Kingkey Finance Tower - Shenzhen

Country China

Floors 97

Height(m) 439

Height(ft) 1430

Builder
Architect Terry Farrell and Partners

Date Built 2010

Concept No

Complete No

Description

The Kingkey Finance Tower is a skyscraper under construction in Shenzhen, China. The mixed-use building is set to rise 439 metres (1,440 ft) and contain 97 floors for office space and a hotel. Out of those 97 floors, 68 contain Class A office space, 22 stories for a six-star business hotel and the top four floors of the skyscraper holds a Garden and several restaurants

Lotte Super Tower - Seoul

Country South Korea

Floors 112

Height(m) 555

Height(ft) 1821

Builder Lotte Group

Architect Skidmore, Owings and Merrill

Developer Lotte Group

Concept No

Complete No

Description

The Lotte Super Tower is a skyscraper ready to start construction in Seoul, South Korea. The skyscraper will be 555 metres, 1,821 feet tall and have 112 floors. The building is designed by the Chicago, USA-based architectural firm of Skidmore, Owings and Merrill. Once completed, the Lotte Super Tower will be the second highest building on the Korean peninsula and the fourth highest building in the world

Shard London Bridge - London

Country England

Floors 66

Height(m) 310

Height(ft) 1016

Builder
Architect Renzo Piano

Date Built 2010

Concept No

Complete No

Description

Shard London Bridge— also known as London Bridge Tower and the Shard of Glass — is a supertall skyscraper planned for construction in London. If completed this building will be the tallest building in Europe.
Piano, the project's architect, has compared his design to "a shard of glass" - he considers the slender, spire-like form of the tower a positive addition to the London skyline and believes that its presence will be far more delicate than opponents of the scheme allege. He proposes a sophisticated use of glazing, with expressive facades of angled panes intended to reflect light and the changing patterns of the sky, so that the form of the building will change according to the weather and seasons.

Al Hamra tower - Kuwait

Country Kuwait

Floors 77

Height(m) 412

Height(ft) 1352


Description

The Al Hamra tower upon completion will cover 22,000 square metres and reach 412 metres in height, making it the tallest building in Kuwait. It will overtake the nearby Liberation Tower, the current tallest building which stands at an altitude of 372 metres.
Moreover, Suhail added that the size of the tower would equal the combined size of the five biggest office towers in Kuwait.
Al Hamra Tower will also be the tallest ’sculptured’ tower in the world as well as the tallest stone-clad skyscraper.
Regarding the tower’s design, whereas almost all skyscrapers are symmetrical over their main axis. Al-Hamra Tower has two tilting walls, one on each side, moving up in the air more than 50 metres away from their original location to almost 350 metres in height.

DAMAC Heights - Dubai

Country UAE

Floors 90

Height(m) 460

Height(ft) 1509

Builder DAMAC Properties Co. LLC

Architect Aedas

Developer DAMAC Properties Co. LLC

Date Built 2008

Concept No

Description

DAMAC Ocean Heights DAMAC Properties Co. LLC Ocean Heights, located in Dubai Marina, is a 310-meter residential tower. The project was the recipient of the Bentley 2006 “Best Architecture” award. The design evolved to maximize views toward the ocean with a deliberate twist on three of its faces. This allows the units, even in the back, a view toward the water beyond. The 82 storey tower is planned for completion in 2008. The building immediately starts its twist of its three faces at the base. As it rises, the tower’s floor plates reduce in size, allowing the rotation to become even more pronounced. At fifty stories, the building rises over its neighbors. This movement allows two faces of the building, unobstructed views to the ocean. The tower breaks away from the orthogonal grid and re-orients the project toward one of Dubai’s Palm Islands to the north. A challenging aspects of the design was accommodating the client’s strict requirement of unit layouts within a changing envelope. What resulted was a rational 4-meter module, which tracks its way down through the entire building and only changes at the facade. This also considerably simplified the structural system of the project.

International Commerce Centre - Union Square - Hong Kong

Country China

Floors 118

Height(m) 484

Height(ft) 1588

Builder
Architect Kohn Pedersen Fox

Developer
Date Built 2010

Concept No

Complete No

Description

International Commerce Centre is a 118 story, 484 m (1,588 ft.) skyscraper under construction in West Kowloon, Hong Kong; as part of the Union Square project built on top of Kowloon Station. The development is owned and jointly developed by MTR Corporation Limited and Sun Hung Kai Properties (SHKP); Hong Kong's metro operator and largest property developer respectively. Its formal development name is Union Square Phase 7; and the name International Commerce Centre was officially announced in 2005. Upon completion by 2010, the skyscraper will become Hong Kong's tallest building and will have the fourth highest roof in the world, after the Burj Dubai complex, Chicago Spire, and Shanghai World Financial Center. SHKP, together with another major Hong Kong developer, Henderson Land, also co-developed the current record holder for Hong Kong's tallest building, 2 IFC; located directly across Victoria Harbour in Central, Hong Kong Island. The height has been scaled back from earlier plans due to regulations that didn't allow buildings to be taller than the surrounding mountains. The original proposal for this building was called Kowloon Station Phase 7 and it was supposed to be 102 floors and 574 m (1,883 feet) tall. However, the roof is still set to reach 484 m (1,588 feet), taller than the roof of the proposed Freedom Tower in New York, though shorter than the roofs of the Burj Dubai, Chicago Spire, and the Shanghai World Financial Center. It will tower 60 m (197 feet) over the current tallest in Hong Kong, 2 IFC. The tower was designed by the American architectural firm Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates (KPF) in association with Wong & Ouyang (HK) Ltd. A five-star hotel operated by Ritz-Carlton will occupy the top 15 floors of the tower. The hotel's lobby is at 425 meters (1,394 feet) above the ground, becoming the highest hotel in the world when completed, surpassing the Grand Hyatt Hotel in the Jin Mao Tower in Pudong, Shanghai. At its basement is the Elements shopping mall, which has already been opened in October 2007. Potential tenants in discussion to move to ICC include Morgan Stanley, Credit Suisse, and Hooters. A viewing deck on the 100th floor will be opened to the public when the building opens.

Millennium Tower World Business Center - Busan

Country South Korea

Floors 106

Height(m) 560

Height(ft) 1837

Builder Arup

Architect Asymptote

Developer Arup

Description

The Millennium Tower World Business Center is an approved supertall skyscraper which The Solomon Group, a private Korean developer, intends to move forward with Asymptote’s design for a 560m tall tower, which upon completion will be the tallest building in Asia. Asymptote’s three-towered design for the World Business Center Busan is a newly minted approach where the notion of singularity and autonomy gives way to a strong juxtaposition of form and voids. Simultaneously a single entity, the towers are also read as three distinct forms set against Busan’s dramatic natural backdrop of sea and mountains. The base of the tower artfully negotiates the site at the entrance level while from the top of the midsection the three slender towers rise above the skylobby level and gracefully taper upwards around a spectacular central void. Through its formal and sculptural qualities this unique architectural expression is a powerful symbol of 21st century Busan and a beacon for it’s trajectory into the future and onto the global stage.

Burj Al Alam - Dubai

Country United Arab Emirates

Floors 108

Height(m) 510

Height(ft) 1673

Builder Fortune Group

Architect Nikken Sekkei Ltd

Developer Fortune Group

Date Built 2010

Description

The Burj Al Alam ('World Tower' in English) is a 108 story, 510 m hyperboloid skyscraper under construction in the Business Bay area of Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It is designed to resemble a crystal flower. It is to become one of the world's tallest buildings. The tower is being built by the Fortune Group which also has a number of other projects in Dubai such as the Fortune Bay and Fortune Tower.
It will contain 74 floors of office space, a retail area at the base, and a high-end hotel and serviced apartments in the top 27 floors. The hotel section is to contain the highest hotel rooms in the world. The building will also feature a 6-storey crown that will contain a Turkish bath, sky garden, and other club facilities. Ground breaking occurred on 12 November 2006. The structure is expected to be completed in 2010.

Some Facts

The tower tapers as it rises before splaying out with six filaments which resemble the opening of a flower's petals; set within is a multi-faceted glazed area which resembles a hexagonal diamond. - The tower includes a roof-top spa. - Burj Al Alam will incorporate 74 floors of high specification office space. Office floor space will vary from 3,243 square metres to 1,537 square metres. - The tower will include a luxury 5-star hotel with 200 hotel suites, 104 hotel apartments and gym & pool. - The tower features a 6 storey crown that includes a sky garden, Turkish bath, club facilities and helipad. - The total built-up area of the development covers 4 million square feet.

Sears Tower - Chicago

Country USA

Floors 110

Height(m) 442

Height(ft) 1450

Builder
Architect Skidmore, Owings and Merrill

Developer
Date Built 1974

Concept No

Complete Yes

Description

Designers and Builders :

Vital Statistics :

The Sears Tower which is considered as one of the finest locations for business in Chicago,is a multi-tenant office building with more than 100 different companies doing business there, including major law firms, insurance companies and financial services firms. It has a rentable floor area of 418,064 sq. m (353,961 sq. m) and a total of 104 elevators which includes 16 double-decker elevators.

Earthquyake Safety :

Special Design Features :

The design for the Sears Tower incorporates nine steel-unit square tubes in a 3 tube by 3 tube arrangement, with each tube having the footprint of 75 feet by 75 feet. The design allows future growth of extra height to the tower if wanted or needed.

Observation Decks :

The Sears Tower Skydeck observation deck on the 103rd floor of the tower is 412 m (1,353 ft)

Bank of China Tower - Hong Kong

Country China

Floors 70

Height(m) 369

Height(ft) 1209

Developer
Date Built 1989

Concept No

Complete Yes

DescriptionVital Statistics :

Earthquyake Safety :

Special Design Features :

The structural expressionism adopted in the design of this building resembles growing bamboo shoots, symbolising livelihood and prosperity. The whole structure is supported by the five steel columns at the corners of the building, with the triangular frameworks transferring the weight of the structure onto these five columns.

Observation Decks :

A small observation deck on the 43rd floor of the building is open to the public; visits to the main observation deck on the 70th floor

Empire State Building - New York

Country USA

Floors 102

Height(m) 381

Height(ft) 1250

Developer
Date Built 1931

Concept No

Complete Yes

Description

Designers and Builders:Shreve, Lamb and

Harmon Vital Statistics: The Empire State Building is a 102-story Art Deco skyscraper in New York, NY. It stood as the world's tallest building for more than forty years, from its completion in 1931 until the construction of the World Trade Center North Tower in 1972, and is now once again the tallest building in New York after the destruction of the World Trade Center in the September 11, 2001 attacks. The Empire State Building rises to 381 m (1,250 feet) at the 102nd floor, and its full structural height (including broadcast antenna) reaches 443 m (1,453 ft and 8 9/16th in). The building has 85 stories of commercial and office space (200,465 m²/ 2,158,000 sq. ft.) The building weighs approximately 330,000 Mg (370,000 tons).

Shanghai World Financial Center - Shanghai

Country China
Floors 101
Height(m) 492
Height(ft) 1614
Builder
Architect Kohn Pedersen Fox
Developer
Date Built 2008
Concept No
Complete Yes

Description

The Shanghai World Financial Center is a supertall skyscraper under construction in Shanghai, China. It is a mixed use skyscraper which will consist of office spaces, hotel rooms, conference rooms, observation decks and shops on the ground floors. The hotel component will open with 175 rooms and suites in mid-2008 as the Park Hyatt Shanghai. On September 14, 2007 the skyscraper was topped out[1] at 492 metres (1,614 ft) and became the tallest structure on the Chinese mainland, as well as the world's second tallest skyscraper (not counting buildings that have not topped out). The most distinctive feature in the design of the building is an aperture at the peak. The aperture originally was meant to be a circular moon gate, but the intended design began facing protests from Chinese, including the mayor of Shanghai, who considered it too similar to the rising sun design of the Japanese flag. Pedersen then suggested that a bridge be placed at the bottom of the aperture to make it less circular.[2] On 18 October 2005, KPF submitted an alternative design to Mori Building and a trapezoidal hole replaced the circle at the top of the tower, which in addition to changing the controversial design, will also be cheaper and easier to implement according to the architects.[3] An observation deck on the 100th floor is also now part of the final design. The skyscraper's roof height has been set at 492 m (1,614 feet), and when completed in early 2008 is expected to temporarily have the highest roof in the world. Before construction resumed on the roof, tower height was scheduled to be 510m so the building would hold the title of the worlds tallest building (structural top) over the Taipei 101, but a height limit was imposed, allowing the roof to reach a maximum height of 492m. Architect William Pedersen and developer Minoru Mori have resisted suggestions to add a spire that would surpass that of Taipei 101 and perhaps the Freedom Tower, calling the Shanghai WFC a "broad-shouldered building". Even so, its roof height will be the third highest in the world after the Burj Dubai complex and Chicago Spire. Upon completion the SWFC will boast a gross floor area of more than 377,300m² and feature 31 elevators and 33 escalators.

Taipei 101 - Taipei

Country Taiwan

Floors 101

Height(m) 508

Height(ft) 1667

Date Built 2004

Concept No

Complete Yes

Description

Designers and Builders:

C.Y. Lee and Partner, Architects, and Turner International Industries, Inc., project and construction management

Vital Statistics:

With a massive 60-foot spire inspired by Twaiwan's native bamboo plant, Taipei 101 Tower is one of the tallest buildings in the world. At 508 meters (1,667 feet) high, the tower and its spire outrank the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Taipei Tower has 198,347 m2 (2,336,000 sq. ft.) of office space, 77,033 m2 (796,000 sq. ft.) of retail space, and 83,000 m2 (893,000 sq. ft.) of parking space for more than 1,800 vehicles.

Earthquake Safety:

Designing a building this large presented unique challenges because Twaiwan is subject to typhoons and earthquakes. To counter movement, a tuned mass damper system has been incorporated into the structure. The 800-metric ton (1,764,000 lbs.), spherical steel mass is located on level 88 and will be visible from the restaurant and observation decks. The system transfers the energy from the building to the swinging sphere, providing a stabilizing force.

Special Design Features:

The design of Taipei 101 borrows heavily from Chinese culture. Both the building’s interior and exterior incorporate the Chinese pagoda form and the shape of bamboo flowers. The lucky number eight, which means blooming or success, is represented by the eight clearly delineated exterior sections of the building.

Observation Decks:

Located on floors 89 and 91, the observation decks include the highest restaurant in Taiwan. Two high-speed elevators reach a maximum speed of 1,010 meters/minute (55 ft./second) when traveling to the 89th floor.

John Hancock Center - Chicago

Country USA

Floors 100

Height(m) 344

Height(ft) 1127

Date Built 1969

Concept No

Complete Yes

Description

Vital Statistics :

The building with a floor area of 260,126 m² is home to offices and restaurants, as well as about 700 condominiums and contains the highest residences in the world. The 44th-floor skylobby features America's highest indoor swimming pool. The elliptical-shaped plaza outside the building serves as a public oasis with seasonal plantings and a 370 cm (12 ft) waterfall.

Special Design Features :

One of the most famous buildings of the structural expressionist style, the skyscraper's distinctive X-bracing exterior is actually a hint that the structure's skin is indeed part of its 'tubular system'. This idea is one of the architectural techniques the building used to climb to record heights (the tubular system is essentially the spine that helps the building stand upright during wind and earthquake loads). This X-bracing allows for both higher performance from tall structures and the ability to open up the inside floorplan (and usable floor space) if the architect desires. A preponderance of original features, such as the skin, has made the John Hancock Center an architectural icon.

Earthquyake Safety :The tubular system is essentially the spine that helps the building stand upright during wind and earthquakes.

Observation Decks :The Hancock Center's observation facilities compete with the Sears Tower's Skydeck across town.The Hancock Center 94th floor observation deck displays exhibits about the city of Chicago. Maps explain the view in each direction and a special meshed-in area allows the visitors to feel the winds 314 m (1,030 ft) above ground level.

Makkah Clock Royal Tower Hotel - Makkah

Country Saudi Arabia

Floors 76

Height(m) 577

Height(ft) 1893

Builder Kingdom Holdings

Architect
Developer Kingdom Holdings

Description

The Makkah Clock Royal Tower hotel will have 76 storeys be 577 metres high, and will feature a 40-metre clock that be more than five times larger than Big Ben. The hotel, which is scheduled to open in September, will be the focal point of the Abraj Al Bait complex, part of the King Abdul Aziz Endowment Project. Fairmont Hotels will manage the new hotel. The project should be complete by the end of 2008.
The Royal Clock will announce daily prayers to the Muslim world and the Lunar Observation Center and Islamic Museum will serve to protect the heritage for future generations.

Petronas Tower 2 - Kuala Lumpur

Country Malaysia

Floors 88

Height(m) 452

Height(ft) 1483

Builder
Architect César Pelli

Developer
Date Built 1998

Concept No

Complete Yes

Description

Designers and Builders :Samsung Constructions and Kukdong Engineering & Construction (both South Korean companies) Vital Statistics :Due to a lack of steel and the huge cost of importing steel, the towers were constructed on a cheaper radical design of super high strength reinforced concrete together with a steel and glass facade. Buildings were built on the world's deepest foundations. The 120-meter foundations were built by Bachy Soletanche, and required massive amounts of concrete. Supported by 23-by-23-metre concrete cores and an outer ring of widely-spaced super columns, the towers use a sophisticated structural system that accommodates its slender profile and provides from 1300 to 2000 square metres of column-free office space per floor. The towers feature a skybridge (constructed by Kukdong Engineering & Construction) between the two towers on 41st and 42nd floors. The bridge is 170 m high and 58 m long. The advanced elevator system of the towers have a total of 78 elevators and all main elevators are double-decker with the lower deck of the elevator taking you to odd numbered floors and upper deck taking you to the even numbered floors. Below the twin towers is Suria KLCC, a popular shopping mall, and Dewan Filharmonik Petronas, the home of the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra. Outside the building is a park with jogging and walking paths, a fountain with incorporated light show, wading pools, and a children's playground.

Earthquyake Safety :

Special Design Features :Building is designed to resemble motifs found in Islamic art, a reflection of Malaysia's Muslim religion.

Burj al Arab Hotel - Dubai

Country UAE

Floors 60

Height(m) 321

Height(ft) 1053

Date Built 1999

Concept No

Complete Yes

Description

Vital Statistics :

The Burj al-Arab is a luxury hotel which is the tallest building in the world used exclusively as a hotel. It stands on an artificial island 280 metres (919 ft) out from Jumeirah beach, and is connected to the mainland by a private curving bridge. It is an iconic structure, designed to symbolize Dubai's urban transformation and to mimic the shape of the sail of an Arabian boat dhow. The hotel boasts 8,000 square meters of 22-carat gold leaf and 24,000 square meters of 30 different types of marble and it features the tallest atrium lobby in the world, at 180 meters (590 feet). One of its restaurants, Al Muntaha (Arabic meaning "Highest" or "Ultimate"), is located 200 meters above the Persian Gulf, offering a view of Dubai.Another restaurant, the Al Mahara (Arabic "The Oyster"), which is accessed via a simulated submarine voyage, features a large sea water aquarium, holding roughly 35,000 cubic feet (over one million liters) of water. The building contains over 70,000 cubic meters of concrete and 9,000 tons of steel.

Special Design Features :It was built to resemble the sail of a dhow, a type of Arabian vessel. Two "wings" spread in a V to form a vast "mast", while the space between them is enclosed in a massive atrium. While the exterior of the Burj al Arab is expressed in terms of ultra-modern sculptural design, the interior guest space is a compilation of lavish and luxurious architectural styles from both the east and the west.

Two International Finance Center - Hong Kong

Country China

Floors 88

Height(m) 412

Height(ft) 1352

Builder
Architect César Pelli

Developer
Date Built 2003

Concept No

Complete Yes

Description

Designers and Builders :

Vital Statistics :

This is a prominent landmark on Hong Kong Island and it consists of two skyscrapers, One International Finance Centre is 210 m tall, has 38 storeys and four trading floors, 18 high speed passenger lifts in 4 zones, and comprises 784,000 square feet (72,850 m²). The building currently accommodates approximately 5,000 people. Two International Finance Centre is 415m tall, has 88 storeys and designed to accomodate financial firms equipped with advanced telecommunications and nearly column free floor plans. The building expects to accomodate up to 15,000 people. Through its location, array of big-name retailers, and transport connections, it also aims to attract visitors to the ifc mall, which features a number of top fashion, health & skin care, jewellery and accessory shops, restaurants, and a cinema.

Jin Mao Building - Shanghai

Country China

Floors 88

Height(m) 421

Height(ft) 1381

Builder Architect Skidmore, Owings and Merrill Developer

Date Built 1999

Concept No

Complete Yes

Description

Earthquake Safety : The building employs an advanced structural engineering system which fortifies it against typhoon winds of up to 200 km/h (with the top swaying by a maximum of 75cm) and earthquakes of up to 7 on the Richter scale. The steel shafts have shear joints that act as shock absorbers to cushion the lateral forces imposed by winds and quakes, and the swimming pool on the 57th floor is said to act as a passive damper.

Special Design Features :Its postmodern form, whose complexity rises as it ascends, draws on traditional Chinese architecture such as the tiered pagoda, gently stepping back to create a rhythmic pattern as it rises. Like the Petronas Towers in Malaysia, the building's proportions revolve around the number 8, associated with prosperity in Chinese culture. The 88 floors (93 if the spire floors are counted) are divided into 16 segments, each of which is 1/8th shorter than the 16-story base. The tower is built around an octagon-shaped concrete shear wall core surrounded by 8 exterior composite supercolumns and 8 exterior steel columns. Three sets of 8 two-story high outrigger trusses connect the columns to the core at six of the floors to provide additional support. Observation Decks: The 88th floor houses the Skywalk, a 1,520m² indoor observation deck with a capacity of 1,000+ people