The desire to make buildings reach ever-higher skies has existed since humanity first began to construct things. Beginning in the 20th century, skyscrapers began to predominate the landscape of modern cities due to new, innovative building methods. (at least in North America). With the dawn of the twenty-first century, this tendency intensified even further. (especially in Asia). The highest structures in the world today are well over 500 meters (1,700 feet) tall. The world’s tallest structures are ranked in the chart below. Tower structures are also included here, despite technically not being “buildings” in the traditional meaning of the word.
1. Burj Khalifa
The Burj Khalifa is by far the highest structure on earth. The skyscraper was constructed by the United Arab Emirates as a stunning neo-futuristic representation of its oil-based riches. It bears Sheikh Khalifa’s name, the president of the United Arab Emirates who contributed to the building’s co-financing. Only five years later, in 2009, the project was finished after starting in 2004. On its 163 floors, the skyscraper provides a large number of upscale business spaces as well as numerous luxurious apartments. Emaar Properties, the biggest real estate firm in the UAE, is the owner of the Burj Khalifa.
2. Tokyo Skytree
The Tokyo Skytree is the world’s biggest non-building structure. Tobu Railway, a significant Japanese railroad business, built and owns the tower. The tower was constructed by Tobu as the focal point of a sizable business complex. In addition to being an observation tower, it also functions as a broadcasting structure. Such a tower had to be built because the Tokyo Tower, the city’s previous main broadcasting tower, could no longer adequately serve digital terrestrial television due to being surrounded by other high-rise structures. The building has a roughly 3,000-person capacity as an observation platform. The Tokyo Skytree’s construction started in 2008 and was finished in 2012. About $600 million in construction expenses were incurred.
3. Shanghai Tower
The Shanghai Tower has been in the works since the early 1990s. The tower was intended to serve as the ominous emblem of Pudong, Shanghai’s biggest business district and financial center. The skyscraper’s 128 above-ground floors (plus an extra 5 below-ground floors) contain commercial space in addition to a large number of luxurious offices for Chinese and foreign businesses. The world’s fastest lift can take you there. (alongside the one in the Ping An International Finance Centre, see below). The Shanghai Tower building began in 2008 and was completed in 2014. It was the most expensive building ever built in China, with construction expenses totaling about $2.4 billion. A state-owned partnership of numerous Chinese building and real estate firms owns the Shanghai Tower.
4. Abraj Al-Bait
The fourth-tallest building structure in the world can be found in the holiest metropolis in Islam. The Abraj Al-Bait is also the highest clock tower structure in existence. Its clock face is the largest clock face on a building in the entire globe, measuring 46 meters (151 feet) in diameter. The Abraj Al-Bait is also the most expensive building ever constructed, with a total cost of $15 billion over the course of the structure’s seven-year construction. The Abraj Al-Bait is primarily a hotel despite having residential apartments on some of its 120 levels. As a result, it is also the largest hotel in the globe right now. The structure can accommodate up to 100,000 visitors at once, the majority of whom are Muslim pilgrims from around the globe who travel to Mecca for their annual religious observance. The Abraj Al-Bait’s construction was started in 2004 and finished in 2011. The Saudi Binladin Group, the biggest construction firm in the Saudi kingdom, was primarily in charge of the development. But the Saudi government is the sole owner of the structure.
5. Ping An International Finance Center
Shenzhen now has one of the world’s tallest structures and is one of China’s fastest-growing cities. On 115 above-ground floors, the Ping An International Finance Centre provides both commercial and workspace. (and 5 ground ones). The skyscraper houses the fastest lift in the world in addition to Shanghai Tower. The second-tallest skyscraper in China underwent $1.5 billion in construction costs between 2010 and 2017. Ping An Insurance, a significant Chinese insurance, and financial services company, is the building’s owner and namesake. It houses the corporate headquarters of the business.
