Discover the tallest buildings in the world
Over time the cities have been growing. The construction sector had to adapt to the growth of each city, looking for solutions to organize the public space.
If a few decades ago cities grew horizontally, nowadays we can say that they grow vertically. The buildings are getting taller and there is competition between countries to break the already established records. Sporting one of the tallest buildings in the world is more than a manifestation of a country’s power or its capacity for building and innovation, it is an important focus of media and tourist attractiveness.
Read on to find out which are the tallest buildings in the world today:
1. Burj Khalifa – 828m
The Burj Khalifa, located in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, is the skyscraper that retains the title of greatest structure ever built by the human being!
By the time it was built in 2010, this building has broken all records with regard to height. With 828 meters of height, 163 floors and a unique design, it is considered a masterpiece of architecture and construction.
2. Shanghai Tower – 632m
The Shanghai Tower, located in the Chinese city that gives it its name, is an impressive building with 128 floors and 632m high. Its construction was completed in 2015.
Shanghai is the largest city in the People’s Republic of China and one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world with more than 24 million inhabitants. The power of this city is represented in this, which is one of the largest buildings in the world.
3. Makkah Royal Clock Tower – 601m
This imposing building, remind us of the Tower of Sauron from the movie The Lord of the Rings and is the largest clock tower in the world! Located in Mecca, Islam’s holiest city, the tower is next to the world’s largest mosque – with the capacity to house up to 2 million worshipers at one time on the annual pilgrimage to Mecca.
4. Ping An Finance Centre – 599,1m
There is constant competition among Chinese cities to see who can build the tallest building. The Ping An Financial Center, completed in 2017, is one of the tallest buildings in the world and is located in the city of Shenzhen. It resembles, in its architecture, a giant crystal and has a structure reinforced by 8 exterior columns, to better distribute the weight of the structure. This majestic building was built with stainless steel, which is more resistant to the climate of this coastal city, and has 115 floors.
5. Lotte World Tower – 554,5m
With an original and irreverent design – which gives the illusion of being cracked in half – this building is South Korea’s largest tower. Located in the center of Seoul, Lotte World Tower is thought to be a center of activity in the Korean capital, with space for offices, hotels, congress centers and leisure spaces. With 123 floors, it was completed in 2017.
6. One World Trade Center – 541,3m
The skyscrapers are one of the hallmarks of New York City. After the destruction of the twin towers of the World Trade Center on the tragic September 11, the Americans decided, in tribute form, to build an even larger building. Combining triangular shapes, the One World Trade Center has an unusual structure that reflects light from many different angles. It was completed in 2014 and has 94 floors.
7. Guangzhou CTF Finance Centre – 530m
With its 4 levels, the Guangzhou CTF Finance Center looks like a science fiction movie scenario. The building is highly energy-efficient and connected to the city’s transportation system. This building has some interesting features, such as the fact that some parts of the tower were built using terracotta, a material used in Chinese constructions since antiquity. This original building of the city of Guangzhou has 111 floors and was completed in the year 2016.
8. Taipei 101 – 508m
This building, which once boasted the title of the tallest building in the world, was completed in 2004. The block structure of Taipei 101 was inspired by the architecture of pagodas, typical temples of South Asia. A curiosity of this building is its huge pendulum, which is inside the building and helps maintain the balance of the structure when there are strong winds or typhoons. Located in Taiwan, in the city of Taipei, is an impressive building of 101 floors.
9. Shanghai World Financial Center – 492m
The Shanghai World Financial Center is a building with an original architecture, which took a long time to be built. Its original design was modified to be even higher than initially planned, which caused major delays in the construction process. The goal was to build a sturdy and waste-free tower using lighter, more efficient building materials. The large hole at the top of the building helps minimize the impact of high-altitude winds. This marvel of Chinese construction was completed in 2008 and has 101 floors.
10. International Commerce Centre – 484m
The name does not deceive – the International Commerce Center is a construction dedicated mainly to the financial activity. Hong Kong is one of the great financial centers of the world and this tower dominates the landscape of the city, establishing itself as a symbol of this power. Building management makes a lot of efforts to reduce the environmental impact of the building, with a recycling and energy-saving policy.
The environmental concern is increasingly a constant in the construction sector, with the more developed countries setting the example. The International Commerce Center has 108 floors and was completed in 2010.
11. Vincom Landmark 81 – 461,2m
In 2018 Vietnam entered the list of the world’s largest buildings with the Vincom Landmark 81. With a modern and unusual design, in blocks that together form an irregular pyramid, the building represents the growth and development of the capital of Vietnam. Many of the pyramid blocks have roof gardens.
Landscaped roofs, for their many advantages, are an increasingly common option in modern buildings. This impressive building is located in the city of Ho Chi Min and has 81 floors.
12. Changsha IFS Tower T1 – 452,1m
This is a brand new building (completed in 2018), located in Changsha city, China. The project involved the construction of two skyscrapers, T1 being the highest of the two. The lower levels of the building are intended for commerce, intermediate levels for offices and financial centers and superiors for luxury hotels. It has an impressive 94 floors.
13/14. Petronas Twin Towers – 451,9m
The 13th / 14th place of this list is shared by the Petronas twin towers, located in Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia. The two towers were built simultaneously by two different construction companies. The company that finished first built the famous bridge linking the towers. The buildings reflect the Islamic influence in Malaysia and the country’s economic growth. Completed in 1998, the hotel is 88 stories high.
15. Zifeng Tower – 450m
With an original design, this building is located in the city of Nanjing, China. With 66 floors and more than 400 meters high, the Zifeng Tower is a great engineering feat. As it was built in a zone of strong seismic activity, the tower was designed to be super stable and resistant, nevertheless maintaining its unique design. This 66-story building was completed in 2010.
