flexiblefullpage
billboard
interstitial1
catfish1
Currently Reading

20 tallest towers that were never completed

20 tallest towers that were never completed

Remember the Chicago Spire? What about Russia Tower? These are two of the tallest building projects that were started, but never completed, according to the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat.


By CTBUH | November 29, 2014
Construction work started on the Santiago Calatrava-designed Chicago Spire in 20
Construction work started on the Santiago Calatrava-designed Chicago Spire in 2007, but was halted a year later due to the econo

In the world of tall building construction, projects can stall for any number of reasons—financial, political, cultural—and for long periods of time. 

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:
• Now over 28 years since it started construction, Ryugyong Hotel in Pyongang holds the record for longest construction period by over seven years.
• 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.
• 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 world’s tallest structure
• Now over 28 years since it started construction, Ryugyong Hotel in Pyongang holds the record for longest construction period by over seven years.

 

 
CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE Source: CTBUH

 

 
CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE Source: CTBUH

 

Read the full CTBUH report.

Related Stories

Giants 400 | Oct 6, 2022

Top 90 Healthcare Sector Engineering + EA Firms for 2022

Jacobs, AECOM, WSP, and IMEG Corp. head the ranking of the nation's largest healthcare sector engineering and engineering/architecture (EA) firms for 2022, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2022 Giants 400 Report. Note: This ranking factors all healthcare sector work, including hospitals, outpatient facilities, and medical office buildings.

Giants 400 | Oct 6, 2022

Top 170 Healthcare Sector Architecture + AE Firms for 2022

HDR, CannonDesign, HKS, and Stantec top the ranking of the nation's largest healthcare sector architecture and architecture/engineering (AE) firms for 2022, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2022 Giants 400 Report. Note: This ranking factors all healthcare sector work, including hospitals, outpatient facilities, and medical office buildings. 

Designers / Specifiers / Landscape Architects | Oct 6, 2022

DAHLIN announces acquisition of Design Line Interiors

DAHLIN Architecture | Planning | Interiors announced today that it is expanding its interiors capabilities with the acquisition of Del Mar, California-based Design Line Interiors.

Contractors | Oct 6, 2022

Modular construction gets boost from impacts of the pandemic

The impact of the Covid pandemic on the construction industry appears to be fueling demand for modular construction methods, especially in the western U.S. and Canada.

Laboratories | Oct 5, 2022

Bigger is better for a maturing life sciences sector

CRB's latest report predicts more diversification and vertical integration in research and production.

Multifamily Housing | Oct 5, 2022

Co-living spaces, wellness-minded designs among innovations in multifamily housing

The booming multifamily sector shows no signs of a significant slowdown heading into 2023. Here is a round up of Giants 400 firms that are driving innovation in this sector.

Contractors | Oct 5, 2022

Materials shortages, cost spikes throwing Design-Bid-Build process out of whack

The traditional Design-Bid-Build delivery process is under considerable stress this year as materials shortages and cost spikes are upending usual practices, according to a new report from JLL.

Green | Oct 5, 2022

In California, a public power provider’s new headquarters serves as a test case for an innovative microgrid and for reducing greenhouse gas emissions

Sonoma Clean Power (SCP), the public power provider for California’s Sonoma and Mendocino Counties, recently unveiled its new all-electric headquarters.

Contractors | Oct 4, 2022

Which comes first, the building or the cost estimate?

At the start of a project, don’t forget to establish financial parameters when you’re discussing the design and program. By establishing the costs up front, you can avoid the pitfalls that might derail your project and guarantee its lasting success.

Fire and Life Safety | Oct 4, 2022

Fire safety considerations for cantilevered buildings

Bold cantilevered designs are prevalent today, as developers and architects strive to maximize space, views, and natural light in buildings. Cantilevered structures, however, present a host of challenges for building teams, according to José R. Rivera, PE, Associate Principal and Director of Plumbing and Fire Protection with Lilker.

boombox1
boombox2
native1

More In Category


Healthcare Facilities

Watch on-demand: Key Trends in the Healthcare Facilities Market for 2024-2025

Join the Building Design+Construction editorial team for this on-demand webinar on key trends, innovations, and opportunities in the $65 billion U.S. healthcare buildings market. A panel of healthcare design and construction experts present their latest projects, trends, innovations, opportunities, and data/research on key healthcare facilities sub-sectors. A 2024-2025 U.S. healthcare facilities market outlook is also presented.



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