flexiblefullpage -
billboard - default
interstitial1 - interstitial
catfish1 - bottom
Currently Reading

The 75 tallest observation decks in the world

High-rise Construction

The 75 tallest observation decks in the world

Chicago's Willis Tower cracks the top 20 as the Middle East and China dominate the rest of the list compiled by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat.


By Mike Chamernik, Associate Editor | October 8, 2015
The 75 tallest observation decks in the world

Visitors step out onto the Skydeck at Chicago's Willis Tower. The building's observation deck is on the 103rd floor, which is 1,387 feet from ground level. Photo: David Fulmer/Creative Commons

With many skyscrapers across the globe jostling for the title of the world’s tallest building, the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat released a report ranking the world’s highest observation decks.

The list contains 75 prominent buildings, including yet-to-be-completed towers.

Kingdom Tower, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, finished first in the rankings. The thousand-meter-tall (3,280 feet) tower is scheduled to be completed in 2018, and the observation deck will be 2,093 feet high. The deck will be 194 feet higher than No. 2 finisher Goldin Finance 117 in Tianjin, China.

Buildings in China round out the top five. Dubai’s Burj Khalifa was sixth, with a height of 1,824 feet. Chicago’s Willis Tower has the United States’ tallest observation deck, finishing 17th at 1,453 feet.

“Often adding an important source of revenue for the structures that have them, observation decks also change the way people view cities, and can potentially elevate their international reputation,” said the authors of the report.

The Eiffel Tower was the oldest structure on the list. Built in 1889, the observation deck at the Paris landmark is 905 feet off of the ground, which is tied for 51st highest in the world. 

 

Related Stories

Building Team | Jun 13, 2022

A mixed-used building to rise above Fort Lauderdale, with views of downtown and the ocean

ODA, a New York-based architecture and design studio, recently released renderings of Ombelle, a project including two residential towers in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. 

Building Team | May 11, 2022

Miami to get its first supertall building

After completing its first supertall building, 111 W 57th Street in New York, developer PMG is now preparing for the groundbreaking of the first supertall in Miami: Waldorf Astoria Miami.

High-rise Construction | Apr 14, 2022

Seattle’s high-rise convention center nears completion

The new Washington State Convention Center Summit Building—billed as the first high-rise convention center in North America—is on track to complete most of its construction later this year.  

Multifamily Housing | Apr 7, 2022

Ken Soble Tower becomes world’s largest residential Passive House retrofit

The project team for the 18-story high-rise for seniors slashed the building’s greenhouse gas emissions by 94 percent and its heating energy demand by 91 percent.

Multifamily Housing | Mar 28, 2022

Singapore’s new Irwell Hill residences will be built around heritage rain trees

The recently unveiled design of Irwell Hill, twin 36-story residence towers, calls for the development to be situated among copious greenery including preserved heritage rain trees.

Legislation | Mar 28, 2022

LEED Platinum office tower faces millions in fines due to New York’s Local Law 97

One Bryant Park, also known as the Bank of America Tower, in Manhattan faces an estimated $2.4 million in annual fines when New York City’s York’s Local Law 97 goes into effect.

Multifamily Housing | Mar 15, 2022

A 42-story tower envelops residents in Vancouver’s natural beauty

The city of Vancouver is world-renowned for the stunning nature that surrounds it: water, beaches, mountains. A 42-story tower, Fifteen Fifteen, will envelop residents in that natural beauty.

Projects | Mar 11, 2022

Studying science in the sky

In sharp contrast to other types of commercial real estate, the life sciences market is booming, according to SGA, an architecture firm based in Boston and New York that has extensive experience designing life sciences buildings.

Urban Planning | Nov 11, 2021

Reimagining the concrete and steel jungle, SOM sees buildings that absorb more carbon than they emit

The firm presented its case for a cleaner built environment during the Climate Change conference in Scotland.

High-rise Construction | Nov 2, 2021

SUMMIT One Vanderbilt completes in NYC

Snøhetta designed the project.

boombox1 - default
boombox2 -
native1 -

More In Category




halfpage1 -

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021