For the third year in a row, the number of buildings over 200 meters tall that were completed has increased and broken the previous year’s tally. In 2016, 128 buildings 200 meters tall or taller were completed, according to the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH). The previous record, set in 2015, saw 114 completions of 200 meters or taller. Now, the overall number for buildings at or exceeding 200 meters sits at 1,168, a 441% increase from the 265 that existed in the year 2000.
Of the record-setting 200-meter-tall buildings that were completed in 2016, 18 of them became the tallest in their city, country, or region. Asia had the most 200-meter-tall completions with 107, or a whopping 84% of the 128-building total. 2016 was the fourth year in a row with at least 75% of the 200-meter-plus building completions occurring in Asia. A large portion of these completions were in China, which had the most by a country with a record 84, surpassing its previous high set in 2015 of 68. Among these completions was Guangzhou CTF Finance Centre, which, at 530 meters, stands as the tallest building in Guangzhou, the second-tallest building in China, and the fifth-tallest building in the world.
The Middle East had nine completions of at least 200 meters, matching its total from 2015, and North America had seven completions, a three-building increase from 2015’s four. The United States represented all seven of those North American completions after only completing two in 2015.
Despite the high number of buildings over 200 meters completed, only 10 supertalls (buildings of 300 meters or higher) were finished in 2016. This total was lower than anticipated and is at least in part due to the construction delays that arise when constructing buildings of such immense height. Still, the 10 supertalls completed in 2016 was behind only 2014’s 11 and 2015’s 14.
Looking ahead to 2017, CTBUH is predicting the completion of between 12 and 20 supertalls and between 125 and 150 200-meter-plus buildings overall. The tallest of these projected completions is Ping An Finance Center, which will stand 599 meters and become the second-tallest building in China and the fourth tallest in the world.
For the CTBUH’s full report, click here.
Graphic courtesy of CTBUH
Related Stories
| Nov 13, 2013
New AISC Guide for Stability Design of Steel Buildings Now Available
Design professionals now have a valuable new resource on practical applications for stability design
| Nov 4, 2013
Historic shape producer catalogs added to AISC ePubs
The American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) has added more historic documents to its online ePubs collection for AISC members. The latest addition is a collection of shape producer catalogs dating back to 1885. The collection is available at www.aisc.org/epubs in the historic shape producer section. This collection is part of AISC's effort to preserve unique industry documents before they are lost to age-related deterioration.
| Oct 22, 2013
World's tallest twisting tower added to Dubai skyline [slideshow]
The 75-story residential building, designed by SOM, features a dramatically rising helix shape for a distinctive addition to the city’s skyline.
| Oct 1, 2013
13 structural steel buildings that dazzle
The Barclays Center arena in Brooklyn and the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, N.C., are among projects named 2013 IDEAS2 winners by the American Institute of Steel Construction.
| Sep 17, 2013
World's first 'invisible' tower planned in South Korea
The 1,476-foot-tall structure will showcase Korean cloaking technology that utilizes an LED façade fitted with optical cameras that will display the landscape directly behind the building, thus making it invisible.
| Sep 11, 2013
San Francisco expected to drop firefighter air tank refilling station rule for skyscrapers
San Francisco is poised to drop a requirement that skyscrapers have refill stations so firefighters can recharge their air tanks during a blaze. The city has required that new high-rises have the air refill systems for about ten years.
| Aug 26, 2013
13 must-attend continuing education sessions at BUILDINGChicago
Building Design+Construction's new conference and expo, BUILDINGChicago, kicks off in two weeks. The three-day event will feature more than 65 AIA CES and GBCI accredited sessions, on everything from building information modeling and post-occupancy evaluations to net-zero projects and LEED training. Here are 13 sessions I'm planning to attend.
| Aug 2, 2013
Design of world’s tallest wood skyscraper would be more sustainable than steel alternative
Architecture firm C. F. Møller has proposed building the tallest wooden building in the world in Stockholm, Sweden.
| Jul 10, 2013
World's best new skyscrapers [slideshow]
The Bow in Calgary and CCTV Headquarters in Beijing are among the world's best new high-rise projects, according to the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat.
| Jul 10, 2013
TED talk: Architect Michael Green on why we should build tomorrow's skyscrapers out of wood
In a newly posted TED talk, wood skyscraper expert Michael Green makes the case for building the next-generation of mid- and high-rise buildings out of wood.
