What most people don’t know is about the world’s most famous climber of buildings is that Alain Robert suffers from vertigo, and he is considered to be 60% disabled after a near-fatal 15m crash in 1982. “I even used to have a fear of heights,” he told UrbanWire on level ground over a cup of coffee at One George building on Mar 26. We were there to chat about his most recent public stunt at the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, as well as to find out why anyone would be willing to risk their life so carelessly.

“I’m not crazy. There is risk in everything in life. You take a plane and there’s a risk of life and death,” he said, trying to convince me that it’s just another challenge to overcome in his heavily French-accented English.

Robert is probably the world’s closest thing to a super-human and kicks Peter Parker’s ass, as this spidey doesn’t need to shoot spider webs for grip. In fact, just by using his bare hands and a pair of good climbing shoes, Robert has made an international reputation for himself over defying gravity to ascend the smooth, vertical exteriors of some of the world’s most famous urban skyscrapers.

In case the name doesn’t ring a bell, the 45-year-old from southern France is noted for being the world’s best solo climber. Among his awards and records, is achieving a world record for the most extreme solo performance, for climbing the world’s second largest river canyon, the gorge of Verdon in France.

After his first climb at 12, he progressed to train by climbing mountains and cliffs and by 1994 he started exploring the virgin territory of climbing urban monuments.

Among more than 70 monuments he has conquered, some of Robert’s most famous escapades include climbing global icons such as the Sydney’s Opera House, Paris’s Eiffel Tower, New York’s Empire State Building, the world’s tallest building, Taipei’s Taipei 101 and the National Bank of Abu Dhabi in the Middle East, which attracted 100,000 spectators.

At first impression, Robert surprised me. Standing at just 5 foot 5, the small-framed man, with shoulder-length, blonde hair, who was dressed in red from head to toe, topped with a red leather jacket, looked more like a rock star than an avid sportsman or adventure seeker.

Referring to his 2nd failed attempt to climb the former world’s tallest skyscraper, in Kuala Lumpur on Mar 20, he said, “I’m a little bit disappointed. It is like unfinished business. I know I could have made it to the top.”

Despite being stopped by firemen and policemen on the 60th floor (the same floor he had been stopped at 10 years ago), Roberts was least concerned with having to go to jail for one night. “It doesn’t bother me. I’ve met presidents and kings and queens before, but I have very shallow conversations with them. But when I talk to the prisoners, we talk about everyday life and that is what I like.” Robert has actually been jailed many times in various countries for criminal trespassing.

On being nicknamed “Spider-Man” by the media, Robert beamed and replied, “I believe that everyone has a gift, a potential to do something in life that is great. It is all about whether they want to find it and develop it.”

Robert is also quite the crowd stirrer. Among many of his fans and supporters who cheer him on as he climbs, there are also some who do not agree with his illegal pursuits. Take for example French Senate president, Christian Poncelet, who was quoted in news.com.au that “There are people who look to distinguish themselves from others, but he can do it elsewhere.”

In response to that, the cool-headed Robert simply commented with a smug smile, “He is just jealous.”

Contrary to what most people think, Robert assured us that he does value his life. “It’s all about calculated risk. At the end of the day, I know that I will be alive.”

In fact, he added, “When you’re up there, it’s like being in a different world. You’re in transit, neither living nor dead. Being up there helps me to appreciate my life. All the problems in life just seem so small and meaningless.”

But if anything should happen? His reply was that he would have, “No regrets.”

*Alain Robert also conducts motivational speeches in hope of inspiring people and has also climbed to raise funds for charity.