The Burj Khalifa in Dubai, Lotte World Tower in Saudi Arabia, and Shanghai Tower in China are just a few of the structures that have held the title of the tallest building in the world throughout the history of architecture.
However, the struggle to maintain that position is not as easy because everyday building companies are constructing even more daring skyscrapers that are simply gorgeous and breathtaking!
So, which buildings have made it to the top ten, let’s find out.
These are the ten tallest buildings in the world.
Burj Khalifa
The Burj Khalifa in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, is the highest skyscraper ever recorded, rising to an astonishing 2,717 feet in the air. Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill (SOM), a Chicago-based architectural firm, created the structure.
It is twice as tall as the Empire State Building, which was previously the tallest structure in the world from 1930 to 1933, a period of fewer than 100 years.
The enormous tower has 163 floors and offers dining options, residences, executive offices, and the largest lift shaft in the world for the bold.
Merdeka 118
Merdeka 118, the second-tallest structure in the world and the tallest structure in South East Asia is the almost-finished. It is 2,220 feet tall and provides a view of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Once it is open, guests will be able to ascend to the top of the structure.
The building is expected to open in the middle to end of 2023. It was designed by Australian architect Fender Katsalidis and local architectural firm RSP Architects Sdn Bhd.
Merkeda, which translates to “Independence Day” in Malaysian, will have a total of 118 floors.
Shanghai Tower
With a height of 2,073 feet, Shanghai Tower, located in Shanghai, China, is currently the third-tallest structure in the entire world. The spectacular building was finally finished in 2015, but it nearly took 20 years to build due to funding challenges that sprang up along the way.
It was designed by the American architectural company Gensler, which for the skyscraper in 2016 received the Architectural Design of the Year Award. One of the fastest lifts in the world, travelling at 20.5 meters per second, whisks guests to the top of the tower’s astonishing 128 stories.
Abraj Al-Bait Clock Tower
The Abraj Al-Bait Clock Tower is located in the centre of Saudi Arabia’s Mecca. After six years of building, it was created by the Lebanese architectural group Dar Al-Handasah and finished in 2012.
At a magnificent 1,972 feet tall, this structure will, as of 2023, rank as the fourth-tallest structure in the entire globe.
The Abraj Al-Bait building’s floor area is larger than that of any other man-made structure, and its 43-meter-diameter clock face holds the record for the largest clock face in the world.
Ping An International Finance Centre
With a height of 1,966 feet, the Ping An International Finance Centre is the second-tallest structure in China, the tallest structure in Shenzhen, and the fifth-tallest structure in the world.
The stunning infrastructure of the skyscraper was constructed by the New York architectural firm Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates, and its glass and stainless steel structure was created by Thornton Tomasetti.
Lotte World Tower
In Seoul’s densely crowded Songpa District sits the sixth-highest building in the world, which also happens to be the tallest building in South Korea. The 1,819-foot-tall, 123-story Lotte World Tower has 123 floors.
Again, one of the most renowned architectural firms in the world, Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates, with its headquarters in New York City, created the stunning tower.
The Lotte World Tower is a mixed-use building with the Lotte Hotel on floors 76 to 101 and residences on floors 42 to 71. The remaining floors are primarily utilized for offices.
One World Trade Center
The centrepiece of the World Trade Centre complex in Manhattan, New York, is the One World Trade Centre, popularly known as the Freedom Tower.
With a height of 1,776 feet, it is the tallest structure in the Western Hemisphere. It was created by David Childs and Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM).
The One World Trade Centre offers a 60-second journey from the first floor to the 102nd story thanks to its 71 Tianjin CTF Finance Centre elevators, each of which has a top speed of 23 miles per hour.
Guangzhou CTF Finance Centre
China is home to the stunning Guangzhou West Tower, which is 1,739 feet tall and contains 111 floors of offices, condos, hotels, and conference rooms.
The building, which was built in 2010, holds the distinction of being the third-tallest structure in China and the eighth-tallest structure in the entire globe.
A feature of the skyscraper is its observation deck, which is located on the 111th level and is only marginally lower than the Burj Khalifa’s deck, the highest observation deck in the world.
Tianjin CTF Finance Centre
The impressive landmark Tianjin CTF Finance Centre is situated on the 8th highest structure in the world, measuring 1,739 feet in height, and it shares space with Guangzhou CTF Finance Centre.
The 97-floor tower contains several A-class offices, elegant serviced apartments, and a five-star Rosewood hotel. The building is Tianjin’s second-tallest structure after Goldin Finance 117.
The carefully planned building is made of curved glass that incorporates sloping mega-columns and significantly improves the structure’s responsiveness to seismic issues.
China Zun
Skyscraper CITIC Tower in Beijing is commonly referred to as China Zun. Arup, a well-known international architectural firm, served as the structural engineer for the construction of this famous structure.
Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates (KPF), a company with several iconic designs under its belt, is the company responsible for the tower’s design.
Beijing’s Central Business District is home to the 1,731-foot-tall structure, which has 109 stories on the main level and eight more below.
The structure’s three types of floors are a hotel with 300 rooms, 20 luxury apartments, and about 60 office floors.
Conclusion
The fascination for skyscrapers around the world is increasing. We may see a lot of them in the years to come, some of which might even top the list of tallest structures in the world.
For now, these are the tallest buildings on the planet that have managed to maintain their positions. Merdeka 118, is the newest entrant to the list of the world’s tallest buildings even if it’s still incomplete.
This building and the rest of them on the list continue to be some of the world’s most breathtaking architectural designs!
