In the immediate aftermath of the terrible events of 9/11, the age of the skyscraper seemed to be at an end. After witnessing the collapse of the World Trade Center towers due to terrorist attacks, many people, including some in the building industry, believed that we would no longer be comfortable living, working, and socializing in such iconic buildings, given their potential as high-profile targets. Yet 20 years later, the data study below indicates the exact opposite, with more than five times as many tall buildings built since 9/11 than existed before.*
As the world continues to struggle with other emergencies that have, perhaps, also prematurely predicted an end to skyscrapers, urban density, and even the very premise of cities, the study below charts some “big data” trends around skyscrapers over the last 30 years.
The findings of this data study perhaps also beg a question. Live-streamed in a pre-social media world, 9/11 was seared into the consciousness of people around the entire world in a way that no other event had before, and the tall building typology along with it. Consequently, is it possible that 9/11 actually became a catalyst, rather than an inhibitor, for tall buildings?
*Note: This statement is based on buildings over 200 m (656 ft) in height completed globally.
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One World Trade Center and Two World Trade Center*
Rank | Building Name | Location | Completion | Floors | Height (m) | Height (ft) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Burj Khalifa | Dubai, United Arab Emirates | 2010 | 163 | 828 | 2,717 |
2 | Shanghai Tower | Shanghai, China | 2015 | 128 | 632 | 2,073 |
3 | Makkah Royal Clock Tower | Mecca, Saudi Arabia | 2012 | 120 | 601 | 1,972 |
4 | Ping An Finance Center | Shenzhen, China | 2017 | 115 | 599 | 1,965 |
5 | Lotte World Tower | Seoul, South Korea | 2017 | 123 | 555 | 1,819 |
6 | One World Trade Center | New York City, United States | 2014 | 94 | 541 | 1,776 |
= 7 | Guangzhou CTF Finance Centre | Guangzhou, China | 2016 | 111 | 530 | 1,739 |
= 7 | Tianjin CTF Finance Centre | Tianjin, China | 2019 | 97 | 530 | 1,739 |
9 | CITIC Tower | Beijing, China | 2018 | 109 | 528 | 1,731 |
10 | TAIPEI 101 | Taipei, China | 2004 | 101 | 508 | 1,667 |
11 | Shanghai World Financial Center | Shanghai, China | 2008 | 101 | 492 | 1,614 |
12 | International Commerce Centre | Hong Kong, China | 2010 | 108 | 484 | 1,588 |
13 | Central Park Tower | New York City, United States | 2020 | 98 | 472 | 1,550 |
14 | Lakhta Center | St. Petersburg, Russia | 2019 | 87 | 462 | 1,516 |
15 | Vincom Landmark 81 | Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam | 2018 | 81 | 461 | 1,513 |
16 | Changsha IFS Tower T1 | Changsha, China | 2018 | 94 | 452 | 1,483 |
= 17 | Petronas Twin Tower 1 | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | 1998 | 88 | 452 | 1,483 |
= 17 | Petronas Twin Tower 2 | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | 1998 | 88 | 452 | 1,483 |
= 19 | Zifeng Tower | Nanjing, China | 2010 | 66 | 450 | 1,476 |
= 19 | Suzhou IFS | Suzhou, China | 2019 | 95 | 450 | 1,476 |
21 | The Exchange 106 | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | 2019 | 95 | 445 | 1,462 |
22 | Wuhan Center Tower | Wuhan, China | 2019 | 88 | 443 | 1,454 |
23 | Willis Tower | Chicago, United States | 1974 | 108 | 442 | 1,451 |
24 | KK100 | Shenzhen, China | 2011 | 98 | 442 | 1,449 |
25 | Guangzhou International Finance Center | Guangzhou, China | 2010 | 103 | 439 | 1,439 |
26 | One Vanderbilt | New York City, United States | 2020 | 59 | 427 | 1,401 |
27 | 432 Park Avenue | New York City, United States | 2015 | 85 | 426 | 1,397 |
28 | Marina 101 | Dubai, United Arab Emirates | 2017 | 101 | 425 | 1,394 |
29 | Trump International Hotel & Tower | Chicago, United States | 2009 | 98 | 423 | 1,389 |
30 | Jin Mao Tower | Shanghai, China | 1999 | 88 | 421 | 1,380 |
31 | One World Trade Center | New York City, United States | 1972 | 110 | 417 | 1,368 |
32 | Two World Trade Center | New York City, United States | 1973 | 110 | 415 | 1,362 |
33 | Princess Tower | Dubai, United Arab Emirates | 2012 | 101 | 413 | 1,356 |
34 | Al Hamra Tower | Kuwait City, Kuwait | 2011 | 80 | 413 | 1,354 |
35 | Two International Finance Centre | Hong Kong, China | 2003 | 88 | 412 | 1,352 |
36 | LCT The Sharp Landmark Tower | Busan, South Korea | 2019 | 101 | 412 | 1,350 |
37 | Guangxi China Resources Tower | Nanning, China | 2020 | 86 | 403 | 1,321 |
38 | Guiyang International Financial Center T1 | Guiyang, China | 2020 | 79 | 401 | 1,316 |
39 | China Resources Tower | Shenzhen, China | 2018 | 68 | 392 | 1,288 |
40 | 23 Marina | Dubai, United Arab Emirates | 2012 | 88 | 392 | 1,287 |
41 | CITIC Plaza | Guangzhou, China | 1996 | 80 | 390 | 1,280 |
42 | Shum Yip Upperhills Tower 1 | Shenzhen, China | 2020 | 80 | 388 | 1,273 |
43 | 30 Hudson Yards | New York City, United States | 2019 | 73 | 387 | 1,270 |
44 | Shun Hing Square | Shenzhen, China | 1996 | 69 | 384 | 1,260 |
45 | Eton Place Dalian Tower 1 | Dalian, China | 2016 | 80 | 383 | 1,257 |
46 | Nanning Logan Century 1 | Nanning, China | 2018 | 82 | 381 | 1,251 |
47 | Burj Mohammed Bin Rashid | Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates | 2014 | 88 | 381 | 1,251 |
48 | Empire State Building | New York City, United States | 1931 | 102 | 381 | 1,250 |
49 | Elite Residence | Dubai, United Arab Emirates | 2012 | 87 | 380 | 1,248 |
50 | Central Plaza | Hong Kong, China | 1992 | 78 | 374 | 1,227 |
51 | Federation Tower | Moscow, Russia | 2016 | 93 | 374 | 1,226 |
52 | Dalian International Trade Center | Dalian, China | 2019 | 86 | 370 | 1,214 |
53 | The Address Boulevard | Dubai, United Arab Emirates | 2017 | 73 | 370 | 1,214 |
54 | Haitian Center Tower 2 | Qingdao, China | 2021 | 74 | 369 | 1,211 |
55 | Golden Eagle Tiandi Tower A | Nanjing, China | 2019 | 77 | 368 | 1,208 |
56 | Bank of China Tower | Hong Kong, China | 1990 | 72 | 367 | 1,205 |
57 | Bank of America Tower | New York City, United States | 2009 | 55 | 366 | 1,200 |
58 | St. Regis Chicago | Chicago, United States | 2020 | 101 | 363 | 1,191 |
59 | Almas Tower | Dubai, United Arab Emirates | 2008 | 68 | 360 | 1,181 |
60 | Hanking Center | Shenzhen, China | 2018 | 65 | 359 | 1,177 |
61 | Gevora Hotel | Dubai, United Arab Emirates | 2017 | 75 | 356 | 1,169 |
= 62 | JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai Tower 1 | Dubai, United Arab Emirates | 2012 | 82 | 355 | 1,166 |
= 62 | JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai Tower 2 | Dubai, United Arab Emirates | 2013 | 82 | 355 | 1,166 |
64 | Emirates Tower One | Dubai, United Arab Emirates | 2000 | 54 | 355 | 1,163 |
= 65 | Raffles City Chongqing T3N | Chongqing, China | 2019 | 79 | 354 | 1,163 |
= 65 | Raffles City Chongqing T4N | Chongqing, China | 2019 | 74 | 354 | 1,163 |
67 | OKO - Residential Tower | Moscow, Russia | 2015 | 90 | 354 | 1,162 |
68 | The Torch | Dubai, United Arab Emirates | 2011 | 86 | 352 | 1,155 |
69 | Forum 66 Tower 1 | Shenyang, China | 2015 | 68 | 351 | 1,150 |
70 | The Pinnacle | Guangzhou, China | 2012 | 60 | 350 | 1,149 |
71 | Spring City 66 | Kunming, China | 2019 | 61 | 349 | 1,145 |
72 | 85 Sky Tower | Kaohsiung, China | 1997 | 85 | 348 | 1,140 |
73 | Shimao Hunan Center | Changsha, China | 2019 | – | 347 | 1,138 |
74 | Aon Center | Chicago, United States | 1973 | 83 | 346 | 1,136 |
75 | The Center | Hong Kong, China | 1998 | 73 | 346 | 1,135 |
76 | NEVA TOWERS 2 | Moscow, Russia | 2020 | 79 | 345 | 1,132 |
77 | 875 North Michigan Avenue | Chicago, United States | 1969 | 100 | 344 | 1,128 |
78 | Four Seasons Place | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | 2018 | 74 | 342 | 1,124 |
79 | ADNOC Headquarters | Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates | 2015 | 65 | 342 | 1,122 |
80 | One Shenzhen Bay Tower 7 | Shenzhen, China | 2018 | 71 | 341 | 1,120 |
81 | LCT The Sharp Residential Tower A | Busan, South Korea | 2019 | 85 | 339 | 1,113 |
82 | Comcast Technology Center | Philadelphia, United States | 2018 | 59 | 339 | 1,112 |
= 83 | Wuxi International Finance Square | Wuxi, China | 2014 | 68 | 339 | 1,112 |
= 83 | Heartland 66 Office Tower | Wuhan, China | 2020 | 60 | 339 | 1,112 |
85 | Chongqing World Financial Center | Chongqing, China | 2015 | 72 | 339 | 1,112 |
86 | Mercury City Tower | Moscow, Russia | 2013 | 75 | 339 | 1,112 |
= 87 | Tianjin Modern City Office Tower | Tianjin, China | 2016 | 65 | 338 | 1,109 |
= 87 | Suning Plaza Tower 1 | Zhenjiang, China | 2018 | 75 | 338 | 1,109 |
89 | Hengqin International Finance Center | Zhuhai, China | 2020 | 69 | 338 | 1,108 |
90 | Tianjin World Financial Center | Tianjin, China | 2011 | 75 | 337 | 1,105 |
91 | SLS Dubai | Dubai, United Arab Emirates | 2020 | 78 | 336 | 1,102 |
92 | Wilshire Grand Center | Los Angeles, United States | 2017 | 62 | 335 | 1,100 |
93 | DAMAC Heights | Dubai, United Arab Emirates | 2018 | 88 | 335 | 1,099 |
= 94 | Twin Towers Guiyang, East Tower | Guiyang, China | 2020 | 74 | 335 | 1,099 |
= 94 | Twin Towers Guiyang, West Tower | Guiyang, China | 2020 | 74 | 335 | 1,099 |
96 | Shimao International Plaza | Shanghai, China | 2006 | 60 | 333 | 1,094 |
97 | LCT The Sharp Residential Tower B | Busan, South Korea | 2019 | 85 | 333 | 1,093 |
= 98 | Rose Rayhaan by Rotana | Dubai, United Arab Emirates | 2007 | 71 | 333 | 1,093 |
= 98 | Jinan Center Financial City A5-3 | Jinan, China | 2020 | 69 | 333 | 1,093 |
100 | The Address Residence - Fountain Views III | Dubai, United Arab Emirates | 2019 | 77 | 332 | 1,089 |
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Decade | Average Number of Completions per Year | ||
---|---|---|---|
US Buildings | Non-US Buildings | All Buildings | |
1991–2001 | 1 | 11 | 12 |
2002–2011 | 3 | 41 | 44 |
2012–2021 | 6 | 100 | 106 |
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