When speaking of the tallest buildings in the world, it is important to specify exactly what is being measured. Listers must decide if the building is to be measured from sidewalk level or below, whether or not TV towers or masts are included, and whether an antenna, flagpole, or spire should count. A building differs from a tower in its primary use, being designed for residential, business, manufacturing, or mixed use, whereas a tower is not.
The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, formerly the Joint Committee on Tall Buildings, in conjunction with Emporis Buildings, is the authoritative source for information about the tallest buildings in the world, and their list of the tallest buildings, drawn from an extensive database, is based on the height of the building to the structural or architectural top, which includes spires and pinnacles, but does not include antennas, masts, or flagpoles. Prior to 9/11, the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, New York were ranked fifth - 1,368 ft (417 m) – and sixth – 1,362 ft (415 m) – on the list of the tallest buildings in the world.
Interesting facts:
- The tallest building in the world, Taipei 101, is nearly 200 feet (61 m) taller than the next tallest building.
- Of the top ten tallest buildings, all are either in Asia or the United States.
- Of the top 20 tallest buildings in the world, the most, five, are in China, with four in Hong Kong, three in Chicago, and two each in Taiwan and Kuala Lumpur.
- In the top 100 tallest buildings, the only ones completed prior to 1969 are all in New York City and were completed between 1930 and 1932. They are: the Trump Building, originally called the Bank of Manhattan Trust Building, and the Chrysler Building – 1930; the Empire State Building – 1931; and the American International – 1932.
- In the top 200 tallest buildings in the world there are:
- 25 in New York City
- 17 in Hong Kong
- 13 in Shanghai
- 12 in Chicago.
- 8 in Dubai
- 7 in Singapore
- 6 each in Tokyo, Seoul, Sydney and Houston
- 5 in Kuala Lumpur and Shenzhen, China
- 4 each in Los Angeles and Melbourne and Toronto and Atlanta
| TALLEST BUILDINGS IN THE WORLD | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | Building | City | Height | Floors | Year | Architect |
| 1. | Taipei 101 | Taipei, Taiwan | 1,671 ft (509 m) | 101 | 2004 | C.Y. Lee & Partners |
| 2. | Petronas Tower 1 | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | 1,483 ft (452 m) | 88 | 1998 | Cesar Pelli & Associates Architects, Adamson Associates, RSP Architects Planners & Engineers Private Limited |
| 3. | Petronas Tower 2 | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | 1,483 ft (452 m) | 88 | 1998 | Cesar Pelli & Associates Architects, Adamson Associates, RSP Architects Planners & Engineers Private Limited |
| 4. | Sears Tower | Chicago, IL USA | 1,451 ft (442 m) | 108 | 1974 | Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP |
| 5. | Jin Mao Tower | Shanghai, China | 1,380 ft (421 m) | 88 | 1998 | Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP, The Shanghai Institute of Architectural Design (SIADR), East China Architectural Design & Research Institute Co. Ltd. |
| 6. | Two International Finance Centre | Hong Kong | 1,362 ft (415 m) | 88 | 2003 | Rocco Design Limited, Cesar Pelli & Associates Architects |
| 7. | CITIC Plaza | Guangzhou, China | 1,283 ft (391 m) | 80 | 1997 | DLN Architects & Engineers |
| 8. | Shun Hing Square | Shenzhen, China | 1,260 ft (384 m) | 69 | 1996 | K.Y. Cheung Design Associates |
| 9. | Empire State Building | New York City, NY, USA | 1,250 ft (381 m) | 102 | 1931 | Shreve, Lamb & Harmon Associates |
| 10. | Central Plaza | Hong Kong | 1,227 ft (374 m) | 78 | 1992 | DLN Architects & Engineers |
© Emporis 7/2006
By Mary Elizabeth