These Are the World’s 25 Tallest Buildings

Humanity has become obsessed with breaking its limits, creating new records only to break them again and again. In fact, our cities’ skylines have always been defined by those in power during every period in history. At one point churches left their mark, followed by public institutions and in the last few decades, it’s commercial skyscrapers that continue to stretch taller and taller. 

But when it comes to defining which buildings are the tallest it can get complicated. Do antennas and other gadgets on top of the building count as extra meters? What happens if the last floor is uninhabitable? The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) has developed their own system for classifying tall buildings, measuring from the “level of the lowest, significant, open-air, pedestrian entrance to the architectural top of the building, including spires, but not including antennae, signage, flag poles or other functional-technical equipment.” Using this system more than 3,400 buildings have been categorized as over 150 meters tall. 

We take a look at world’s 25 tallest buildings, according to the CTBUH, after the break. List updated on May 2017. 

25. Shun Hing Square | 384 m | 69 floors

Location: Shenzhen, China
Architects: American Design Associates + K.Y. Cheung Design Associate
Use: Offices
Completed: 1996

Shun Hing Square. Image © Kyman Cheng [Wikipedia] under license CC BY 3.0

24. CITIC Plaza | 390.2 m | 80 floors

Location: Guangzhou, China
Architects: Dennis Lau & Ng Chun Man Architects & Engineers (HK) Ltd. (DLN)
Use: Offices
Completed: 1996

CITIC Plaza. Image © Hombre Tangencial (JOP) [Flickr] under license CC BY 2.0

23. 23 Marina | 392.4 m | 88 floors

Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Architects: Hafeez Contractor + KEO International Consultants
Use: Residential
Completed: 2012

23 Marina (left). Image © Adriaan Bloem [Flickr] under license CC BY 2.0

22. Two International Finance Centre | 412 m | 88 floors

Location: Hong Kong
Architects: Cesar Pelli & Associates
Use: Offices
Completed: 2003

Two International Finance Centre. Image © Tom Page [Flickr] under license CC BY 2.0

21. Al Hamra Tower | 412.6 m | 80 floors

Location: Kuwait
Architects: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM)
Use: Offices
Completed: 2011

Al Hamra Tower. Image © Mohdalg [Wikipedia] under license CC BY 3.0

20. Princess Tower | 413.4 m | 101 floors

Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Architects: Eng. Adnan Saffarini
Use: Residential 
Completed: 2012

Princess Tower. Image © Pieter van Marion [Flickr] under license CC BY 2.0

19. Jin Mao Tower | 420.5 m | 88 floors

Location: Shanghai, China
Architects: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM)
Use: Hotel and Offices
Completed: 1999

Jin Mao Tower. Image © Mätes II [Wikipedia] under license CC BY 3.0

18. Trump International Hotel & Tower | 423.2 m | 98 floors

Location: Chicago, Estados Unidos
Architects: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM)
Use: Residential and Hotel 
Completed: 2009

Trump International Hotel & Tower. Image © Brian Woychuk [Flickr] under license CC BY 2.0

17. 432 Park Avenue | 425.5 m | 85 floors

Location: New York
Architects: Rafael Viñoly Architects
Use: Residential
Completed: 2015

432 Park Avenue. Image © Marshall Gerometta/CTBUH

16. Guangzhou International Finance Center | 438.6 m | 103 floors

Location: Guangzhou, China
Architects: Wilkinson Eyre Architects
Use: Hotel and Offices
Completed: 2010

Guangzhou International Finance Center. Image © wyliepoon [Flickr] under license CC BY 2.0

15. KK100 | 441.8 m | 100 floors

Location: Shenzhen, China
Architects: TFP Farrells
Use: Hotel and Office
Completed: 2011

KK100. Image © worldaroundtrip [Flickr] under license CC BY 2.0

14. Willis Tower | 442.1 m | 108 floors

Location: Chicago, United States
Architects: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM)
Use: Offices
Completed: 1974

Willis Tower (former Sears Tower). Image © TonyTheTiger [Wikipedia] under license CC BY 2.0

13. Jiangxi Nanchang Greenland Zifeng Tower | 450 m | 66 floors

Location: Nanchang, China
Architects: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM)
Use: Hotel and Offices
Completed: 2010

Zifeng Tower. Image © Tomchen1989 [Wikipedia] under license CC BY 2.0

12. Torre Petronas 2 | 451.9 m | 88 floors

Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Architects: Cesar Pelli & Associates
Use: Offices
Completed: 1998

11. Torre Petronas 1 | 451.9 m | 88 floors

Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Architects: Cesar Pelli & Associates
Use: Offices
Completed: 1998

Torres Petronas. Image © Hadi Zaher [Flickr] under license CC BY 2.0

10. International Commerce Centre | 484 m | 108 floors

Location: Hong Kong
Architects: Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates (KPF)
Use: Hotel and Offices
Completed: 2010

International Commerce Centre. Image © Isaac Torrontera [Flickr] under license CC BY 2.0

9. Shanghai World Financial Center | 492 m | 101 floors

Location: Shanghai, China
Architects: Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates (KPF) + Mori Building + Irie Miyake Architects and Engineers
Use: Hotel and Offices
Completed: 2008

Shanghai World Financial Center . Image © Ferox Seneca [Wikipedia] under license CC BY 3.0

8. TAIPEI 101 | 508 m | 101 floors

Location: Taipei, Taiwan
Architects: C.Y. Lee & Partners Architects/Planners
Use: Offices
Completed: 2004

TAIPEI 101. Image © Chris [Flickr] under license CC BY 2.0

7. Guangzhou CTF Finance Center | 530 m | 111 floors

Location: Guangzhou, China
Architects: Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates (KPF)
Use: Mixed
Completed: 2016

Guangzhou CTF Finance Centre. Image © K11 / New World Development

6. One World Trade Center | 541.3 m | 94 floors

Location: New York
Architects: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM)
Use: Hotel + Offices
Completed: 2008

One World Trade Center. Image © Andrew Moore [Flickr] under license CC BY 2.0

5. Lotte World Tower | 554.5 m | 123 floors

Location: Seoul, South Korea
Architects: Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates (KPF)
Use: Hotel and Offices
Completed: 2017

Lotte World Tower. Image © zjaaosldk, bajo licencia CC0

4. Ping An Finance Center | 599 m | 115 floors

Location: Shenzhen, China
Architects: Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates (KPF)
Use: Offices
Completed: 2017

Ping An Finance Center. Image © Terri Meyer Boake [vía CTBUH]

3. Makkah Royal Clock Tower | 601 m | 120 floors

Location: Mecca, Saudi Arabia
Architects: Dar al-Handasah Shair & Partners + SL Rasch
Use: Mixed
Completed: 2012

Makkah Royal Clock Tower. Image © Samira [Flickr] under license CC BY 2.0

2. Shanghai Tower | 632 m | 128 floors

Location: Shanghai, China
Architects: Gensler
Use: Hotel and Offices
Completed: 2015

Shanghai Tower. Image © Ermell [Wikipedia] under license CC BY 1.0

1. Burj Khalifa | 828 m | 163 floors

Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Architects: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM)
Use: Offices + Residential + Hotel
Completed: 2010

Burj Khalifa. Image © Colin Capelle