List of tallest buildings and structures

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The under construction Burj Dubai in Dubai, United Arab Emirates is the world's current tallest freestanding structure on land, rising Template:M to ft. When completed, it is planned to rise over Template:M to ft.

While determining the world's tallest structure has generally been straightforward, the definition of the world's tallest building or the world's tallest tower is less clear. The disputes generally center on what should be counted as a building or a tower, and what is being measured.

In terms of absolute height, the tallest structures are currently the dozens of radio and television broadcasting towers which measure over 600 meters (about 2,000 feet) in height. There is, however, some debate about:

  • whether structures under construction should be included in the list
  • whether structures rising out of water should have their below-water height included.

For towers, there is debate over:

  • whether guy-wire-supported structures should be counted

For buildings, there is debate over:

  • whether communication towers with observation galleries should be considered habitable buildings.
  • whether only habitable height is considered.
  • whether roof-top antennas should be considered towards height of buildings; with particular interest in whether components that look like spires can be either classified as antennas or architectural detail.

These debates will likely lose some relevance in 2009, as the Burj Dubai, a building currently under construction in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, is planned to exceed all other existing above-ground structures in height, including guyed TV towers.

Tallest structures

KVLY-TV mast

The tallest standing structure is the KVLY-TV mast 30 miles (48 km) north of Fargo, North Dakota United States, at Template:M to ft. It is a transmission antenna, consisting of a bare metal structure supported by guy-wires.

Transmission antennas of this type are not usually included with the world's tallest buildings because they are not self-supporting. The issue is further complicated if all manmade habitable structures are considered. Under that criterion it is possible to claim 'tallest structure' records for deep mine-shafts, or the Mohole drilling rig, which can be several miles (8-10 km) in vertical length.

The CN Tower in Toronto, Ontario was the world's tallest freestanding structure on land from 1975 until the Burj Dubai surpassed it in 2007, rising Template:M to ft. It is currently the world's tallest completed freestanding structure on land.

The CN Tower in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, standing at Template:M to ft, was the world's tallest freestanding structure on land from 1976 until September 12, 2007, when it was overtaken in height by the under construction Burj Dubai.[1] It has the world's highest public observation deck at Template:M to ft. It remains the world's tallest completed freestanding structure, pending the Burj Dubai's completion (projected for late 2008).

The Petronius Platform stands Template:M to ft, leading some to claim it as the tallest freestanding structure in the world. However, as this oil and natural gas platform is partially supported by wires, critics argue that it is not freestanding, and the below-water height should not be counted, in the same manner as underground 'height' is not taken into account in buildings.

The Troll A platform is Template:M to ft, without any part of that height being supported by wires.

Taipei 101 in Taipei, Taiwan is currently the world's tallest inhabited building in three out the four main categories that are commonly measured: at Template:M to ft as measured to its architectural height as well as roof height Template:M to ft and highest occupied floor Template:M to ft. The Sears Tower is highest in the last category: the highest current height to the top of antenna of any building in the world at Template:M to ft.

However, the Burj Dubai, which is scheduled for completion in 2008 or 2009, will break most existing records, being taller than any building in all four categories by a wide margin. The CN Tower will maintain its record of the world's highest observation deck as Burj Dubai's deck will be at Template:M to ft.[2] While the final height has not been released to the public, the developers state that the building will be at least Template:M to ft. The 'Symbol of Dubai', will have more than 160 floors, 56 elevators, apartments, shops, swimming pools, spas, corporate suites, and will be Template:M to ft tall. With the spire included, the final height will be more than 817 metres (2,680 ft) , but Emaar, the developer, is keeping structural details secret due to competition for the "world's tallest" with other proposed buildings, including the nearby Al Burj.[3] As of 27 December 2007, the tower's developers reported the Burj Dubai's height to be 598.5 m (1,964 ft), with 158 completed floors,[4] surpassing Taipei 101 as the tallest high-rise building in the world.[5] On September 14, 2007, the Burj Dubai became the world's tallest freestanding structure when it reached 555.3m (1821.85 ft) in height and 150 stories. The Burj Dubai was only two metres taller than the previous tallest freestanding structure, the CN Tower in Toronto, which held the record since 1976. Burj Dubai is also set to surpass the KVLY/KTHI television mast in Blanchard, North Dakota, which is the tallest structure on earth at 628.8 m (2,063 ft).

Tallest structure by category

Due to the disagreements over how to measure and classify structures, engineers have created various definitions for categories of buildings and other structures. One measure includes the absolute height of a building, another includes only spires and other permanent architectural features, but not antennas. The tradition of including the spire on top of a building and not including the antenna dates back to the rivalry between the Chrysler Building and 40 Wall Street. A modern-day example is that the antenna on top of the Sears tower are not considered part of its architectural height, while the spires on top of the Petronas towers are counted.

Category Structure Country City Height (m) Height (ft)
TV Mast KVLY-TV mast  United States Blanchard, N.D. 628.8 2,063
Skyscraper (under construction) - all categories Burj Dubai  United Arab Emirates Dubai 598.5 1,964[4]
Concrete Tower CN Tower  Canada Toronto, Ontario 553.3 1,815
Skyscraper (completed only) - to top of antenna Sears Tower  United States Chicago 527.3 1,730
Skyscraper (completed only) - to top of spire Taipei 101 Taiwan Taiwan Taipei 509.2 1,671
Twin Towers Petronas Twin Towers  Malaysia Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 452 1,482
Skyscraper (completed only) - to building roof Taipei 101 Taiwan Taiwan Taipei 449.2 1,474
Skyscraper (completed only) - to highest occupied floor Taipei 101 Taiwan Taiwan Taipei 439.2 1,441
Chimney GRES-2 Power Station  Kazakhstan Ekibastusz 419.7 1,377
Lattice tower Kiev TV Tower  Ukraine Kiev 385 1,263
Partially guyed tower Gerbrandy Tower  Netherlands IJsselstein 366.8 1,203
Electricity Pylon Yangtze River Crossing  People's Republic of China Jiangyin 346.5 1,137
Bridge pillar Millau Viaduct  France Millau 342 1,122
Iron Tower Eiffel Tower  France Paris 324 1,063
Five-sided building JPMorgan Chase Tower  United States Houston 305 1,002
Dam Nurek Dam  Tajikistan Nurek 300 984[6]
Concrete dam Grande Dixence Dam  Switzerland Val d'Hérens 285 935
Micro Wave Tower Sentech Tower  South Africa Johannesburg 234 768
Minaret Hassan II Mosque  Morocco Casablanca 210 689
Wind turbine Fuhrländer Wind Turbine Laasow  Germany Laasow, Brandenburg 205 673
Cooling Tower Niederaussem Power Station  Germany Niederaussem 200 656
Monument Gateway Arch  United States St. Louis, Missouri 192 630
90° twisted building Turning Torso  Sweden Malmö 190 623
Inclined structure,
Stadium
Montreal Olympic Stadium  Canada Montreal, Quebec 175 574
Masonry tower San Jacinto Monument  United States La Porte, Texas 174 570
Church Building Chicago Temple Building  United States Chicago 173 568
Obelisk Washington Monument  United States Washington, D.C. 169.3 555.5
Masonry building Mole Antonelliana  Italy Torino 167 548
Philadelphia City Hall  United States Philadelphia 167 548
Observation wheel Singapore Flyer  Singapore Singapore 165 541.3
Church tower Ulm Cathedral  Germany Ulm 161 528
Industrial hall Vehicle Assembly Building  United States Kennedy Space Center 160 525
Memorial cross Santa Cruz del Valle de los Caídos  Spain El Escorial 152.4 500
Tomb Great Pyramid of Giza  Egypt Giza, Cairo 138.8
originally 146.6
455.2
480.9
Air traffic control tower Suvarnabhumi Airport control tower  Thailand Bangkok, Thailand 132.2 433.7
Roller coaster Kingda Ka  United States Jackson, New Jersey 138.98 456
Flagpole, free-standing Aqaba Flagpole  Jordan Aqaba 132 430
Equilateral Pentagon Baltimore World Trade Center  United States Baltimore 123.5 405
Statue (including pedestal) Ushiku Daibutsu Bronze Buddha Statue  Japan Ushiku 120 416
Storage silo Henninger Turm  Germany Frankfurt 120 394
Sculpture Spire of Dublin  Ireland Dublin 120 393
Light advertisement Bayer Cross Leverkusen  Germany Leverkusen 118 387
Wooden structure Gliwice Radio Tower  Poland Gliwice 118 387
Aerial tramway support tower Pillar of third section of Gletscherbahn Kaprun  Austria Kaprun 113.6 373
Clock Tower Joseph Chamberlain Memorial Clock Tower  United Kingdom Birmingham 100 328
Pre-modern Chinese pagoda Liaodi Pagoda  People's Republic of China Ding County, Hebei 84 275
Lantern Tower Boston Stump  United Kingdom Boston, Lincolnshire 83.05 272
Statue (not including pedestal) Mamayev Kurgan  Russia Volgograd 82 269
Brick minaret Qutub Minar  India Delhi 72.5 237.8
Monolithic obelisk Tuthmosis II Obelisk  Italy San Giovanni in Laterano 36 118.1

Tallest destroyed structures by category, not surpassed by existing structures

There are some destroyed architectural structures which were taller than the tallest existing structure of their type.

Category Structure Country City Height (m) Height (ft) Remarks
Supported structure Warsaw Radio Mast  Poland Gąbin 646.38 2,121 completed in 1974, collapsed on August 8, 1991
Wooden structure Mühlacker Wood Radio Tower  Germany Mühlacker 190 623 completed in 1934, destroyed on April 6, 1945 by Germans to prevent usage by the Allies of World War II.
Masonry building Mole Antonelliana  Italy Torino 167.5 549.5 spire destroyed by hurricane in 1953
Pre-Industrial Era building Lincoln Cathedral  United Kingdom Lincoln 160 524 completed in 1311, spire blown off in 1549

Tallest building by function

Category Structure Country City Architectural top
m ft
Mixed Use* Burj Dubai**  United Arab Emirates Dubai 598.5 (of est. 818) 1,964 (of est. 2,684)
Office Taipei 101 Taiwan Taiwan Taipei 509 1,671
Mixed Use* (completed only) John Hancock Center  United States Chicago 344 1,127
Residential Q1  Australia Gold Coast, Queensland 322.5 1,059
Hotel Rose Tower***  United Arab Emirates Dubai 333 1,093
Hotel (completed only) Burj Al Arab  United Arab Emirates Dubai 321 1,053
Educational Moscow State University  Russia Moscow 240 787
Hospital Guy's Hospital  United Kingdom London, England 143 468
Library W. E. B. DuBois Library  United States Amherst, Massachusetts 116 381
Cinema Cineworld, Renfrew Street  United Kingdom Glasgow, Scotland 61.8 203

* Mixed Use is defined as having both residential and office space.

** As Burj Dubai is still under construction and not yet inhabitable, it currently does not serve a specific function. Upon completion, it will serve as a mixed use building.

*** Although the Rose Tower is complete, it is not currently inhabited. Once the building's hotel opens in April 2008, the tower will become the world's tallest building used exclusively as a hotel.

Tallest buildings

Comparison of top skyscrapers with measurements to top of antenna
Current skyscrapers compared with notable under construction skyscrapers

Up until 1998 the tallest building status was essentially uncontested. Counting buildings as structures with floors throughout, and with antenna masts excluded, the Sears Tower in Chicago was considered the tallest. When the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia were built, controversy arose because the spire extended nine meters higher than the roof of the Sears Tower. Excluding the spire, the Petronas Towers are not taller than the Sears Tower. At their convention in Chicago, the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) reduced the Sears Tower from world's tallest and pronounced it not second tallest, but third, and pronounced Petronas as world's tallest. This action caused a considerable amount of controversy, so CTBUH defined four categories in which the world's tallest building can be measured:

  1. Height to the structural or architectural top (including spires and pinnacles, but not antennas, masts or flagpoles)
  2. Height to the highest occupied floor
  3. Height to the top of the roof
  4. Height to the top of antenna

The height is measured from the pavement level of the main entrance. At the time, the Sears Tower held first place in the second and third categories. Petronas held the first category, and the original World Trade Towers held the fourth. Within months, however, a new antenna mast was placed on the Sears Tower, giving it hold of the fourth category. On April 20, 2004, the Taipei 101 in Taipei, Taiwan, was completed. Its completion gave it the world record for the first three categories. On July 212007 it was announced that the Burj Dubai had surpassed Taipei 101 in height, reaching 512 m (1,680 feet) tall. However Burj Dubai is still under construction.

Today, Taipei 101 leads in the first category with 509 m (1,671 feet); in the second category with an occupied floor at 439 m (1,441 feet); and in the third category with 449 m (1,474 feet). The first category was formerly held by the Petronas Twin Towers with 452 m (1,483 feet), and before that by Sears Tower with 442 m (1,451 feet). The second and third categories were held by the Sears Tower, with 412 m (1,351 feet) and 442 m (1,451 feet) respectively.

The Sears Tower still leads in the fourth category with 527 m (1,729 feet), previously held by the World Trade Center until the extension of the Chicago tower's western broadcast antenna in 2000, over a year prior to the Trade Center's destruction in 2001. Its antenna mast included, 1 World Trade Center measured 526 m (1,727 feet). The World Trade Center became the world's tallest buildings to be destroyed or demolished; indeed, its site entered the record books twice on September 11, 2001, in that category, replacing the Singer Building, which once stood a block from the WTC site.[citation needed]

The Ostankino Tower and the CN Tower are excluded from these categories because they are not "habitable buildings", which are defined as frame structures made with floors and walls throughout.

History of record holders in each CTBUH category

Date (Event) Architectural top Highest occupied floor Rooftop Antenna
2003: Taipei 101 completed Taipei 101 Taipei 101 Taipei 101 Sears Tower
2000: Sears Tower antenna extension Petronas Towers Sears Tower Sears Tower Sears Tower
1998: Petronas Towers completed Petronas Towers Sears Tower Sears Tower World Trade Center
1996: CTBUH defines categories Sears Tower Sears Tower Sears Tower World Trade Center

World's tallest freestanding structure on land

Freestanding structures include observation towers, monuments and other structures not generally considered to be "buildings", but excludes supported structures such as guyed masts and ocean drilling platforms. (See also history of tallest skyscrapers.)

The world's tallest freestanding structure on land is defined as the tallest self-supporting man-made structure that stands above ground. This definition is different from that of world's tallest building or world's tallest structure based on the percent of the structure that is occupied and whether or not it is self-supporting or supported by exterior cables. Likewise, this definition does not count structures that are built underground or on the seabed, such as the Petronius Platform in the Gulf of Mexico. Visit world's tallest structure by category for a list of various other definitions.

As of 27 December 2007, the tallest freestanding structure on land is the still under construction Burj Dubai in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The building, which now stands at 598.5 meters (1,964 ft), surpassed the height of the previous record holder, the 553.33 meter (1,815 ft) CN Tower in Toronto, Ontario, on September 12, 2007. It is scheduled to be completed in 2009, and is planned to rise to a height of over 800 meters (2,625 ft).

History

The following is a list of structures that have held the title as the tallest freestanding structure on land.

Held record Name and Location Constructed Height (m) Height (ft) Notes
From To
c. 2600 BC c. 2570 BC Red Pyramid of Sneferu, Egypt c. 2600 BC 105 345  
c. 2570 BC c. AD 1300 Great Pyramid of Giza, Egypt c. 2570 BC 146 481 By AD 1439, the Great Pyramid had eroded to a height of approximately 139 m (455 ft).
c. 1300 1549 Lincoln Cathedral, England 1092–1311 160 525 The central spire was destroyed in a storm in 1549. While the reputed height of 525 ft is doubted by A.F. Kendrick,[7] other sources agree on this height.
1549 1625 St. Olaf's Church, Tallinn, Estonia 1438–1519 159 522 The spire burnt down after a lightning strike in 1625 and was rebuilt several times. The current height is 123 m
1625 1874 Strasbourg Cathedral, France 1439 142 469
1874 1876 St. Nikolai, Hamburg, Germany 1846–1874 147 483
1876 1880 Cathédrale Notre Dame, Rouen, France 1202–1876 151 495  
1880 1884 Cologne Cathedral, Germany 1248–1880 157 515
1884 1889 Washington Monument, United States 1884 169 555  
1889 1930 Eiffel Tower, Paris, France 1889 300 986 The addition of a telecommunications tower in the 1950s brought the overall height to 324 m.
1930 1931 Chrysler Building, New York, United States 1928–1930 319 1,046
1931 1967 Empire State Building, New York, United States 1930–1931 381 1,250  
1967 1975 Ostankino Tower, Moscow, Russia 1963–1967 537 1,762 Remains the tallest in Europe
1975 2007 CN Tower, Toronto, Canada 1973–1976 553 1,815 The CN Tower also features the highest public observation deck in the world.
2007 present Burj Dubai, Dubai, United Arab Emirates 2004–2008 598.5* 1,964* The Burj surpassed the height of CN Tower in September 2007. Though still officially under construction, it is estimated to rise higher than 800 meters (2,625 ft) when completed in 2008.
Diagram of the Principal High Buildings of the Old World, 1884.

Notable mentions include the Pharos (lighthouse) of Alexandria, built in the third century BC, and estimated between 115 to 135 meters (383–440 ft). It was the world's tallest non-pyramidal building for many centuries. Another notable mention includes the Jetavanaramaya stupa in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka, which was built in the third century, and was similarly tall at 122 meters (400 ft). These were both the world's tallest or second tallest non-pyramidal buildings for over a thousand years.

The tallest secular building between the collapse of the Pharos and the erection of the Washington Monument may have been the Torre del Mangia in Siena, which is 102 m tall, and was constructed in the first half of the fourteenth century, and the 97 m tall Torre degli Asinelli in Bologna, also Italy, built between 1109 and 1119.

* This is the current height of Burj Dubai, as of 27 December 2007. When completed, it is expected to rise over Template:M to ft

World's highest observation deck

Timeline of development of world's highest observation deck since inauguration of Eiffel Tower.

Held record Name and Location Constructed Height of highest observation deck (m) Height of highest observation deck (ft) Notes
From To
 1889  1931 Eiffel Tower, Paris, France  1889 275 902 Two further observation decks 57 and 115 metres above ground.
 1931  1973 Empire State Building, New York City, USA  1931 369[8] 1211 A second observation deck is located on the 86th floor at 320 metres above ground.
 1973  1976 World Trade Center, New York City, USA  1973 420 1378 Destroyed on September 11th, 2001
 1976  2008 CN Tower, Toronto, Canada  1976 446.5 1465
 2008   Shanghai World Financial Center, Shanghai, People's Republic of China  2008 472 1549

Higher observation decks have existed on mountain peaks or cliffs, rather than on tall structures. For example, the Royal Gorge Bridge in Cañon City, Colorado, USA, was constructed in 1929 spanning the Royal Gorge at a height of 321 m (1095 ft.) above the Arkansas River.

Timeline of guyed structures on land

As most of the tallest structures are guyed masts and the absolute height record of architectural structures on land is since 1954 kept by them, here is a timeline of world's tallest guyed masts, since the beginning of radio technology.

As many large guyed masts were destroyed at the end of World War II, the dates for the years between 1945 and 1950 may be incorrect. If the 365.25 meter (1,200 ft) tall central tower of NSS Annapolis was already built before 1945, it was the tallest guyed structure between 1945 and 1950.

Held record Name and Location Constructed Height (m) Height (ft) Notes
From To
 1913  1920 Central mast of Eilvese transmitter, Eilvese, Germany  1913 250 820 Mast was divided in 145 meters by an insulator, demolished in 1931
 1920  1923 Central masts of Nauen Transmitter Station, Nauen, Germany  1920 260 853 2 masts, demolished in 1946
 1923  1933 Masts of Ruiselede transmitter, Ruiselede, Belgium  1923 287 942 8 masts, destroyed in 1940
 1933  1939 Lakihegy Tower, Lakihegy, Hungary  1933 314 1,031 Blaw-Knox Tower, insulated against ground, destroyed in 1945, afterwards rebuilt
 1939  1945 Deutschlandsender Herzberg/Elster, Herzberg (Elster), Germany  1939 335 1,099 insulated against ground, dismantled in 1945
 1945  1946 Blaw-Knox Tower Liblice, Liblice, Czech Republic  1936 280.4 920 Demolished on October 17th, 1972 by explosives. Replaced in 1976 by 2 355 masts.
 1946  1948 Lakihegy Tower, Lakihegy, Hungary  1946 314 1,031 Blaw-Knox Tower, insulated against ground, rebuilt after destruction in 1945
 1948  1949 WIVB-TV Tower, Colden, New York, USA  1948 321.9 1,056
 1949  1950 Longwave transmitter Raszyn, Raszyn, Poland  1949 335 1,099 insulated against ground
 1950  1954 Forestport Tower, Forestport, New York, USA  1950 371.25 1,218 insulated against ground
 1954  1959 Griffin Television Tower Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA  1954 480.5 1,576  
 1956  1959 KOBR-TV Tower, Caprock, New Mexico, USA  1956 490.7 1,610 Collapsed in 1960
 1959  1960 WGME TV Tower, Raymond, Maine, USA  1959 495 1,624
 1960  1962 KFVS TV Mast, Cape Girardeau County, Missouri, USA  1960 511.1 1,677
 1962  1963 WTVM/WRBL-TV & WVRK-FM Tower, Cusseta, Georgia, USA  1962 533 1,749 Located in Cusseta, Georgia
 1963  1963 WIMZ-FM-Tower, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA  1963 534.01 1,752
 1963  1974 KVLY-TV mast, Blanchard, North Dakota, USA  1963 628.8 2,063
 1974  1991 Warsaw Radio Mast, Gąbin, Poland  1974 646.4 2,121 mast radiator insulated against ground, collapsed in 1991
 1991   KVLY-TV mast, Blanchard, North Dakota, USA  1963 628.8 2,063

Tallest structures, freestanding structures, and buildings

See also: List of tallest buildings in the world, List of tallest structures in the world, Timeline of three tallest structures in the world

  • The structures list uses pinnacle height and includes architectural structures of any type. Only the four tallest are listed, as more than fifty US TV masts have stated heights of 600-610m (1969-2000 ft).
  • The freestanding structures list uses pinnacle height and includes structures over Template:M to ft that do not use guy- wires or other external supports.
  • The building list uses architectural height (excluding antennas) and includes only buildings, defined as consisting of habitable floors. Both of these follow CTBUH guidelines. All supertall buildings (300 m and higher) are listed.
  • Seven buildings appear on the freestanding structures list with higher heights, given the different measurement specifications of the two lists.
  • Collapsed historical structures are not included.
Rank Name and location Year
completed
Architectural top[9] Floors
Structures
1 United States KVLY-TV mast, Blanchard, North Dakota, United States 1963 Template:M to ft
2 United States KXJB-TV mast, Galesburg, North Dakota, United States 1998 Template:M to ft
3 United States KXTV/KOVR Tower, Walnut Grove, California, United States 2000 Template:M to ft
4 Petronius Platform, Gulf of Mexico 2000 Template:M to ft
Freestanding structures
1 United Arab Emirates Burj Dubai, Dubai, United Arab Emirates (under construction) 2009 Template:M to ft
Template:M to ft (predicted)
162 (predicted)
2 Canada CN Tower, Toronto, Ontario, Canada 1976 Template:M to ft
3 Russia Ostankino Tower, Moscow, Russia 1967 Template:M to ft
4 United States Sears Tower, Chicago, United States 1974 Template:M to ft 110
5 Taiwan Taipei 101, Taipei, Taiwan 2003 Template:M to ft 101
6 China Shanghai World Financial Center, Shanghai, People's Republic of China (under construction) 2008 Template:M to ft 101
7 China Oriental Pearl Tower, Shanghai, People's Republic of China 1996 Template:M to ft
8 United States John Hancock Center, Chicago, United States 1969 457 m (1,500 ft) 100
9 Malaysia Petronas Tower I, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 1998 Template:M to ft 88
9 Malaysia Petronas Tower II, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 1998 Template:M to ft 88
11 United States Empire State Building, New York City, United States 1936 449 (1,472 ft) 102
12 Iran Milad Tower, Tehran, Iran 2007 Template:M to ft
13 Malaysia Kuala Lumpur Tower, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 1995 Template:M to ft
14 China Jin Mao Building, Shanghai, People's Republic of China 1998 Template:M to ft 88
15 Kazakhstan Chimney of GRES-2 Power Station, Ekibastuz, Kazakhstan 1987 Template:M to ft
16 Hong Kong Two International Finance Centre, Hong Kong, People's Republic of China 2003 Template:M to ft 88
17 China Tianjin Radio and Television Tower, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China 1991 Template:M to ft
18 China Central TV Tower, Bejing, People’s Republic of China 1992 Template:M to ft
Buildings
1 Taiwan Taipei 101, Taipei, Taiwan 2003 Template:M to ft 101
2 China Shanghai World Financial Center, Shanghai, People's Republic of China (topped out) 2008 Template:M to ft 101
3 Malaysia Petronas Tower I, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 1998 Template:M to ft 88
3 Malaysia Petronas Tower II, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 1998 Template:M to ft 88
5 United States Sears Tower, Chicago, United States 1974 Template:M to ft 110
6 China Jin Mao Building, Shanghai, People's Republic of China 1998 Template:M to ft 88
7 Hong Kong Two International Finance Centre, Hong Kong, People's Republic of China 2003 Template:M to ft 88
8 China CITIC Plaza, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China 1997 Template:M to ft 80
9 China Shun Hing Square, Shenzhen, People's Republic of China 1996 Template:M to ft 69
10 United States Empire State Building, New York, United States 1931 Template:M to ft 102
11 Hong Kong Central Plaza, Hong Kong, People's Republic of China 1992 Template:M to ft 78
12 Hong Kong Bank of China Tower, Hong Kong, People's Republic of China 1990 Template:M to ft 70
13 United Arab Emirates Emirates Office Tower, Dubai, United Arab Emirates 2000 Template:M to ft 54
14 Taiwan Tuntex Sky Tower, Kaohsiung, Taiwan 1997 Template:M to ft 85
15 United States Aon Center, Chicago, United States 1973 Template:M to ft 83
16 Hong Kong The Center, Hong Kong, People's Republic of China 1998 Template:M to ft 73
17 United States John Hancock Center, Chicago, United States 1969 Template:M to ft 100
18 United Arab Emirates Rose Tower, Dubai, United Arab Emirates (topped out) 2007 Template:M to ft 72
18 China Shimao International Plaza, Shanghai, People's Republic of China 2006 Template:M to ft 60
20 China Minsheng Bank Building, Wuhan, People's Republic of China 2007 Template:M to ft 68
21 North Korea Ryugyong Hotel, Pyongyang, North Korea (topped out) 1992 Template:M to ft 105
22 Australia Q1 Tower, Gold Coast City, Australia 2005 Template:M to ft 78
23 United Arab Emirates Burj al Arab Hotel, Dubai, United Arab Emirates 1999 Template:M to ft 60
24 United States Chrysler Building, New York, United States 1930 Template:M to ft 77
24 Hong Kong Nina Tower I, Hong Kong, People's Republic of China 2007 Template:M to ft 80
24 United States New York Times Building, New York, United States 2007 Template:M to ft 52
27 United States Bank of America Plaza, Atlanta, United States 1992 Template:M to ft 55
28 United States U.S. Bank Tower, Los Angeles, United States 1989 Template:M to ft 73
29 Malaysia Menara Telekom, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 2001 Template:M to ft 55
30 United Arab Emirates Jumeirah Emirates Towers Hotel, Dubai, United Arab Emirates 2000 Template:M to ft 56
31 United States AT&T Corporate Center, Chicago, United States 1989 Template:M to ft 60
32 United States JPMorgan Chase Tower, Houston, United States 1982 Template:M to ft 75
33 Thailand Baiyoke Tower II, Bangkok, Thailand 1997 Template:M to ft 85
34 United States Two Prudential Plaza, Chicago, United States 1990 Template:M to ft 64
35 United States Wells Fargo Plaza, Houston, United States 1983 Template:M to ft 71
35 Saudi Arabia Kingdom Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia 2002 Template:M to ft 41
37 Qatar Aspire Tower, Doha, Qatar 2007 Template:M to ft 36
38 Australia Eureka Tower, Melbourne, Australia 2005 Template:M to ft 92

Source: Emporis

Future record-breaking structures

Numerous supertall skyscrapers are in various stages of proposal, planning, or construction. Each of these, depending on the order of completion, could become the world's tallest building or structure in at least one category:

Under construction

  • The Template:M to ft, 150 floor Chicago Spire (formerly Fordham Spire) is currently under construction in Chicago. If completed, it would surpass the nearby Sears Tower as the tallest tower in North America, and would be the tallest all-residential building in the world.[10] Construction began in June 2007, and is expected to be completed in late 2010.
  • The Template:M to ft 108 floor (82 for office and occupied space) Freedom Tower of the new World Trade Center began construction in August 2006.[11] It is expected to completed in 2010, with an opening in early 2011. If completed, it would stand as the tallest building in New York City. It would also stand as the tallest building in the United States if completed before the Chicago Spire.

Proposed

  • The proposed Space Elevator for launching cargo would be more than 38000 km tall; while the CNT cable is beyond the current state of the art, the gap has been narrowing in recent years.[12]
  • The Launch loop concept has been proposed for the purposes of orbital launch which would be 80 km high, and would have a cost of around $10 billion.[13]
  • The Al Jabar Tower is a proposed skyscraper, for a new planned mixed development in Bahrain named "Ethics city" designed by Italian architect Amero Marchetti to be 1,852 meters tall.[14]

Never-built record-breaking structures

  • Watkin's Tower in Wembley, London was planned in 1891 to surpass the Eiffel Tower by 50 m (164 ft), but construction stopped before that height was reached due to unstable land. The tower remnants were dismantled in the 1900s, and the site was redeveloped as Wembley Stadium.
  • The Palace of Soviets in Moscow, planned in 1932, was to be 415 m (including a 100 m Lenin statue), and would have been the tallest building in the world at the time if completed. Construction was halted during World War II, during which the uncompleted structure was partially dismantled; its foundations were later to serve as the world's largest open-air swimming pool before being razed in 1995.
  • Until late 1995, there were plans to rebuild the collapsed 646 m (2,119 ft) Warsaw Radio Mast to its previous height on the same site, using the basements of the old mast. Although some refurbishment of the basements started, work was canceled after violent protests by local residents, who feared harmful radiation effects from the high-power transmitter served by the antenna. A new transmission facility with two smaller masts measuring 330 and 289 m was built as a replacement in 1998-99 at Solec Kujawski.
  • Construction was scheduled to begin in 2006 on the now-canceled Strait of Messina Bridge. It would have been the world's largest suspension bridge as well as the tallest, as the proposed height of the two towers, 382.6 metres (1,255 ft), exceeded the 343 m (1,125 ft) of current record-holder Millau Viaduct in France.
  • Construction was cancelled on the Grollo Tower (named after the architect) in Melbourne's developing Dockland precinct in April 2001 after Melbourne's Docklands Authority ruled it out of the tender for development of the Batman Hill's precinct. The area is now occupied by a mixture of smaller commercial and residential buildings. The Grollo Tower would have been the world's tallest building at the time at 560m (1837ft) tall.
  • A series of super-tall sky-scrapers were planned for the major Australian cities of Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney and Perth from 1985-95 but were all cancelled. The plans included (in order of height) the Grollo Tower (mentioned above), Bribane Central Tower (450m/1476ft, Brisbane), Minuzzo Tower (450m/1476ft, Brisbane), CBD-1 (445m/1459ft, Sydney), Melbourne Plaza (338m/1109ft, Melbourne), City Tower (305m100ft, Sydney) and the Westralia Tower (287m/941ft, Perth). The buildings would have been some of the tallest buildings in the world at the time, but were cancelled mainly due to their unnecessary heights which would have dwarfed all surrounding buildings
  • The Ultima Tower is a hypothetical two-mile high skyscraper by architect Eugene Tsui that would be 3,217 m (10,560 ft) tall and comprise 500 stories if built.[20]
  • The Millennium Freedom Tower was a project to be located in Newport, Kentucky, United States was originally proposed in 1998 to be dedicated on Dec 31, 1999. The original height was a proposed 1,234 feet (376 m) and was later lowered to 1,103 ft (306 m). Pilings were driven in 1998, but construction never continued above ground.[citation needed]

References

  1. ^ http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2007/09/12/cntower-surpassed.html?ref=rss
  2. ^ CTV.ca Dubai building surpasses CN Tower in height, September 13, 2007
  3. ^ BBC News, Dubai skyscraper world's tallest
  4. ^ a b Current height as reported at www.burjdubai.com/
  5. ^ Burjdubaiskyscarper.com
  6. ^ "Highest Dams (World and U.S.)" (chart). 1998 ICOLD World Register of Dams. Retrieved 2007-08-11.
  7. ^ http://gwydir.demon.co.uk/PG/BellsLincoln/BellsLincoln.htm
  8. ^ "The Empire State Building". Wired New York. Retrieved 2007-12-23.
  9. ^ Height for inhabited buildings with floors; does not include TV towers and antennas.
  10. ^ http://chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?id=23109
  11. ^ http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/04/weekinreview/04ouroussoff.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin
  12. ^ Space Elevator conference
  13. ^ PDF version of Lofstrom's 1985 launch loop publication (AIAA 1985)
  14. ^ http://www.bahraintribune.com/ArticleDetail.asp?CategoryId=1&ArticleId=118916
  15. ^ "Nakheel designs 1km-high tower". Retrieved 2007-08-10.
  16. ^ http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=murjantower1-manama-bahrain
  17. ^ http://www.skyscrapernews.com/news.php?ref=602
  18. ^ http://www.kpt.gov.pk/Projects/Proj.html
  19. ^ http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=103012
  20. ^ http://www.tdrinc.com/ultima.html

External links