Architecture

Reaching new heights: The year in skyscrapers

Reaching new heights: The year in skyscrapers
One of CTBUH's 20 most notable skyscrapers of 2017: Optical Valley New World Center in Wuhan, China, by AGC Design and KKS International
One of CTBUH's 20 most notable skyscrapers of 2017: Optical Valley New World Center in Wuhan, China, by AGC Design and KKS International
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3 Manhattan West in New York City, by SOM
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3 Manhattan West in New York City, by SOM
Zhuhai St. Regis Hotel & Office Tower in Zhuhai, China, by Coscia Moos Architecture + RMJM
2/21
Zhuhai St. Regis Hotel & Office Tower in Zhuhai, China, by Coscia Moos Architecture + RMJM
50 West in New York City, by JAHN
3/21
50 West in New York City, by JAHN
150 North Riverside in Chicago, by Goettsch Partners
4/21
150 North Riverside in Chicago, by Goettsch Partners
Beekman Hotel & Residences in New York City, by GKV Architects
5/21
Beekman Hotel & Residences in New York City, by GKV Architects
Britam Tower in Nairobi, Kenya, by GAPP Architects & Urban Designers + Triad Architects
6/21
Britam Tower in Nairobi, Kenya, by GAPP Architects & Urban Designers + Triad Architects
Concord International Center in Chongqing, China, by Gensler + Chongqing Architecture and Design Institute
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Concord International Center in Chongqing, China, by Gensler + Chongqing Architecture and Design Institute 
FMC Tower in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects + BLT Architects
8/21
FMC Tower in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects + BLT Architects 
Chongqing Fortune Financial Center in Chongqing, by Mi2 Architects
9/21
Chongqing Fortune Financial Center in Chongqing, by Mi2 Architects
Lotte World Tower in Seoul, South Korea, by KPF
10/21
Lotte World Tower in Seoul, South Korea, by KPF
Madison Square Park Tower in New York City, by KPF
11/21
Madison Square Park Tower in New York City, by KPF 
Marina 101 in Dubai, UAE, by National Engineering Bureau
12/21
Marina 101 in Dubai, UAE, by National Engineering Bureau 
New World Center in Hong Kong, by KPF
13/21
New World Center in Hong Kong, by KPF 
Optical Valley New World Center in Wuhan, China, by AGC Design and KKS International
14/21
Optical Valley New World Center in Wuhan, China, by AGC Design and KKS International
One of CTBUH's 20 most notable skyscrapers of 2017: Optical Valley New World Center in Wuhan, China, by AGC Design and KKS International
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One of CTBUH's 20 most notable skyscrapers of 2017: Optical Valley New World Center in Wuhan, China, by AGC Design and KKS International
The Ping An Finance Centre in Shenzhen, China, by Kohn Pedersen Fox
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The Ping An Finance Centre in Shenzhen, China, by Kohn Pedersen Fox
Rosewood Sanya and International Finance Forum in Sanya, China, by Goettsch Partners
17/21
Rosewood Sanya and International Finance Forum in Sanya, China, by Goettsch Partners 
Shahar Tower in Givatayim, Israel, by AMAV A. Niv - A. Schwartz Architects + Barely Levitzky Kassif Architects
18/21
Shahar Tower in Givatayim, Israel, by AMAV A. Niv - A. Schwartz Architects + Barely Levitzky Kassif Architects 
Telkom Landmark Tower 2 in Jakarta, Indonesia, by Woods Bagot
19/21
Telkom Landmark Tower 2 in Jakarta, Indonesia, by Woods Bagot
Torre KOI in San Pedro Garza García, Mexico, by VFO Arquitectos and HOK
20/21
Torre KOI in San Pedro Garza García, Mexico, by VFO Arquitectos and HOK
Raffles City in Hangzhou, China, by UNStudio
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Raffles City in Hangzhou, China, by UNStudio
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Each year, the influential Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) conducts a review of skyscraper construction. 2017's review reveals that it has been a bumper year for tall buildings, with the most skyscrapers ever completed in a single year.

2017 saw a total of 144 skyscrapers measuring over 200 m (656 ft)-tall completed worldwide. It's an impressive number: if you stacked all the towers on top of each other, they'd reach 35,135 m (115,272 ft) – or well into the earth's stratosphere. To give some perspective on the number of completed skyscrapers, it's almost double the 74 completed in 2013, while there were just 23 completed back in 2000.

This year is a record breaker for geographical diversity too, with new skyscrapers built in a total of 69 cities and 23 countries. That said, China still leads the way, with 76 skyscrapers completed in that part of the world. The United States is in second place with 10 skyscrapers and South Korea comes in third place with seven completed skyscrapers.

As far as cities go, it's largely as you'd expect, with Shenzhen, China, coming first with a dozen skyscrapers, followed by Nanning, China, and Jakarta, Indonesia, with seven and five, respectively. Perhaps surprisingly, Pyongyang in North Korea, managed four completed skyscrapers (the same number as NYC).

Of all the skyscrapers completed in 2017, 15 are rated supertall (exceeding 300 m/984 ft in height) and just two are tall enough to enter the Top 10 rankings.

The Ping An Finance Centre in Shenzhen, China, by Kohn Pedersen Fox
The Ping An Finance Centre in Shenzhen, China, by Kohn Pedersen Fox

The Ping An Finance Centre in Shenzhen, China, was designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF) and at 599 m (1965 ft) in height, is rated the world's 4th tallest building by CTBUH. It features a sculpted stainless steel facade that offers protection against the city's salty coastal atmosphere and strong winds.

Lotte World Tower in Seoul, South Korea, by KPF
Lotte World Tower in Seoul, South Korea, by KPF

The Lotte World Tower in Seoul, South Korea, again by KPF, reaches a height of 555 m (1,820 ft), making it the world's fifth tallest building. Its design is inspired by traditional Korean ceramics, porcelain and calligraphy, and it boasts the world's highest glass-bottomed observation deck, which is reached by the world's fastest elevator.

"Asia – and China in particular – still leads the world in 200-meter- plus building completions, but the region may start to lose its dramatic lead as other regions, such as Africa and India, pick up the pace," says CTBUH. "North America, which for much of the twentieth century completed the majority of 200-meter-plus buildings in the world, is also beginning to see a resurgence in tall building construction. In addition, new technologies and increased international capital flows are facilitating the creation of ever-taller skyscrapers. Looking forward, 2018 may well be another record-breaking year."

Head to the gallery to see 20 notable skyscrapers completed this year, as chosen by CTBUH.

Source: CTBUH

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1 comment
1 comment
Gizmowiz
Nothing impressive about America's love affair with small buildings below 1776 feet. The only impressive buildings are not built in America anymore.