Once Gilbert K. Chesterton, an English poet said “All architecture is great, architecture after sunset perhaps architecture is really a nocturnal art, like the art of fireworks”. And today we live in a planet filled with giant concrete structures that have emerged from the realms of human imagination. Giant building structures have rose to be crowned “the tallest” during their times. But, the new generation of architecture always have paved their path to the top.
Here are the World’s Top 10 Tallest buildings structures ever designed and constructed by the Homo Sapiens.
1. Burj Khalifa – Dubai, United Arab Emirates
The tallest building to be made in the human history. It is indeed an architectural marvel in the history of mankind. Also known as the Khalifa Tower was officially opened on 4 January 2010, named after .It is an integral part of the map plan of downtown Dubai of an area of 490 acres. Built under the architect Bill Baker and designed by the construction firm Skidmore, Owings and Merrill. It includes 30,000 apartments (both residential and studio), nine hotels , 3 hectares (spanning 7.4 acres) of parkland, 19 residential towers, the Dubai Mall, and the 30-acre man-made Burj Khalifa Lake. It scales at the height of 829.8 m to the tip with 163 floors. The Burj Khalifa extends to a floor space of 3,331,100 square feet in area. It is estimated to be built at a cost of 1.5 billion USD. It has attempted achieving a vast numbers of records .The Burj Khalifa was basically designed in the Islamic architecture and has a spiralling structure. Cox Gomyl, an Australian firm, has designed the state-of-the-art air conditioning system and other necessary amenities.
It also has an observatory At the Top, equipped with supreme technology like augmented reality. It has also been a main spot of attraction since its construction and has been featured in various movies and videos.
2. Aabraj Al Bait – Mecca, Saudi Arabia
The Abraj Al Bait Towers or the Mecca Clock Royal Tower is situated in the Mecca, Saudi Arabia. It was constructed as a part of King Abul Aziz Endowment Project for City planning. It holds records for being the world’s tallest clock tower and world’s largest clock face. The developer of this tower is Saudi Bin Laden Group .This complex was built after demolition of Ajyad Fortress sparking an international outcry against the government. It also had the record of largest floor space of 16,150,000 sq ft. Fairmont Hotels, a five-star hotel is located on the tallest tower, to provide lodging for the millions of pilgrims who travel to Mecca for Hajj. It has a 20 storey shopping mall and two heliports. Standing at the height of 601 meters with 120 floors, second to the Burj Khalifa. It was designed by a German architect Mahmud Bodo Rasch. The building was constructed at a whopping estimated cost of 15 billion USD.
3. The Taipei 101 – Taipei, Taiwan
This third largest skyscraper formerly known as the Taipei World Financial Center. The building ranked officially as the world’s tallest from 2004 until the opening of the Burj Khalifa in Dubai in 2010. The construction was finished in 2004. Taipei 101 comprises 101 floors above ground and 5 floors underground. The building was architecturally created as a symbol of the evolution of technology. The Tower has been designed in such a way so that it can withstand heavy lashes of rain and strong winds. Taipei 101 is the first building in the world to break the half-kilometre mark in height. The Taipei 101 is built at an estimated cost of 8 billion USD. The Taipei 101 spans at 509 meter in height and 2,081,000 square feet in area. The Taipei 101 houses a private VIP club named Summit 101.It has both indoor and outdoor observatory and Taipei 101 mall, office zone, It is also the part of fireworks display worldwide during the New Year’s Eve every year since its construction.
4. Shanghai Financial Center – Shanghai, China
The Superfall skyscraper is located in the Pudong district of Shanghai, China. It had the Kohn Pederson Fox Associates as its designer and Japanese Mori building company as its developer. It consists of offices, hotels, conference rooms, observation decks, and ground-floor shopping malls. The Mori Group increased the buildings height to 492 meters and 101 stories from the initial plans for a 460-meter, 94 story building. It has Park Hyatt Shanghai is the tower’s hotel component, comprising 174 rooms and suites. The observation bridge atop the building is the highest outdoor observation deck in the world. This tower was inaugurated on August 28, 2008. On 14 September 2007, the skyscraper was recorded to reach at 492.0 meters. The building has been designed and constantly been reinforced to withstand strong winds and heavy rains and also earthquakes.
5. International Commerce Center – Hong Kong, China
A Hong Kong skyscraper with a 118 storeys completed in the year 2010 and situated in West Kowloon, Hong Kong. It is also notably the tallest building in Hong Kong. The Tower was developed by Sun Hung Kai Properties (Hong Kong’s Largest Developer) and designed by Kohn Pederson fox Associates. The tower inaugurated in 2011, with the phases of the tower opening gradually. The tower has being a home for a five star hotel, Ritz-Carlton and world’s highest pool and bar OZONE. Three Five star restro bars are situated on the 102th floor. It has a floor area of 2,950,000 square feet.
6. The Petronas Towers – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
The Twin Towers of South East, designed by Cesar Pelli with a post modern architectural style. These Towers stand high at an height of 451 meters with 93 storeys with a spacious floor area of 4,252,000 sq ft. Occupied with various companies, Tower 1 is occupied by Petronas and its sister companies and the Tower 2 to various other MNC’s. It also has been a home to a sky bridge, a retail market and a park. The tower’s Sky Bridge has been one of the greatest attractions for tourist from all over the world.
7. Nanjing Greenland Financial Center – Nanjing, China
Also christened as “The Zifeng tower” with 66 storeys and standing at a height of 450 meters. The design is triangular as it was meant to provide a full view of the surroundings. The building is encircled with two “dancing dragons” as in Chinese iconography designed by architect J. Eduardo Segundo Hernandez. The tower houses an office space, a 500-room intercontinental hotel, and retail spaces.
8. Willis Tower – Chicago, USA
One of the most impressive office spaces in Chicago, at 108 storeys at a height of 442 meters. This building was previously referred to as The Sears Tower. Constructed in 1974, it surpassed the Twin Tower World Trade Center by 25 meters. The most common attraction of this building is the observation deck on the top of the building that has attracted crowds yearly. With an International architecture, this building had Fazlur Khan and Bruce Graham as its architects.
9. Trump International Hotel & Tower – Chicago, USA
Also named as the TRUMP TOWER, is a skyscraper hotel in the downtown Chicago built at a cost of 847 million USD. This building was constructed by the Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, with 93 storeys and scales a height of 423 meters. Named after the famous real estate developer Donald Trump. It is a house to a five star hotel, restaurants and spas.
10. Jin Mao Tower – Shanghai, China
The 10th tallest skyscraper in the world with 93 storeys scaling a height of 420.5 meters situated in Shanghai. The building’s name literally means “Gold Luxuriance tower”. Constructed and designed in the Chinese architecture in 1999 by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. It has the tiered design of a pagoda built at an estimated cost of 530 million USD. Designed to accommodate offices, shopping centres, and a hotel. It houses the Shanghai Grand Hyatt.
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