At 527.7 meters in height, the 108-story Citic Tower office building in Beijing tops the list of 143 tall buildings (200 meters or greater in height) that were completed in 2018. The number was slightly off last year's pace, when 147 tall projects opened worldwide, but 2018 saw a record-high "supertall" skyscrapers open their doors. Eighteen towers measuring at least 300 meters in height opened this year, up from the previous record of 15 in 2017, according to a new report from the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat.
China continues to dominate the tall buildings landscape. The nation is home to 11 of the 18 new supertalls and 88 of the 143 new tall buildings worldwide. At 61.5% of the global total, this is a record for China, up from 54.4% in 2017.
The U.S. is home to three of the new supertalls (and 13 tall building completions overall):
- Comcast Technology Center, Philadelphia: 341.7 meters, 59 floors, hotel/office
- 3 World Trade Center, New York City: 328.9 meters, 69 floors, office
- Salesforce Tower, San Francisco: 326.1 meters, 61 floors, office
SEE ALSO: The world’s tallest buildings with dampers
Rounding out the top five are United Arab Emirates (10 completions, one supertall), Indonesia (five completions, zero supertall), and Malaysia (seven completions, one supertall).
More findings from the "CTBUH Year in Review: Tall Trends of 2018" report:
- The total number of 200-meter-and-higher buildings in the world is now 1,478, a 141% increase from 614, in 2010.
- The total number of 300-meter-and-higher buildings worldwide is now 144, up from 126 in 2017, a figure that represents an 89% increase over five years. In 2013, there were 76 buildings 300 meters or higher worldwide; in 2000, only 26.
- Nineteen cities worldwide got a new tallest building, all but five of which were in Asia. The new heights being reached in Southeast Asia are likely indicative of improving economic conditions in countries such as Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, which are experiencing growth in industrial production, foreign direct investment, and tourism, among other inputs.
- Residential functions made up 31.5% of completed buildings with a total of 45 buildings, maintaining a similar share from 2017, which saw 47 buildings completed and a 32% share.
- The average height of 200-meter-plus buildings completed in 2018 was 247 meters, a slight increase over the 244-meter figure for 2017. The average height of the World’s 100 Tallest Buildings grew again, to 381 meters, from 372 meters in 2017.
- Prediction for 2019: between 120 and 150 buildings of 200 meters or greater height will be completed.
1. Citic Tower, Beijing, China: 108 stories, 528 meters, 1,731 feet
2. Vincom Landmark 81, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam: 81 stories, 461 meters, 1,513 feet
3. Changsha IFS Tower T1, Changsha, China: 94 stories, 452 meters, 1,483 feet
4. China Resources Tower, Shenzhen, China: 67 stories, 393 meters, 1,288 feet
5. Nanning Logan Century 1, Nanning, China: 82 stories, 381 meters, 1,251 feet
6. Hanking Center Tower, Shenzhen, China: 73 stories, 350 meters, 1,148 feet
7. Four Seasons Place, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: 65 stories, 343 meters, 1,124 feet
8. Comcast Technology Center, Philadelphia: 59 stories, 342 meters, 1,121 feet
9. One Shenzhen Bay Tower 7, Shenzhen, China: 71 stories, 341 meters, 1,120 feet
10. Suning Plaza Tower 1, Zhenjiang, China: 75 stories, 338 meters, 1,109 feet
11. DAMAC Heights, Dubai, United Arab Emirates: 88 stories, 335 meters, 1,099 feet
12. 3 World Trade Center, New York City: 69 stories, 329 meters, 1,079 feet
13. Baoneng Center, Shenzhen, China: 65 stories, 327 meters, 1,074 feet
14. Salesforce Tower, San Francisco: 61 stories, 326 meters, 1,070 feet
15. Magnolias Waterfront Residences Tower 1, Bangkok, Thailand: 70 stories, 315 meters, 1,033 feet
15. Changsha IFS Tower T2, Changsha, China: 63 stories, 315 meters, 1,033 feet
17. Honglou Times Square, Lanzhou, China: 56 stories, 313 meters, 1,027 feet
18. Guangfa Securities Headquarters, Guangzhou, China: 59 stories, 308 meters, 1,010 feet
19. Huaxun Center, Shenzhen, China: 70 stories, 286 meters, 938 feet
20. The Address Residence - Fountain Views I, Dubai, UAE: 70 stories, 283 meters, 929 feet
Download the CTBUH Year in Review: Tall Trends of 2018 report.
Related Stories
Laboratories | Aug 30, 2021
Science in the sky: Designing high-rise research labs
Recognizing the inherent socioeconomic and environmental benefits of high-density design, research corporations have boldly embraced high-rise research labs.
High-rise Construction | Aug 25, 2021
Summit One Vanderbilt immersive experience and observatory set to open
The project is located in the crown of One Vanderbilt.
Office Buildings | Aug 4, 2021
‘Lighthouse’ office tower will be new headquarters for A2A in Milan
The tower, dubbed Torre Faro, reimagines the company’s office spaces to adapt to people’s ever-changing needs at work.
High-rise Construction | May 27, 2021
The anti-high rise: Seattle's The Net by NBBJ
In this exclusive video interview for HorizonTV, Ryan Mullenix, Design Partner with NBBJ, talks with BD+C's John Caulfield about a new building in Seattle called The Net that promotes wellness and connectivity.
Mixed-Use | Apr 22, 2021
Jakarta’s first supertall tower tops out
The project will anchor the Thamrin Nine development.
High-rise Construction | Jan 20, 2021
Casablanca Finance City Tower becomes Morphosis’ first project in Africa
The tower is the first building completed in Casablanca Finance City.
Products and Materials | Sep 23, 2020
A new portable restroom is designed for mobility
Lendlease invented the H3 Wellness Hub, which can include natural lighting and UV bacteria control.
High-rise Construction | Mar 20, 2020
Edge, the Western Hemisphere’s highest outdoor skydeck opens
The attraction is part of 30 Hudson Yards.
High-rise Construction | Nov 6, 2019
AS+GG releases design scheme for the South HeXi Yuzui Financial District and Tower
The firm won an international design competition for the project in 2018.
High-rise Construction | Oct 7, 2019
A giant shipwreck sculpture highlights the proposal for Prague’s tallest building
Sculptor David Černý and architect Tomáš Císař from the studio Black n´ Arch designed the project.
