The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) released an original “Tall Buildings in Numbers” (TBIN) research study entitled Vertical Transportation: Ascent & Acceleration. The study began as a collaboration with Guinness World Records to identify the commercial building with the fastest elevator speeds and longest vertical runs, which turned out to be Shanghai Tower, China. Expanding on this research, the Council determined the top buildings in each category and uncovered a number of other intriguing vertical transportation superlatives along the way.
When it comes to the tallest skyscrapers in the world, the vertical commute in the building becomes just as important as the horizontal commute through the city. Innovations in vertical transportation systems allow passengers to get to their destinations more quickly, and with less stops along the way. It is no surprise then that the world record-holder for fastest elevators also happens to be the second tallest building in the world at 632 meters.
With elevators speeds topping out at 20.5 meters per second (m/s), Shanghai Tower (Shanghai, China) narrowly surpasses CTF Finance Center (Guangzhou, China), which boasts speeds of up to 20 m/s. Meanwhile, Taipei 101 (Taipei, Taiwan) trails at 16.83 m/s, following by Landmark Tower (Yokohama, Japan) at 12.5 m/s and Two International Finance Center (Hong Kong, China) at 10.6 m/s.
Shanghai Tower also features the tallest continuous elevator run at 578.55 meters. These elevators whisk visitors all the way from the basement, to the observation deck near the top of the 632-meter building. Following closely is Ping An Finance Center (Shenzhen, China), with elevators running a continuous 573.5 meters, just meters short of the building’s 599-meter pinnacle.
Looking to the future, Saudi Arabia’s under-construction Jeddah Tower, with a projected height exceeding 1,000 meters, is poised to challenge these records. The tower will reportedly feature an elevator run of 660 meters and double-decker elevators that exceed the current record of 10 m/s for such systems.
An interactive version of this study is available online, exploring details on the collected project data. Additionally, the study is included within the 2017 Issue III of the CTBUH Journal. Purchase a copy of the journal here.
Related Stories
High-rise Construction | Mar 16, 2015
Mexican Museum tower caught in turmoil to break ground this summer in San Francisco
Millennium Partners said it will break ground on the 53-story residential and museum tower while the lawsuits go through the appeals process.
Cultural Facilities | Mar 13, 2015
New Orleans observation tower to feature 320-foot double-helix gondola ride
Tricentennial Tower will take visitors on a 300-year journey through the city's history before landing them at the top for a 360-degree view of the Crescent City.
High-rise Construction | Mar 12, 2015
Developers confirm Renzo Piano’s contribution in Sydney harbor overhaul
If the entire development is approved, One Sydney Harbour will be Piano’s second project in Australia.
High-rise Construction | Mar 12, 2015
Foster and Partners designs 'The One' in Toronto
Developer Sam Mizrahi worked with Foster and Partners and Core Architects to design Toronto's tallest skyscraper aside from the CN Tower, The One, which will house a luxury shopping mall and condos.
High-rise Construction | Mar 11, 2015
Must see: Firm proposes skyscraper with a ‘twist’ in downtown Tulsa
Tulsa, Okla.-based architecture practice Kinslow, Keith & Todd released renderings of a skyscraper concept that takes the shape of a tornado.
Modular Building | Mar 10, 2015
Must see: 57-story modular skyscraper was completed in 19 days
After erecting the mega prefab tower in Changsha, China, modular builder BSB stated, “three floors in a day is China’s new normal.”
Office Buildings | Mar 5, 2015
Goettsch Partners unveils plans for dual office towers in Warsaw
The Mennica Legacy Tower development is divided into a 35-story tower located on the south east side of the site and a 10-story building on the west side.
BIM and Information Technology | Mar 4, 2015
Why China's CCTV building needed a WiFi retrofit
It took a year-long retrofit to get WiFi transmission issues solved at China's iconic skyscraper.
High-rise Construction | Mar 4, 2015
Must see: Egypt planning 656-foot pyramid skyscraper in Cairo
Zayed Crystal Spark Tower will stand 200 meters tall and will be just a short distance from the pyramids of Giza.
High-rise Construction | Mar 3, 2015
Vienna's 25-story wood skyscraper will be world's tallest
Architects from Rüdiger Lainer + Partner are working with developer Kerbler Holding GmbH on a 276-foot-tall building that will be made almost entirely of wood.
