In 2022, among the completed projects, the world's tallest building is still the 828m Burj Khalifa in Dubai, the 632m Shanghai Centre Tower ranks second, while among the buildings under construction, the 729m Suzhou Zhongnan Centre ranks second out of the top 10 tallest buildings in the world.
Here is a list of the 5 iconic buildings in the world, including only those completed and under construction.
1. Burj Khalifa (828m)
The Burj Khalifa, formerly known as the Burj Dubai, also known as the Dubai Tower or the Burj Al-Bis Dubai, is the tallest building and man-made structure in the world, standing 828 meters tall with 162 floors. The Burj Khalifa was designed by SOM, a company famous for its super-tall projects such as the Sears Tower in Chicago and the Freedom Tower in New York City.
The design of the Burj Khalifa is popular in style, with a 'Y' shaped façade and three building sections that gradually join to form a core, rising from the desert in an upward spiral pattern, reducing the profile of the building to make it more straightforward to the sky, to the top where the central core transforms into a minaret. The Y-shape of the tower also allows for greater visual enjoyment.
2.Merdeka 118 (678.9m)
Merdeka 118, which was topped out in November 2021, is 678.90 meters high and has 118 floors, including a 116-meter-high spire. The entire project covers 6.35 hectares, with a floor area of 3.1 million square meters, and the building can accommodate 16,000 people in offices.
A double-glazed lift outside the building's northern facade provides direct access to a 360° double-decker observation deck. The building was designed by Fender Katsalidis. The scheme is based on a diamond prototype, which clearly penetrates the structural path of the tower by combining a multitude of transparent glass with internal lighting.
The different facets, patterns, and textures are subtly matched to create a natural, crystal-like and highly sculptural appearance. Merdeka 118 will be a landmark building in the history of Kuala Lumpur's urban development.
3. Shanghai Centre Tower (632m)
The Shanghai Centre Tower is a super-tall landmark building located in Lujiazui, Pudong, Shanghai. The main body of the building is 119 stories, with a total height of 632 meters. Designed by the American architectural firm Gensler, the building has a spiral rising form, symbolizing the traditional Chinese symbol of the dragon.
The 118th-floor observation lobby is the functional experience area of the Shanghai Centre Tower, surrounded by a floor-to-ceiling transparent glass curtain wall. The 360-degree observation lobby at the top of Shanghai offers a panoramic view of the Oriental Pearl, Jinmao Tower, and World Financial Centre.
4. Abraj Al Bait, Makkah (601m)
The Abraj Al Bait in Makkah was designed by Dar al-Handasah Shair & Partners + SL Rasch and built by the Saudi Bin Laden Group, one of the largest construction companies in Saudi Arabia. Unlike most other skyscrapers, the building is very popular in style.
At the top of the Abraj Al Bait Hotel complex in Mecca is a large clock tower, 601 meters high, the highest point of which is a crescent moon made of gold. Four bells, each with a diameter of 40 meters, are installed 400 meters from the hotel. The bell on the side facing the forbidden temple is 80 meters high and 65 meters wide, six times larger than the famous 'Big Ben' atop the Houses of Parliament in London.
The clock tower is topped by a gold-covered curved moon, which has become a landmark symbol of Saudi Arabia and can be seen from 25 kilometers away.
5. World Trade Centre Tower One (541m)
World Trade Centre Tower One, formerly known as the Freedom Tower, is located in Lower Manhattan, New York, USA, north of the former World Trade Centre Twin Towers.
World Trade Centre Tower One covers an area of approximately 0.7 million square meters, with a building area of approximately 325,000 square meters and a total height of 541 meters, with 104 floors above ground and 5 floors below.
When completed,the World Trade Centre Tower One was the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere and was awarded LEED Gold Green Building Certification. In 2015, One World Trade Centre received the 2015 Best Tall Building of the Americas Award from the World Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH).