10 of the Biggest Buildings That Have Been Built or in Construction

But the big question is, could a modular building have been built quicker?

It was a vision that Frank Lloyd Wright proposed in the 1950s – a mile high skyscraper, built on the shores of Lake Michigan in Chicago. A towering giant, its elevators would be atomic, its peak swaying in the clouds.

As technologies and building abilities progress, change and develop, Wright’s vision could soon be realised. Taking a look at the projects in construction and those about to start, the majority of the world’s biggest and tallest buildings are not in North America as you would think, but scattered across the globe.

1. Jeddah Tower, Saudi Arabia

Jeddah Tower
photo credit: Provodnik_Of / LiveJournal

Standing at a colossal 3,281 feet, its completion is expected in 2020. A shard building made of steel and glass, this record-shattering skyscraper will be the centrepiece of a local suburb. Triangular in shape, the 157th floor will come complete with a helipad.

Originally planned to be more than a mile high, the local geology would make it unstable, thus it lost height in the final design.

2. Wuhan Greenland Centre

Wuhan Greenland Center
photo credit: Hubei.gov.cn

At 2,087 feet, this giant in Wuhan China is designed by Adrian Smith, the same architect responsible for the Jeddah Tower. It offers a unique curved profile and a tripod shape that tapers to form a dome to reduce wind resistance. The summit of this glass and steel structure will be a private, members-only club.

3. Merdeka PNB118

Merdeka PNB118
photo credit: Skyscrapercity.com

A huge project for an Australian firm, this skyscraper in Kuala Lumpur will stand at an impressive 2,067 feet. It’s hoped it will be a catalyst for the city, bringing in yet more big business and people as the Petronas Towers did before it.

4. Ping An Finance Centre

Ping An Finance Centre
photo credit: dcmaster / Flickr

Due for completion in 2017, this skyscraper stands at 1,965 feet in Shenzhen, China. A mix of stone and glass, it was assembled at a phenomenal rate – one floor every four days. A centrepiece of the city’s central business district, it has already been scaled, the terrifying ascent captured.

5. Goldin Finance 117

Goldin Finance 117
photo credit: Skyscrapercenter.com

Still in China, this 1,957-foot building is estimated for completion in 2018. It will be the third tallest building in China, the building has unique foundations with slender 1 metre pilings sunk 100 metres into the ground. Capped by a diamond shape observation deck, it is known as the ‘walking Stick.

6. Shenyang Baoneng Global Financial Centre

Shenyang Baoneng Global Financial Centre
photo credit: Atkinsglobal.com

Staying in China, this 111 storey, mixed use skyscraper has a luxury showroom on the top floor. Standing at 1,864 feet it is known as the Pearl of the North.

7. Lotte World Tower

Lotte World Tower
photo credit: Koreabizwire.com

A cone of pale coloured glass, this skyscraper being built in Seoul, South Korea stands at an impressive 1,819 feet with completion expected in 2017. It had a rocky start, with construction plagued by accidents.

8. Tianjin CTF Finance Centre

Tianjin CTF Financial Centre
photo credit: SOM.com

Back to China, this 1,739-foot skyscraper is expected to be completed sometime in 2018. It has a gently sloping tower and a crystallised façade that emphasises its curves. But there is a clever engineering tactic being used known as vortex shedding, which dramatically decreases the wind forces impacting on the building.

9. China Zun Tower

China Zun Tower
photo credit: Skyscrapercenter.com

Being built in Beijing, this 1,732-foot skyscraper is due for completion in 2018, it has a unique, concave design. Mixed use – as well as office space, there is a private club and an observation deck – it has a rand lobby and office space at the top that businesses are hankering after. It will be the tallest building in China in a high seismic zone thus, the building relies on a steel-concrete braces and a solid concrete core for stability.

10. Skyfame Centre Landmark Tower

Skyfame Centre Landmark Tower
photo credit: Skyscrapercity.com

Also known as the Tianyu Tower, this 1,732-foot skyscraper being built in Nanning, China is due to be completed in 2021. It has 108 floors but as yet, the people behind the project have not released many details concerning its features.

Pushing Construction Boundaries

By building up, engineers and architects are creating space literally from thin air. For many of these countries, the ground beneath their feet is not always the most stable, such as active seismic zones in China.

There will be challenges to constructing in thin air, as there will be creating buildings that can move with the earth as it quakes and stand firm in the face of wind.

These factors combine to slow the rate of construction although modern skyscrapers are built faster than their older counterparts. And in many ways, the modern way of building in modular form also cuts down on time.

But for businesses and organisations creating their own bespoke building, such as a state of the art healthcare facility, their building need not take years nor take millions of pounds…

MTX Contracts pushes the envelope of construction by creating high-end, bespoke healthcare facilities adopting a modular approach. Quick to build, the quality is second to none and with turnkey solutions on offer too, they understand the complexities of designing and creating specialist structures.