According to the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH), China has been a major driver of global skyscraper growth in the past decade. The proliferation of skyscrapers in China reflects the country's increasing ambition and emergence as a major player on the international stage.
Skyscrapers represent not only impressive feats of engineering and construction but also financial strength and the ability to attract inward investment and corporate presence, which in turn drives regional economic development.
So what are the world's most famous tall buildings? Here are four of the tallest:
1. Burj Khalifa
Standard height: 828 meters
Total height: 829.8 meters
Roof height: 585 meters
Number of floors: 163
Observation deck heights: 448m and 555m
Year built: 2010
Uses: Office, hotel, residential, sightseeing, signal transmission
City: Dubai
Formerly known as the Burj Dubai, the Burj Khalifa has been the world's tallest building since its completion in 2009, based on both total and standard height measurements. It has held this title for over a decade and is expected to retain it for at least four more years until it is surpassed by either the Jeddah Tower in Saudi Arabia or the Dubai Creek Harbour Tower in Dubai.
The Burj Khalifa features several observation decks on its 124th, 125th, and 148th floors, which are popular tourist attractions in Dubai. The 148th-floor At The Top SKY observation deck is currently the second tallest in the world after the Shenzhen Ping An Financial Center's 562-meter-high Cloud observation deck.
2. Merdeka 118
Standard height: 679 meters
Roof height: 518 meters
Number of floors: 118
Observation deck height: 485 meters
Year topped out: 2021
Uses: Office, hotel, tourism, residential, shopping center
City: Kuala Lumpur
Merdeka 118 is a 118-story building in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, which will be topped out in November 2021. With a standard height of 679 meters, it will be the world's second tallest building, surpassing the Shanghai Center's height of 632 meters.
However, a significant portion of its height is due to its antennae, and its roof height is only 518 meters, about 70 meters shorter than Shanghai Center's roof height. Merdeka 118 will have an observation deck on the top floor, including the antenna, which will be a great place to enjoy the view of Kuala Lumpur.
3. Royal Mecca Clock Tower
Standard height: 601 meters
Number of floors: 120
Year built: 2012
Uses: Hotel, residential, sightseeing, timekeeping
City: Mecca
4. Tianjin CTF Finance Centre
Standard and roof height: 597 meters (1,959 feet)
Number of floors: 117
Year topped out: 2019
Uses: Office, hotel, residential, tourism
City: Tianjin
The Tianjin CTF Finance Centre is still under construction but was fully topped out in May 2019. With a diamond-shaped structure at the top, it is the fifth tallest building in the world. Although its height is lower than that of some other buildings, it has the tallest concrete core of any building and is the tallest flat-roofed building in the world.
