The tallest buildings in the world are discussed in the article. A brief overview of each building is provided. Further, the main features/functions of the tallest buildings in the world are elaborated on in this article.
The list of the world’s tallest buildings by year of construction with photos links to respective Wikipedia entries, as well as links to the specific Wikipedia pages for each record-holding building.
Burj Khalifa
Burj Khalifa is the tallest man-made structure in the world. It was completed in 2009 and stands at a height of 828.2m. The Burj Khalifa has 160 stories, with a total of 57,158 m² of floor space. The tower’s construction began on 21 September 2004, with the exterior completed on 1 October 2009 and interior work finished on 1 January 2010.
The building was designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM) who took over from Adrian Smith as a lead architect because of his death from a heart attack in 2003. The general contractor was Samsung C&T Corporation, which is part of the Samsung Group. There have been several changes to the design, such as the addition of a second tower since construction began. The building is shaped in a “V” shape around an atrium with 2.7 million square feet (260,000 m2) of office space across three buildings; 807, 810, and 812 Fifth Avenue in Manhattan.
Merdeka 118
The Merdeka 118 is a mixed development in the heart of Kuala Lumpur. It’s the tallest building in the country and it will be completed in 2022. The building will have a height of 678.9 meters and will have 88 floors. Merdeka 118 is designed to be a mixed-use building with office space, retail space, hotel rooms, and residential apartments.
The project also includes an observation deck which is at a height of 450 meters and can offer views of Kuala Lumpur from an altitude of over 600 meters. The building is designed by a US-based architecture firm and was developed in partnership with the city of Kuala Lumpur. Construction began in early 2014, with completion scheduled for late 2016. Merdeka 118 has been compared to some of the tallest buildings in Asia, such as Marina 101 and Burj Khalifa, which was completed earlier that year.
Shanghai Tower
The Shanghai Tower is the tallest building in China and the third-tallest in the world. It was completed in 2015 and has a height of 632m. The tower is located in Pudong, Shanghai.
The tower has 128 floors above ground, with a total of 220 floors if you include the basement levels. The lowest level is at ground level, while the highest floor is on the 124th floor. The top of the tower measures 492m above sea level and it’s 632m to the top of the antenna (which is not counted as part of the building height).
The tower was designed by Gensler as well as Arup Group Limited for Shanghai Construction Group Co., Ltd., which owns it. It was designed to be a mixed-use skyscraper that would allow for commercial space on lower floors and luxury apartments on higher floors.
Abraj Al-Bait Clock Tower
The Abraj Al-Bait Clock Tower is a skyscraper in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. It was built to be the world’s largest clock tower.
The building was completed in 2012 by the Saudi Binladin Group, at a height of 601m, and includes an office tower, hotel, and shopping mall. The building stands on the site of the former Makkah Royal Clock Tower, which was destroyed during the Saudi Civil War. The building has a gold-tinted cone, which is topped by a globe made of 627 pieces of glass; the building’s body is shaped like an hourglass, with the two halves connected by two towers that are connected. The exterior walls are covered in marble and limestone.
Ping An International Finance Centre
Ping An International Finance Centre is one of the tallest buildings in Shenzhen. The building is 599.1 meters high and has a total of 115 floors.
The Shenzhen Headquarters of Jiangsu Huatuo Industrial Group is a 599.1 meter tall skyscraper in the Futian District of Shenzhen. It is the tallest building in Shenzhen, China and it was completed on November 16, 2017.
The building has 115 floors, a height of 599.1 meters, and an architectural height of 616.8 meters rising to 719.7 meters at its pinnacle with its top floor measuring 1,088 square meters with a floor area ratio of 59.98 square meters per floor. There are three elevators per side and the building has a total of 3,000 square meters of retail space.
The Shenzhen Headquarters is located at the intersection of Hucheng Road and Dongmen Street on the eastern Dapeng Peninsula in the Futian District of Shenzhen, near Hengshui Garden and nearby to the border with Huizhou City.
Lotte World Tower
Lotte World Tower is the current tallest building in South Korea and is a landmark of Seoul. It has been completed in 2017 and has become a popular tourist attraction with its observatory deck.
Lotte World Tower is the current tallest building in South Korea, it was completed in 2017 and stands 554.5m tall. The tower was built to be a landmark of Seoul, as well as a tourist attraction with its observatory deck which offers views of the city. and its surrounding area. The Tower is a mixed-use development that includes residential, office, and retail space. The top of the tower is 554.5 meters above sea level and contains an observation deck with 360-degree views of Seoul and the surrounding area. It also has a rotating restaurant that can be seen from anywhere in Seoul.
One World Trade Center
One World Trade Center is the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere and the third tallest building in the world. It stands at a height of 541.3 meters (1,776 ft) and has 104 floors.
One World Trade Center was completed on November 3, 2014, and is currently one of the most iconic structures in New York City. The design for One World Trade Center was based on a concept by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM) who were also responsible for designing it. The building has been designed to withstand winds of up to 200 miles per hour and earthquakes with magnitudes up to 9 on the Richter scale. At 1,776 feet (541 m), One World Trade Center is the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere. It has 104 floors that rise to its spire and stands on a base of 17 acres. The complex will contain about 7 million square feet of office space once completed, which will make it the largest structure in New York City. One World Trade Center is owned by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which paid a total cost for construction of $ 3.9 billion, $1.8 billion of which was the cost of building materials, and the rest for salaries, financing costs, and other factors. The total cost for maintenance of One World Trade Center is estimated to be $1.2 billion a year over 30 years, with business leasing in mind.
Guangzhou CTF Finance Centre
The Guangzhou CTF Finance Centre is a 530-meter tall skyscraper in Guangzhou, China. It was completed in 2016 and currently is the second-tallest building in the city.
The CTF Finance Centre was built as a joint venture between China Everbright Group, China Construction Bank, and Ping An Insurance. The building’s construction began on 28th September 2013 with the foundation stone being laid on 1st October 2013. The project was completed in 2016 with an estimated cost of £1 billion. The tower has 77 floors and houses office spaces, a hotel, two helipads, and an observation deck at the top of the tower which offers panoramic views of Guangzhou.
Tianjin CTF Finance Centre
The Tianjin CTF Finance Centre is a 530m high skyscraper that will be completed in 2019. It will be located in the Binhai District of Tianjin, China. The building is currently under construction, and it is expected to be completed by 2020.
The Tianjin CTF Finance Centre will have a height of 530 meters, making it the tallest building in China and the second tallest building in the world. It will also be one of the most expensive buildings ever constructed with an estimated cost of USD 2 billion. The tower is designed by architect Pei Zhu and was delivered to the client in November 2014. It will be built adjacent to the original Tianjin Finance Centre.
China Zun
China Zun is a 527.7-meter skyscraper in Beijing, China. The building was completed in 2018 and the construction took three years to finish. It is the tallest building in China, and it is one of the tallest buildings in the world. The Zun building is located in Beijing’s financial center, the CBD. It is mainly used for office space, and it houses the headquarters of China’s largest bank by total assets, the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China. The building has a height of 527.7 meters which makes it 104 meters taller than the Bell Center in Los Angeles which was previously the tallest building in California. Zun is a mixed-used skyscraper with a total floor area of 1 million square meters. It includes retail, offices, and the Beijing South Road Financial Culture Plaza.
Taipei 101
Taipei 101, a skyscraper located in Taipei, Taiwan, is the tallest building in the world. It was completed in 2004 and stands at 508 meters high. The building has 101 floors and was designed by C.Y. Lee & Partners (Kisho Kurokawa). Taipei 101 is an icon of Taiwan’s prosperity and development. and is an important symbol of the nation. Taipei 101, a skyscraper located in Taipei, Taiwan, is the tallest building in the world. It was completed in 2004 and stands at 508 meters high. The building has 101 floors and was designed by C.Y. Lee & Partners (Kisho Kurokawa). Taipei 101 is an icon of Taiwan’s prosperity and development and is an important symbol of the nation.
Shanghai World Financial Center
Shanghai World Financial Center is the tallest building in China and the second tallest in the world. It was completed in 2008. Shanghai World Financial Center is a supertall skyscraper located in Shanghai, China. It is 492 meters tall, which makes it the 2nd tallest building in China and the 2nd tallest in the world. Shanghai World Financial Center was completed in 2008. The architecture of this building features a glass curtain wall spanning around its entire circumference, with blue lighting on all sides of it at night time. Shanghai World Financial Center and Shanghai Tower are the only two supertall skyscrapers in China.
International Commerce Centre
The International Commerce Centre (ICC) is a 484 meter tall skyscraper in Hong Kong. It was completed in 2010 and is the tallest building in Hong Kong as well as the 9th tallest building in the world.
The ICC was designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates and developed by Sun Hung Kai Properties. It has 118 floors, including three basement levels and two mechanical levels. The building has a gross floor area of 2,270,000 square feet which makes it one of the largest office buildings in the world.
The International Commerce Centre is an iconic skyscraper that stands out on Hong Kong’s skyline with its unique shape and design. The tower has been recognized for its sustainability efforts such as its green roof that collects rainwater for reuse, low-energy lighting system, efficient air conditioning system, and water-saving plumbing fixtures.
Central Park Tower
Central Park Tower is the tallest building in the United States. This skyscraper will be completed in 2021 with a height of 472.4m and will be one of the most prestigious buildings in New York City.
The Central Park Tower is expected to have a strong impact on the skyline of Manhattan, it will be visible from almost every corner of this city. This tower will also change people’s perspectives about New York City as it is currently known for its low-rise buildings and Central Park which occupy a large part of its area. With Central Park now occupying a smaller piece of the city, it will be easier to build new buildings in New York. Apart from these buildings, there is also the One World Trade Center which has been designed as an architectural icon for the new skyline of Manhattan.
Lakhta Center
Lakhta Center is a multi-purpose complex in Saint Petersburg, Russia. It comprises two towers of height 462m and has a total area of 350,000 square meters. The towers are the tallest buildings in Europe.
The Lakhta Center is located on the coast of the Gulf of Finland in Saint Petersburg, Russia and it is one of the tallest buildings in Europe. It was opened on 1 September 2019 with a ceremony attended by Vladimir Putin. The Lakhta Center is being built as a mixed-use development including residential and commercial properties designed by architect Rem Koolhaas. The development also consists of an underground shopping mall and two hotels. It will also provide a new public park with playgrounds, green areas, sports facilities, parking space, and a large ship that can accommodate up to 150 people for events.
Landmark 81
Landmark 81 is the tallest building in Vietnam. It is also the first supertall skyscraper to be completed in Vietnam. The building has an observation deck on the 81st floor, which is one of its most popular attractions.
The construction of Landmark 81 started in 2009 and it took six years to complete. The building was designed by a team of architects from Kohn Pedersen Fox, who was also responsible for designing the One World Trade Center in New York City and Burj Khalifa in Dubai. , United Arab Emirates. It is the world’s second tallest building and has been called a “giant steel exclamation point” by President Barack Obama. The tower was built as a symbol of Dubai’s progress towards becoming a financial center by attracting global corporations and their high-paying employees. It also helped create new development in the downtown area, including 3 more skyscrapers that were completed in 2016, according to the Emporis Skyscraper Award.
Changsha IFS Tower T1
The Changsha IFS Tower T1 is the tallest building in China and one of the tallest buildings in the world. It is 452.12 meters tall and has a height-to-width ratio of 1:6. It was completed in 2018 after 3 years of construction.
The tower has been designed as a mixed-use building with offices, hotels, shops, and apartments on its lower floors. The highest floor will be used for tourism purposes, such as viewing platforms or restaurants. The building will have on the roof, a restaurant and a public garden that will be accessible to the public.
Petronas Tower
The Petronas Tower is a landmark skyscraper located in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur. It was completed in 1998, and it stands 451.9 meters tall.
The tower has 88 Storeys and is the tallest building in Malaysia as well as the tallest twin-tower building in the world. It also was one of the first structures to break the 300-metre mark, and it is currently ranked among the top ten tallest buildings in the world.
Zifeng Tower
The skyscraper called Zifeng Tower 450 meters tall is located in China. A hotel, several restaurants, and a public observatory are among the amenities of the 89-story structure, which was finished in 2010. It also includes retail and office space. The office, hotel, and retail spaces are above grade, and the restaurants and public observatories are positioned at the top of the tower. This functional stepping of the tower has the office, hotel, and retail spaces above grade. Currently the highest structure in Nanjing and Jiangsu province, eleventh tallest in China, and twentieth tallest in the world.
The building was created by the Adrian Smith-led architectural firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. Approximately 18,721 square meters are occupied by the Tower. Its interior houses the Nanjing Greenland InterContinental Hotel.
Suzhou IFS
The Suzhou IFS Tower’s concept is based on a fish, a prosperous emblem that is suited for the highest building in the city. Water has played a significant historical role in Suzhou’s history and identity. Suzhou is known as the Venice of the East and is surrounded by lakes and canals. The building’s curled tail enables the tower, which gently curves to point back toward the lake, to transition from the nearby Jinji Lake and neighboring structures up through the structure.
Suzhou IFS Tower is made up of office space and a hotel in the main tower, luxury serviced apartments in the lower podium annex, and hospitality and event spaces at the top. It can host a variety of programs.
The Exchange 106
A 95-story, 445.5-meter-tall supertall skyscraper, The Exchange 106 Signature Tower is located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The third tallest structure in Malaysia, the fourth tallest structure in Southeast Asia, and the 23rd tallest structure overall. The 397.5-meter-tall building is 445.5 meters tall after adding a 48-meter-tall, 11-story-high lit crown at the top. The tower’s 240,000 square meters of net lettable space.
