RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS
Burj Khalifa – Dubai
The Burj Khalifa is a mixed-use skyscraper in Dubai. Standing at 828m, it is the world’s tallest building. To put that height into perspective, it is three times as tall as the Eiffel Tower or nearly twice as tall as the Empire State Building. Taking only six years to build, the Burj Khalifa also holds the record as the World’s tallest freestanding structure, the largest number of stories, the highest occupied floor, the highest outdoor observation deck, the elevator with the longest travel distance and the tallest service elevator.
Central Park Tower – USA
Built overlooking Central Park in New York City, the Central Park Tower is the tallest residential only building in the world. Despite being 472m tall, the building is home to just 179 of the most exclusive apartments you’ll find, with the lower floors home to New York City’s first Nordstrom store. It also holds the prize as the second-tallest skyscraper in the US and the western hemisphere, the 13th tallest building in the world, and the tallest building outside of Asia (by roof height).
111 West 57th Street – USA
Also known as the Steinway Tower, 111 West 57th Street is another premium build on Billionaires’ Row in New York City. With just 60 luxury condominiums (14 in Steinway Hall and 46 in the tower), it is one of the narrowest skyscrapers in the world. The building of 111 West 57th Street also included a restoration of Steinway Hall, a landmark in New York City.
NON-RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS
Petronius (Oil Platform) – Gulf of Mexico
This one is an odd one, but it still makes the list. Standing at 640m from the tip of the flare boom to the mudline (sea floor), the Petronius oil platform was once the tallest freestanding structure in the world, before being overtaken by the Burj Khalifa in 2010. The seabed sits 535m below the platform so while it doesn’t actually look that high, there is a lot of building structure going on under the water!
Tokyo Skytree – Japan
Tokyo Skytree is a broadcasting and observation tower located in Sumida, Tokyo. In 2010 it became the tallest structure in Japan, at 634m . It is mainly used for broadcasting both television and radio, as well as an observation deck looking out over Tokyo.
Shanghai Tower – China
Sitting at 632m, Shanghai Tower is a mixed-use tower which includes restaurants, shops, offices and hotels. The building is organised into nine vertical zones, which include a sky lobby, a bright, natural light garden atrium and is one of the most sustainably built tall buildings anywhere in the world.
KVLY-TV Mast – USA
Another odd one to add to the list – the KVLY-TV mast is a 629m tall television transmitting mast in North Dakota. For some time, it was the tallest structure in the world, and in the western hemisphere, while being the second tallest broadcasting mast in the world. Built in 1963, at a cost of $500,000USD, the tower was completed in just 30 days.
While these buildings may currently be the tallest in the world, there are some quite large buildings being planned across the world including the Burj Mubarak al-Kabir in Kuwait (1001m), Oblisco Capitale in Egypt (1000m), Dubai One Tower and Uptown Dubai Tower 1 in the UAE (711m each) and Tower M in Malaysia (700m).
It will certainly be interesting seeing these buildings potentially come to life over the next decade.