The world's highest metropolitan lookout - the top floor of the Shanghai World Financial Center - is expected to be open to the public next year.

The viewing platform is on the center's top floor, 100 levels up, 472 meters above the ground.

Suspended in the air, 55 meters long and eight meters wide, it will be the highest point where people can gaze out over skyscrapers - 25 meters higher than the existing highest sightseeing platform on the CNN tower in Canada.

Details such as the opening date and ticket costs are yet to be decided, said the Shanghai Industrial Tourism Promotion Center. But the attraction is expected to be up and running in the second half of the year.

Construction of the building will be completed in March, a center representative said.

"The center is expected to be on the itinerary of our Industrial Tour next year," said Zhao Limin, an SITPC official. "But as specifics have not been finalized, it will not appear on our coupons in the first half of the year."

(Shanghai Daily December 8, 2007)