flexiblefullpage
billboard
interstitial1
catfish1
Currently Reading

The 75 tallest observation decks in the world

High-rise Construction

The 75 tallest observation decks in the world

Chicago's Willis Tower cracks the top 20 as the Middle East and China dominate the rest of the list compiled by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat.


By Mike Chamernik, Associate Editor | October 8, 2015
The 75 tallest observation decks in the world

Visitors step out onto the Skydeck at Chicago's Willis Tower. The building's observation deck is on the 103rd floor, which is 1,387 feet from ground level. Photo: David Fulmer/Creative Commons

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

| May 2, 2014

Norwegian modular project set to be world's tallest timber-frame apartment building [slideshow]

A 14-story luxury apartment block in central Bergen, Norway, will be the world's tallest timber-framed multifamily project, at 49 meters (160 feet). 

| May 1, 2014

Chinese spec 'world's fastest' elevators for supertall project

Hitachi Elevator Co. will build and install 95 elevators—including two that the manufacturer labels as the "world's fastest"—for the Kohn Pedersen Fox-designed Guangzhou CTF Finance Center. 

Smart Buildings | Apr 28, 2014

Cities Alive: Arup report examines latest trends in urban green spaces

From vertical farming to glowing trees (yes, glowing trees), Arup engineers imagine the future of green infrastructure in cities across the world.

| Apr 23, 2014

Developers change gears at Atlantic Yards after high-rise modular proves difficult

At 32 stories, the B2 residential tower at Atlantic Yards has been widely lauded as a bellwether for modular construction. But only five floors have been completed in 18 months.

| Apr 9, 2014

5 important trends shaping today’s hotel construction market

AEC firms, developers, and investors worldwide are bullish on hotels. Our hospitality Giants share what’s new in this fast-morphing sector.

| Apr 9, 2014

Steel decks: 11 tips for their proper use | BD+C

Building Teams have been using steel decks with proven success for 75 years. Building Design+Construction consulted with technical experts from the Steel Deck Institute and the deck manufacturing industry for their advice on how best to use steel decking.

| Mar 25, 2014

World's tallest towers: Adrian Smith, Gordon Gill discuss designing Burj Khalifa, Kingdom Tower

The design duo discusses the founding of Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architects and the design of the next world's tallest, Kingdom Tower, which will top the Burj Khalifa by as much as a kilometer.

| Mar 24, 2014

Frank Lloyd Wright's S.C. Johnson Research Tower to open to the public—32 years after closing

The 14-story tower, one of only two Wright-designed high-rises to be built, has been off limits to the public since its construction in 1950.

| Mar 21, 2014

Forget wood skyscrapers - Check out these stunning bamboo high-rise concepts [slideshow]

The Singapore Bamboo Skyscraper competition invited design teams to explore the possibilities of using bamboo as the dominant material in a high-rise project for the Singapore skyline. 

| Mar 19, 2014

Federal agency gives thumbs up to tall wood buildings

USDA's support for wood projects includes training for AEC professionals and a wood high-rise design competition, to launch later this year.

boombox1
boombox2
native1

More In Category




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