By Ishita Sood
Aim for the stars, even if you fall short you’ll reach the sky. And that’s where our skyscrapers have reached. They dominate our skylines and reflect our hopes and dreams- not to forget mentioning our egos also. “A supertall tower represents a meaningful step forward and is a symbol of success and optimism for the future” says Adrian Smith, the man behind the design of Burj Khalifa. “If cities don’t continue to build and improve their conditions they will die” he adds. “For all of recorded history, mankind’s fascination with the structures that rise towards the sky has been constant” writes Kate Ascher in her book The Heights: Anatomy of the Skyscrapers. So let’s take a look at 5 tallest buildings of the world as they continue to scale new heights and exceed the vertical limits anyone could think of.
1. Burj Khalifa, Dubai
Country: UAE Height: 828m
First on our list is the tallest man made structure in the world. It’s construction began on September 2004 and it was successfully build on October 2009. It houses the second highest outdoor observation deck on its 124th floor.
2. Shanghai Tower, Shanghai
Country: China Height: 632m
It is China’s tallest structure of any kind that began its construction in November 2008 and is expected to open in 2015. Designed by an American architectural firm Gensler, the tower takes the form of 9 cylindrical buildings stacked atop each other totaling 121 floors.
3. Makkah Royal Clock Tower Hotel, Mecca
Country: Saudi Arabia Height:601m
It is a government owned building complex that holds several world records such as the tallest clock tower and the world’s largest clock face.
4. One world trade centre, New York
Country: USA Height:541.3m
Well there were two but one of them was destroyed in September 11 attacks, and so the primary building of the new world trade centre alone becomes the tallest building in western hemisphere. This 104 story supertall structure stands amidst lower Manhattan in New York City.
5. CTF Finance Centre, Guangzhou
Country: China Height: 530m
This skyscraper is still under construction and is designed to have 111 floors. It is expected to be completed in 2016 and will be the second of the two Guangzhou Twin Towers overlooking the Pearl River in Guanghou.
