In the world of tall building construction, projects can stall for any number of reasonsāfinancial, political, culturalāand for long periods of time.Ā
The CTBUH Research team, in the latest installment of Tall Buildings in Numbers, has undertaken to find the top 20 tallest never-completed buildings, and the 15 longest construction periods from 1985 to the present, listing the stop and start dates, and last known status of these 35 projects.
We learned a lot along the way, turning up some interesting findings on familiar names and long-forgotten projects alike, including:
ā¢ Now over 28 years since it started construction, Ryugyong Hotel in Pyongang holds the record for longest construction period by over seven years.
ā¢ There are 50 buildings 150 meters or taller currently on hold (i.e., construction had started and stopped, but is planned to resume) around the world.
ā¢ The Palace of Soviets in Moscow was actually started in 1937, but construction was halted during frame construction with the coming of World War II. It would have been topped with a statue of Joseph Stalin, making it the worldās tallest structure
ā¢ Now over 28 years since it started construction, Ryugyong Hotel in Pyongang holds the record for longest construction period by over seven years.
Ā
Ā
CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE Source: CTBUH
Ā
Ā
CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGEĀ Source: CTBUH
Ā
Related Stories
| Apr 19, 2013
Is LED lighting keeping its promises?
Lighting experts debate the benefits, drawbacks, and issues related to specifying LED fixtures.
| Apr 19, 2013
Must see: Shell of gutted church on stilts, 40 feet off the ground
Construction crews are going to extremes to save the ornate brick faƧade of the Provo (Utah) Tabernacle temple, which was ravaged by a fire in December 2010.
| Apr 18, 2013
Survey seeks info from managers of high-tech facilities
Ā TheĀ International Institute for Sustainable Laboratories (I2SL), and Laney College in Oakland California, aĀ National Science Foundation-funded Building Efficiency for a Sustainable Tomorrow (BEST) Center, are collaborating to identify education and training needs and strategies for high-tech facility operators.Ā
| Apr 18, 2013
SOM, CASE team up to launch crowd-sourced apps library
SOMĀ andĀ CASEĀ have formally launchedĀ AEC-APPS, the first crowd-sourced, web-based library for applications used by architects, engineers and construction professionals. This is a one-of-a-kind initiative in the AEC Industry and is a non-profit online community that allows digital tool users and toolmakers to share ideas, tips and resources.
| Apr 18, 2013
Calatrava projects encounter issues with water, structure, Guardian says
A dozen years after Calatrava built the spectacular Ysios winery in the rainy Alava region of northern Spain, the building's dramatic, undulating roof continues to let in the damp.
| Apr 17, 2013
Frank Lloyd Wright's Park Avenue showroom demolished
New York loses another architectural gem by Frank Lloyd Wright as new owner razes auto showroom.
| Apr 17, 2013
First look: Renzo Piano's glass-domed motion pictures museum
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences last week released preliminary plans for its $300 million Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences museum in Los Angeles, designed by Renzo Piano and local architect Zoltan Pali.
| Apr 16, 2013
5 projects that profited from insulated metal panels
From an orchid-shaped visitor center to Californiaās largest public works project, each of these projects benefited from IMP technology.
| Apr 16, 2013
AIA/NCARB survey shows rosier picture for emerging professionals
In 2010, the AIA/NCARB Internship and Career Survey of emerging professionals took a snapshot of young designers during a time ofintense economic contraction, when they were often the first to suffer. But in the two years since, emerging professionals have begun experiencing a rebound.
| Apr 15, 2013
Seattle school certified as world's fourth Living Building
Bertschi School, an independent elementary school in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle, Wash., is now home to the first Living Building on the West Coast and the worldās fourth fully-certified Living Building.