The 25 Tallest Buildings in the World

Humanity has become obsessed with breaking its limits, creating new records only to break them again and again. In fact, our cities’ skylines have always been defined by those in power during every period in history. At one point churches left their mark, followed by public institutions and in the last few decades, it’s commercial skyscrapers that continue to stretch taller and taller. 

The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) has developed its own system for classifying tall buildings, stating that the Burj Khalifa (828 m.) is the world’s tallest building right now. Read on for the 25 tallest buildings in the world today.

1. Burj Khalifa / Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM)
Dubai, United Arab Emirates

2. Shanghai Tower / Gensler
Shanghai, China

3. Makkah Royal Clock Tower / Dar al-Handasah Shair & Partners + SL Rasch
Mecca, Saudi Arabia

4. Ping An Finance Center / Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates
Shenzhen, China

5. Lotte World Tower / Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates
Seoul, South Korea

6. One World Trade Center / Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM)
New York, United States

7. Tianjin CTF Finance Centre / Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM)
Tianjin, China

7. Guangzhou CTF Finance Centre / Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates
Guangzhou, China

9. CITIC Tower / Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates + TFP Farrells
Beijing, China

10. TAIPEI 101 / C.Y. Lee & Partners Architects/Planners
Taipei, Taiwan

11. Shanghai World Financial Center / Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates (KPF) + Mori Building + Irie Miyake Architects and Engineers
Shanghai, China

12. International Commerce Centre / Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates (KPF)
Hong Kong

13. Central Park Tower / Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture
New York, United States

14. Lakhta Center / Gorproject
Saint Petersburg, Russia

15. Vincom Landmark 81 / Atkins
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

16. Changsha IFS Tower T1 / Wong Tung & Partners
Changsha, China

17. Torre Petronas 1 / Cesar Pelli & Associates
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

17. Torre Petronas 2 / Cesar Pelli & Associates
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

19. Suzhou IFS / Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates (KPF)
Suzhou, China

19. Zifeng Tower / Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM)
Nanjing, China

21. The Exchange 106 / Mulia Group
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

22. Wuhan Center Tower /  East China Architectural Design & Research Institute
Wuhan, China

23. Willis Tower / Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM)
Chicago, United States

24. KK100 / TFP Farrells
Shenzhen, China 

25. Guangzhou International Finance Center / Wilkinson Eyre Architects
Guangzhou, China