That makes it an even 100. With the completion of 432 Park Avenue in New York City, the number of so-called “supertall” buildings (buildings standing at least 300 meters tall) in the world has reached the century mark, according to the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat.
Half of those 100 supertall buildings have been constructed in the past five years alone, whereas the first 50 took 80 years to construct, starting with New York City’s Chrysler Building, which opened in 1930.
The majority of new supertall skyscrapers can be found in Asia and the Middle East, with Dubai leading the way for supertalls in a single city with 18. Not all of the action is happening overseas, however, as 432 Park Avenue marks New York City’s seventh supertall building, second only to Dubai’s 18.
The 432 Park Avenue project is unique not only for being the world’s tallest all-residential building, but also for its 1:15 slenderness ratio. Thanks to advances in lateral resistance technology making these slim skyscrapers possible, areas with limited land availability and rising luxury residential prices are beginning to see more and more of this construction type, according to CTBUH.
Over the next five to six years, the construction of supertall skyscrapers is expected to continue to grow. There are currently 130 structures bearing the title of supertall currently under construction or topped out, according to CTBUH data. Among these is Jeddah Tower, which will become the first kilometer-high building, and the world’s tallest building, upon completion in 2018.
Buildings with the supertall label are becoming increasingly common, which means a new distinction for buildings that go above and beyond that label is coming. When the supercar label for automobiles became commonplace, the envelope was pushed again and the distinction of hypercar came about. High-definition television led to ultra-high-definition television. And now, many are looking at “megatall” (buildings standing at least 600 meters tall) to be the new distinction by which skyscrapers are judged. There are currently three completed megatall buildings, with four more set to be finished in the coming years. Jeddah Tower is chief among them.
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.
