Building is a relatively permanent enclosed construction over a plot of land, having a roof and usually windows and often more than one level, used for any of a wide variety of activities, as living, entertaining, or manufacturing. This is an art or business of assembling materials into a structure. Buildings come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and functions, and have been adapted throughout history for a wide number of factors, from building materials available, to weather conditions, land prices, ground conditions, specific uses, and aesthetic reasons. Tall building is anything that ‘breaks the existing skyline and/or is significantly taller than the surrounding built form’. Here is the list of Tallest 10 Buildings in the world
1.Burj Khalifa
Burj Khalifa is the Tallest building in the world. Dubai is recognised as a home to Burj Khalifa and other megastructures. The Burj Khalifa has broken so many world records standing at 828m (2,716.5 ft.) above ground. It has the highest number of stories in the world (over 163), which includes the world’s highest outdoor observation deck and the highest occupied floor in the world. The elevators operating in the tower are the tallest service elevators in the world running at the longest travel distance. It is the highest outdoor observation deck in the world, has the elevator with longest travel distance in the world. The Burj Khalifa is crowned as one of the most elite and highly coveted residential places in the world. It is the tallest free standing structure in the world. It is the highest occupied floor in the world. It is the second highest swimming pool in the world (76th floor). Totally 54 working elevators traveling 40 miles per hour. The cost of the Burj Khalifa is USD $1.5 billion.
Burj Khalifa was designed by Adrian Smith and the architecture firm of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill in collaboration with Samsung C&T Corporation. It is also a top tourist attraction in Dubai. Burj Khalifa is one of the best spots to watch sunsets in Dubai. This towering skyscraper lies in the heart of Downtown, a district commonly referred to as the ‘Centre of Now‘. People flock here from around the globe to witness the exciting celebrations, fountain shows and fireworks. The concept behind the development by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum was to build on Dubai’s ever-growing status as a popular tourist destination, with this skyscraper adding to that vision. It’s three times as tall as the Eiffel Tower and nearly twice as tall as the Empire State Building. Burj Khalifa and Downtown Dubai itself are developed by Emaar Properties. Excavation beginning on 6th January 2004, the tower was completed and opened to the public on 4th January 2010. It was inspired by the spider lily flower. As a first precaution, the tower was built in a Y-shape to make it more stable.
2.Shanghai Tower
Shanghai Tower is located in Shanghai, China. It surpassed the second tallest building in the world. 632-metre high Shanghai Tower, designed by Gensler. The Shanghai Tower is a masterful piece of civil and environmental engineering. It is one of the world’s most impressive architectural marvels. The project started in November 2008 and Opened to the public in 2016. It’s cost is around £1.5 billion. The Chinese government has described this building as ‘a symbol of a nation. We were given rare access to this new addition to the building just before completion in the company of Gensler’s managing principal, Daniel Winey and Xia Jun, Shanghai Tower’s design leader and a star in the Chinese architectural firmament. Shanghai Tower is designed to embrace and stimulate the life of the city. Yet, instead of parks spread horizontally across the city, the tower provides gathering spaces stacked vertically. Within 127 stories, Shanghai Tower houses Class A office space, entertainment venues, retail, a conference center, a luxury hotel, and cultural amenity spaces. By emphasizing public space and locating shops, restaurants and urban amenities at the atrium levels, Shanghai Tower provides a new experience for living and working in super tall towers. It has the tallest and fastest lifts travelling at 40mph to almost the full height of the tower: that’s 580 metres in 32 seconds.
The ground floor becomes an ‘open market’ linked to the subway network. The glass has been designed to minimize reflected light, so that people inside can see out over Shanghai. With car parking below ground, the first five stories above ground comprise the commercial retail podium. The building is separated into nine zones, each separated by public sky lobbies. These 12 or 15 storey-height voids are formed within the twisting space between the external glazing and the structural core. The floors of these lobbies extend out to the curtain wall and therefore close each volume off from the one above and below. Each sky lobby is landscaped with a mixture of semi mature trees and local varieties of shrubs in planters. With these sky gardens acting like Trombe walls, there is no requirement for heating or mechanical ventilation in these airy spaces. The building is designed to withstand an earthquake of up to 7.5 on the Richter scale with the help of the world’s largest tuned mass damper. Other energy-saving devices are there in this LEED Gold building range from geothermal heat sources to gas-fired co-generation. While most of the tower’s energy will be provided by conventional generating systems, a bank of 270 wind turbines at the top of the tower should create around 350,000 kWh per year. It is sited adjacent to the neighboring Jin Mao Tower.
3.Makkah Royal Clock Tower
Makkah Royal Clock Tower is located near Masjid al Haram in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. The Makkah Royal Clock Tower Hotel is a 120-storey structure is a mixed residential and hotel complex. It is both the tallest hotel and the tallest clock tower in the world. It is also the fifth-tallest freestanding structure in the world. Royal clock is one of the ten tallest skyscrapers in the world. The measurement of 43m*43m clock tower is the world’s largest clock face. The building complex is metres away from the world’s largest mosque and Islam’s most sacred site, the Great Mosque of Mecca. It was developed as part of the King Abdulaziz Endowment Project, which aimed to modernize the city to offer world-class accommodations for the increasing number of visitors and residents of the Holy City of Makkah. Makkah Royal Clock Tower project was developed by Saudi Binladin Group. Construction of the complex was started in 2004 and finished in 2012. This structure spreads over seven towers erected above podiums. The tallest tower adorned with the Makkah Royal Clock stands 601m-high above ground. The Makkah Royal Clock Tower site is spread over 23ha south of the Masjid al Haram. It has a built-up area of 2.8 million square metres (21.5 million square feet).
The seven towers of the building rest on a 15-storey and 115m-high podium, which houses a grand retail area. The tower housing the Makkah Royal Clock Tower Hotel is located in the middle of the building structure. Six towers Hajar, ZamZam, Maqam, Qibla and Marwah are situated to the sides of the clock tower. The Makkah Royal Clock Tower Hotel is a 120-storey structure. A 23m-high crescent made of fibreglass-backed mosaic gold is mounted at the top of the tower. It has Islamic Museum, a Lunar Observation Centre and a large prayer room with a capacity for more than 10,000 people. Makkah Royal Clock Tower complex houses residential towers for permanent residents, a five-star hotels and Resorts for accommodating the Hajj pilgrims, and the Abraj Al Bait shopping mall. The podium has 79 elevators and 111 extra heavy-duty Transvario escalators. The tower features 94 elevators and 16 extra heavy-duty Transvario escalators. The adjacent towers have 12 elevators including two helipad elevators and six extra heavy-duty Transvario escalators. It offers parking space for more than 1,000 vehicles. Makkah Royal Clock Tower complex, also known as the Abraj Al-Bait Towers. The total cost of construction is US$15 billion.
4.Ping An Finance Center
Ping An Finance Center is 599meters supertall skyscraper in Shenzhen, Guangdong, China. Ping An Finance Centre is now Shenzhen’s tallest building, also securing status as the second tallest in China and the fourth tallest in the world. It also broke the record of having the highest observation deck in a building at 562 m (1,844 ft). Ping An literally means Safe and Well. Ping An Insurance Company of China, which is one of the world’s biggest investment companies. The building is owned by Ping An Insurance and the group occupies a large amount of space in the building. Most office floors are used for the offices of Ping An Insurance company. Some office floors are leased out to tenants. 20 floors are occupied by hotels. From 116th to 118th floors, an observatory is occupied. The gross floor area of the tower is 378,600 square meters. The architectural design of Ping An Finance Center was completed by New York based architectural firm Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates.
The structural engineering for the tower was done by Thornton Tomasetti, which is another firm based in New York City, Thornton Tomasetti has provided structural design for numerous skyscrapers throughout the world. The shape of the tower is that of a taught steel cable, outstretched by the sky and the ground at once. The form is emphasized by eight composite super-columns that extrude beyond the building envelope. This design is not only visually appealing, but also practical. The streamlined shape of the tower improves both structural and wind performance. The tower is adorned by total of 1,700 tons of 316L stainless steel. The city prominently within the Pearl River Delta’s high-speed rail corridor that increases access to the region’s rapidly densifying cities. The construction of Ping An Finance Center officially completed on March 28, 2017. It is estimated the construction cost $1.5 billion. It has become one of the most popular tourist attractions in the city.
5.Lotte World Tower
Lotte World Tower is a supertall skyscraper is located in Shinchon-Dong, Songpa-Ku, Seoul, South Korea. The tower is built in close proximity of the Lotte World Park and near the bank of Han River. Lotte World Tower is designed by American architecture firm Kohn Pedersen Fox. Lotte World Tower stands 555 meters tall. It is currently the tallest building in South Korea Tower doesn’t contain spire, but the uppermost part is composed of parapet. The highest occupied floor is 497 meters. Lotte World Tower ranks 5th in the world. The tower has 123 floors above ground and 6 floors below ground. Tower contains a wide variety of spaces for different functions, including retail stores, offices, a luxury hotel, observation decks and an “officetel”. Officetels is the hybrid of offices and hotels, they are commonly found in Korea, offering accommodations for people who work in the building and feature services typically only found in hotels, such as furnishings, front deck services, and gym access. Tower 10-storey shopping mall, known as Lotte World Mall.
The design of various interior program spaces of the tower is inspired by the traditional Korea arts, including Korean ceramics and calligraphy, and is integrated with modern aesthetics.
The exterior of the tower is comprised of light-toned silver glass, and accented by a filigree of white painted metal.
Lotte World Tower is designed being able to resist an earthquake of 9 on the Richter scale and winds up to 80 m/s. The construction of Lotte World Tower was contracted by Lotte Engineering & Construction, another subsidiary of Lotte Group themselves. The construction began in March 2011 and opened to public on April 3, 2017. Visitors will access the observation deck through the high speed elevators, ascending with a speed of 20 m/s, it is claimed to be the fastest elevators in the world. Other names of the tower are Lotte Jamsil Super Tower, and Lotte World Premium Tower. The top 10 floors of the tower are remained for observation decks and some other entertainment facilities like rooftop bar. Title was previously held by Ryugyong Hotel in North Korea before 2017. Annual tower visitors are 1300 million.
6.One World Trade Center
One World Trade Center is the main building of the rebuilt World Trade Center complex in Lower Manhattan, New York City. One World Trade Center was built in remembrance of the victims of the terrorist attack that happened on September 11, 2001. It is a reminder of the lives that were lost and hope for the future. One World Trade Center has become an architectural and emotional force. It’s the tallest building in the United States. It is also the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere. One World Trade Center is the sixth-tallest in the world. The building has a cubic base and its edges form eight isosceles triangles. Near its middle, the tower forms a perfect octagon. The building’s architect is David Childs, whose firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) also designed the Burj Khalifa and the Willis Tower. The construction of below-ground utility relocations, footings, and foundations for the new building began on April 27, 2006. One World Trade Center became the tallest structure in New York City on April 30, 2012. On May 10, 2013, the final component of the skyscraper’s spire was installed, making the building, including its spire. It, stands at 1,776 feet, a direct reference to the year the Declaration of Independence was signed.
World Trade Center One contains more than 40,000 metric tons of structural steel and it has 103 floors. The tower’s observation deck was specifically constructed with the memory of the Twin Towers in mind. The deck itself begins at 1,362 feet, and a glass parapet extends to 1,368 feet – the exact height of the South and North Towers. 1WTC’s unique construction elements are its high-strength concrete, which can withstand seven times more pressure than standard concrete, and its reinforcement steel bars, which are significantly longer than normal. It generates power internally. One World Trade Center contains a total of 71 elevators. They can travel as fast as 23 miles per hour. It was built from recycled construction debris and materials. These are the tallest skyscrapers in the world. The building opened on November 3, 2014; the One World Observatory opened on May 29, 2015. The building has 94 stories, with the top floor numbered 104. One World Trade Center is also called as WTC or Freedom Tower. The new World Trade Center complex will eventually include five high-rise office buildings built along Greenwich Street, as well as the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, located just south of One World Trade Center where the original Twin Towers stood.
7.Guangzhou CTF Finance Centre
The Guangzhou Chow Tai Fook Finance Centre is a 530-metre (1,739 ft) tall mixed-use skyscraper in Guangzhou, Guangdong, China, which was completed in October 2016. It is the seventh-tallest in the world, the tallest building in Guangzhou and the third-tallest in China, and It is the fastest assembled skyscraper of the supertall variety in history. There are 95 elevators. It has the world’s fastest elevators (72 kph). The Guangzhou CTF Finance Centre has a total of 111 above ground and five below ground floors and houses a shopping mall, offices, apartments, and a hotel. The development has 66 office floors, 23 serviced apartment floors, 11 hotel floors, a ballroom and meeting rooms. It has three-storey car park providing approximately 1,700 parking spaces. The skyscraper has a gross floor area of 507,681.0 m2 (5,464,633 sq ft). The complex was designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox. It is also called Dongta (East Tower). The other tower is called West Tower.
The new CTF stands out as one of two supertall towers in Tianhe in downtown Guangzhou. The other tower is the Guangzhou IFC Tower that is about 200 meters away. With the Canton Tower, the three towers dominate the Tianhe area. The project adopts utility district cooling system (DCS) instead of self -generate cooling chiller plant for the heat, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) system for podium retails and offices. As the project is designed to the standard of LEED certification and China Green Building Label. It is environmentally superior than the buildings without this certification incentive in terms of more energy efficient, lower water usage and better indoor comfort. It is also meant to be stronger and earthquake resistant. Guangzhou is one of China’s biggest cities, and it has become one of China’s great business and shopping cities. It is one of the most visitor highlights. The top floors contain an observation deck and hotel.
8.Tianjin CTF Finance Centre
Tianjin CTF Finance Center is a super-tall skyscraper in Tianjin, China. Tianjin CTF Finance Center is fourth tallest in Asia and third tallest in China. This tower is the second tallest building in Tianjin after Goldin Finance 117, eighth tallest building in the world. 530 meter tall skyscraper contain house offices, 300 service apartments, 350 room hotel and a five star. It consists of 97-storey towers, 5-storey podium and 4-storey basement. The detail-designed and intricate building façade is one of the most significant components contributing to the upcoming icon of the district. Construction started in 2013 and was completed in 2019. The tower will be a striking new landmark in the Tianjin Economic Technological Development Area (TEDA), existed outside Tianjin. Tianjin CTF Finance Center is designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP in collaboration with Ronald Lu & Partners. The building commonly designed as the softly curving glass skin integrates eight sloping mega-columns that follow a lyrical line connecting the centers and corners of all four elevations.
These curving mega-columns increase the structure’s response to seismic concerns and are integral to both the gravity and lateral systems. By stacking reducing floor plates, the tower tapers dramatically to minimize the surface area exposed to wind, sun, and moisture. The gently-undulating curves of the facade subtly denote the integration of the three distinct programs within a singular smooth object. Square in plan with rounded corners, the floor plate geometry enables unique interior fit-outs and customization options for occupants. In the design effect, in the daytime, the building will refract the sunlight to show various colors, and at night, the top of the inclined tower glows like a diamond. The new plan is rocket-shaped and dominated by arcs; the crown is like a cicada’s wings. The 389,980-square-meter project has been designed to LEED Gold standards.
9.CITIC Tower
CITIC Tower is a supertall skyscraper in the Central Business District of Beijing. It is the tallest skyscraper in Beijing, the fourth-highest in China and number eight worldwide. CITIC Tower is Northern China’s third tallest building in Tianjin. It is popularly known as China Zun. The groundbreaking ceremony of the building took place in Beijing on September 19, 2011. The 109-storey, 528 m (1,732 ft) building is the tallest in the city. It was completed in late 2018. The nickname China Zun comes from the zun, an ancient Chinese wine vessel which inspired the building design, according to the developers, the CITIC Group. Designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates(KPF). It is a mixed-use building, featuring 60 floors of office space, 20 floors of luxury apartments and 20 floors of hotel with 300 rooms. Rooftop garden is also there at top floor at 524 m (1,719 ft) high.
Top three floors of the building will be administered by the National Security authorities after rectification. CITIC Tower is also the headquarters of another development partner, Kerry Group. The tower was conceived as an equilateral triangular block with landscaped sky gardens at various levels. The architecture was designed by P&T Group. Its unique design is composed of equilateral triangles and circles. The interior canopy features bespoke aluminum ribbing that follows its curvature and echoes the tower’s elegant façade expression. The tower also connects to a vast underground transportation network, linking together a pedestrian passageway system, a B2-level roadway, and four subway lines. It includes 5 of the 11 tallest structures in the world, imagined for the CITIC Tower, a vase-like form, varying from 78-meter-wide at the base to 54-meter-wide at the center and finishing up with 69-meter-wide at the top. The building puts in place a square plan with rounded corners.
10.TAIPEI 101
The Taipei 101 formerly known as the Taipei World Financial Center. It is an extremely tall skyscraper designed by C.Y. Lee and C.P. Wang in Xinyi, Taipei, Taiwan. Construction of Taipei 101 began in 1999. This tower contains offices and restaurants as well as both indoor and outdoor observatories. The public observatories are on floors 88 to 91. The tower is adjoined by a multilevel shopping mall. Taipei 101 is owned by Taipei Financial Center Corporation. The skyscraper opened on 31 December 2004 to celebrate New Year’s Eve. In 1997, led by developer Harace Lin, the Taipei Financial Center Corporation, a team of several Taiwan banks and insurance companies, won the rights to lease the site for 70 years. They developed a building for the Build Operate Transfer agreement with the city government. It is the First tallest building in Taiwan, Seventh tallest in Asia and tenth tallest building in the world. Taipei reaches a height, including the spire, of 1,667 feet (508 metres).
The largest section of the building, between the base and the spire, consists of eight modules, or groupings, of eight stories each. The building also expresses its distinctively Chinese character in its resemblance to a stalk of bamboo or an elongated pagoda. 16 steel columns in the core and 8 steel “super columns” at the perimeter are filled with concrete up to floor 62. The damper is a steel weight of 660 metric tons (728 short tons), suspended between the 92nd and 87th floors at the building’s centre. Its elevators, capable of traveling 60.6 km/h (37.7 mph) and used to transport passengers from the 5th to the 89th floor in 37 seconds. In 2011 Taipei 101 received a Platinum rating under the LEED certification system to become the tallest and largest green building in the world. Taipei 101’s postmodernist architectural style evokes traditional Asian aesthetics in a modern structure employing industrial materials. Its design incorporates a number of features that enable the structure to withstand the Pacific Ring of Fire’s earthquakes and the region’s tropical storms.
