million, setting a record for the most expensive residential deal ever completed in Manhattan. The apartment, which spans all of the 89th and 90th floors of the 306-meter tower, with almost 1020 square meters, include 6 bedrooms, seven bathrooms, a steam room, a library, and an indoor movie theater. All apartments of this tower have soaring ceilings, rosewood flooring and custom Italian marble baths. Residents of the building also have access to a gaggle of uber luxe amenities, including a gym, a pool and Jacuzzi, a steam room, a library and a screening room. The trophy tower, which is nearly sold out, has attracted local and foreign buyers. Sales at One57 began in 2011 and reached US$ 1 billion in the first six months, including the last record deal. Another duplex at the building, spanning the 75th and 76th floors, is under contract to be sold for more than $90 million to an investment group that includes Bill Ackman. Earlier we reported, that the prime minister of Qatar was ready to plunk down nearly US$ 100 million for the city's most expensive penthouse - an ultra-luxe, two-story pad atop the under-construction One57 condominium. Now, the duplex penthouse owner name wasn't published. And though $100 million may seem like a lot, New York's priciest penthouse will most likely prove to be a savvy investment as more expensive homes continues to go on sale. Already, a tower on 520 Park Avenue has a penthouse on the market for $130 million, and prices are only expected to climb. Previous price record belonged to the Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev, who bought an apartment in New York for US$ 88 million for his student daughter.

The Palazzo di Amore, the nearly eight-year project of real-estate investor Jeff Greene, has listed for US$195 million, making it one of the most expensive residential listings in the country. In Beverly Hills, the 10 hectares compound includes about 4920 square meters of living space, 12 bedrooms and 23 bathrooms across several buildings. A quarter-mile driveway runs past a vineyard before reaching the main home, an over 3250 square meters Mediterranean-style villa. A separate, roughly 1390 square meters entertainment center has a bowling alley, a theater that seats 50 and a dressing room, and a discotheque with a rotating dance floor. Other amenities include a Turkish-style spa and a 39 meters long reflecting pool. Mr. Greene, who made a fortune betting against subprime mortgages, bought the estate out of receivership for US$ 35 million in 2007 from Saudi businessman Mishaal K. Adham and his wife, while it was under construction. Mr. Greene said he bought the estate as an investment property, though he and his wife, Mei Sze Greene, were married there in 2007, with Mike Tyson as the best man. The name "palace of love" is a nod to their nuptials. The couple's main home is in Palm Beach, Fla. Mr. Greene said he always intended to sell the property, but construction wasn't completed "until literally a month ago." "Honestly, I didn't think it was going to be this much work," he said. He estimated he spent US$ 25 million to complete the home, which he said was a shell when he bought it. He said the property has been rented over the years, mostly to Saudi royalty. It was most recently listed for rent in September at US$ 475,000 a month. Mr. Greene spoke fondly of the property, but looking back on the process, he isn't nostalgic. "In hindsight, I never would have done this," he said.