With many skyscrapers across the globe jostling for the title of the world’s tallest building, the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat released a report ranking the world’s highest observation decks.
The list contains 75 prominent buildings, including yet-to-be-completed towers.
Kingdom Tower, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, finished first in the rankings. The thousand-meter-tall (3,280 feet) tower is scheduled to be completed in 2018, and the observation deck will be 2,093 feet high. The deck will be 194 feet higher than No. 2 finisher Goldin Finance 117 in Tianjin, China.
Buildings in China round out the top five. Dubai’s Burj Khalifa was sixth, with a height of 1,824 feet. Chicago’s Willis Tower has the United States’ tallest observation deck, finishing 17th at 1,453 feet.
“Often adding an important source of revenue for the structures that have them, observation decks also change the way people view cities, and can potentially elevate their international reputation,” said the authors of the report.
The Eiffel Tower was the oldest structure on the list. Built in 1889, the observation deck at the Paris landmark is 905 feet off of the ground, which is tied for 51st highest in the world.
Related Stories
Multifamily Housing | Apr 28, 2015
Mace and Make work on London's 40-story residential tower
The tower is one of six residential high-rises planned near London’s City Road, which is undergoing a mini construction boom.
High-rise Construction | Apr 23, 2015
Size matters in NYC, where several projects vie for the city’s tallest building honor
The latest renderings of 217 West 57th Street show a tower that would rise higher than the World Trade Center’s pinnacle, when elevations are included.
High-rise Construction | Apr 22, 2015
Architects propose sustainable ‘vertical city’ in the Sahara
Designers aim to make the 1,476-foot tower sustainable, relying on rainwater collection, solar power, and geothermal energy.
High-rise Construction | Apr 17, 2015
Construction begins on Goettsch Partners-designed Nanning China Resources Center Tower
The tower's design is derived from its multiple uses, which include 170,000 sm of Class A office space, 5,000 sm of boutique retail, and a 45,000-sm luxury Shangri-La hotel.
High-rise Construction | Apr 16, 2015
Construction begins on Seattle's Tibet-inspired Potala Tower
Construction on the 41-story Potala Tower in Seattle finally kicked off following a ground-breaking ceremony seven months ago.
High-rise Construction | Apr 6, 2015
Melbourne tower will light up depending on weather
The tower will be illuminated by 164-foot-tall beams of LED light based on weather updates from the Bureau of Meteorology.
Multifamily Housing | Mar 31, 2015
Plans for a new condo tower in New York create a ‘communal ecosystem’ for residents
The conceptual plans for a 700-foot-tall, 65-story condominium tower in New York City were unveiled in early March by its architect, Perkins+Will.
High-rise Construction | Mar 24, 2015
Timber high-rise residential complex will tower over Stockholm waterfront
The four towers, 20 stories each, will be made entirely out of Swedish pine, from frame to façade.
Healthcare Facilities | Mar 23, 2015
Can advanced elevator technology take vertical hospitals to the next level?
VOA's Douglas King recalls the Odyssey project and ponders vertical transportation in high-rise healthcare design.
High-rise Construction | Mar 16, 2015
NBBJ creates 'shadowless' skyscraper concept for proposed UK development
A team of architects from the London branch of NBBJ used computer algorithms to generate a dual-tower design that maximizes sunlight reflections to eliminate the buildings' shadows.
