Top 10 Tallest (Under-Construction) Buildings in the World

It’s a cliché, but one that the history of architecture continuously seems to bear out: size matters. Whether you are an architect in Ancient Egypt, a developer in a city state of renaissance Italy, or a planner adding to the brash, ever-upwards motion of the New York skyline of the 20th Century. The cliché holds true and we marvel today at the results of this, as architects indulge in a truly global competition to build, BIGGER, HIGHER, and hopefully, BETTER.

Burj Khalifa in Dubai

Burj Khalifa in Dubai

No end to the high-rise marvels that are being created!
The modern architect and city planner is today armed with new technologies and materials, and as the years pass, it seems that we don’t have to wait too long for the announcement that there is another ‘World’s Tallest Building’ that has just been completed. The current tallest building right now, is the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, towering 828 meters above the ground. This is almost double the height of the Petronas Towers, in Kuala Lumpur, which, just 20 years ago, held the crown as the world’s tallest. This is a remarkable turn of events.

But what of the brand-new buildings that are now just opening or are still under construction?
Here is a list of the top 10 towers from the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat’s list of the 100 Tallest Under-Construction Buildings in the World.

Skyfame Center Landmark Tower (528m) – Nanning, China

This building is planned to be completed in 2021. However, other than the artist’s impression, we don’t have much information on this project at the time of writing.

Skyfame Center Landmark Tower

China Zun Tower (528m) – Beijing, China

With a design that is reminiscent of a hand-held torch or flashlight, this is another Chinese tower that ties in height with the building previously mentioned, However, we do have a little more information on this one: it will rise above the new extension of Beijing’s central business districts. It is designed by renowned architects Farrells. Its function will be to mainly supply the area with additional office space, but with an additional private club, observation deck, and high-rent space towards the top. It will be the tallest in China and the tallest building ever constructed in an Earthquake danger zone.

China Zun Tower

Tianjin CTF Finance Centre (530m) – Tianjin, China

This unique looking 97-story-high tower is designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. It will be a curved tower that should minimize the impact of wind upon its structure.

Tianjin CTF Finance Centre

Lotte World Tower (554.5m) – Seoul, South Korea

This conical, 123-floor tower is the country’s tallest building. At present, it is also the world’s fifth tallest building too. Serving the needs of local businesses and tourists, it will supply office space and provide the location of a hotel.

Lotte World Tower

Global Financial Center Tower 1 (568m) – Shenyang, China

Also known as the Baoneng Shenyang Global Financial Center, this Chinese 114-storey-skyscraper was designed by the British Firm Atkins. Once more, its primary purpose is to supply office space.

Global Financial Center Tower 1

Goldin Finance 117 (596.5m) – Tianjin, China

Another giant building, with a resolute reach for the sky, this 128-story-tower was designed by the Arup Group. It has been built with technologies to enhance its stability and has an observation deck at its very top.

Goldin Finance 117

Ping An Finance Center (599m) – Shenzhen, China

Already a renowned structure upon the Shenzhen skyline, this 115-floor tower was designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox. As well as housing an observation deck, the building will also locate a hotel within its structure.

Ping An Finance Center

Merdeka PNB118 (630m) – Kula Lumpur, Malaysia

An impressively tall design, this 118-floor tower is designed by Australian practice Fender Katsalidis Architects. When finally completed, (proposed in 2020), this tower will be Malaysia’s highest structure.

Merdeka PNB118

Wuhan Greenland Center (636m) – Wuhan, China

Once more, an outlandishly tall building that incorporates a smooth design to contend with the forces of wind, this tower was designed by Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture.

Wuhan Greenland Center

Jeddah Tower (1000m) – Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Amazingly, as the Asian countries show immense determination to build a collection of the world’s tallest structures, it is, once more, back in the Gulf where the world’s ‘latest’ highest building will be constructed. (Planned for 2020) Although it has to be conceded that this will be achieved via the elegantly long ‘spire’ at the top of the construction: the tip of which will be the first human construction to reach the 1km benchmark. The tower was designed by the world-renowned Adrian Smith, the designer of one of the tallest buildings in the world, Burj Khalifa.

Jeddah Tower

It will have 167 floors and provide a magnificent view of the red sea. Office space, a hotel, retail space, and a super-fast lift, the building promises to be something really special. As with the Burj Khalifa, this tower will incorporate a tripod, (or Y-shape), in order to assist in stability. So, if things go as expected, Jeddah Tower will be taking Burj Khalifa’s title 10 years after the latter seized the title from Taiwan’s Taipei 101.
However, do you think the 1-kilometer-high Jeddah Tower will be losing its title as soon? Watch this space!