Photographs: Scanpix/Johan Nilsson/Reuters
While usually it takes years to construct a skyscraper, a Chinese company is planning to build the world's highest tower in just 10 months. If it is able to complete it in that time, it will be a big achievement as the average time of world's top 20 highest towers is more than five years.
Let's have a look at 20 tallest buildings and the time it took to construct them.
Source: The Economist
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China plans to build world's tallest building in 10 months
Photographs: BSB/Wikipedia
Sky City One
City: Changsha
Country: China
Height: 838 metres (2,749ft)
Completion time: 10 months (proposed)
Year of completion: April 2014 (estimate)
Overall rank in height: 1 (projected)
Broad Group, the company behind the project, plans to construct Sky City One in record time thanks to technology that makes it possible to build most of the parts prefabricated and then hoist and pack them into position.
It estimates the 202-storey, 1.05 million-square-metre project will cost $1.47 billion, house 30,000 residents and will have all facilities, including shops, school, recreational areas, offices and hotels. Can the company deliver the tower in 10 months? Only time will tell.
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China plans to build world's tallest building in 10 months
Photographs: Mohammed Salem/Reuters
Burj Khalifa
City: Dubai
Country: The United Arab Emirates
Height: 829.8 metres (2,722ft)
Completion time: Six years
Year of completion: 2010
Overall rank in height: 1 (current status)
Burj Khalifa, the tallest man-made building in the world, took nearly six years to complete at an estimated cost of $1.5 billion. It has offices, hotel rooms and residences and is famous for its $217 million fountain, world's third-highest observation deck and 27-acre park.
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China plans to build world's tallest building in 10 months
Photographs: King Eliot/Wikipedia
Mecca Royal Hotel Clock Tower
City: Mecca
Country: Saudi Arabia
Height: 601 metres (1,972ft)
Completion time: Eight years
Year of completion: 2012
Overall rank in height: 2
Mecca Royal Hotel Clock Tower holds many world records, including tallest clock tower, largest clock face, building with the largest floor areas and second-tallest building, a hotel operated by Fairmont Group. Apart from the five-star hotel, it has a 20-storey shopping mall, a parking garage that can accommodate more than 1,000 cars, residences, conference hall and heliports.
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China plans to build world's tallest building in 10 months
Photographs: Simon Kwong/Reuters
Taipei 101
City: Taipei
Country: Taiwan
Height: 509 metres (1,669.9ft)
Completion time: Five years
Year of completion: 2004
Overall rank in height: 3
Taipei 101, which has 101 floors above ground and five underground, has a multi-level shopping showcasing several outlets, restaurants and clubs. Apart from that it also has residences, offices and a private club called Summit 101.
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China plans to build world's tallest building in 10 months
Photographs: Shanghai Pacific Institute for International Strategy/Handout/Reuters
Shanghai World Financial Centre
City: Shanghai
Country: China
Height: 492.0 metres (1,614.2ft)
Completion time: 11 years
Year of completion: 2008
Overall rank in height: 4
Shanghai World Financial Centre, the current holder of tallest structure title in China, has shopping malls, offices, conference rooms, observation deck and a hotel. The observation deck is located 1,555 ft above ground and the hotel, the second-highest in the world, has 174 rooms and suites.
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China plans to build world's tallest building in 10 months
Photographs: Bobby Yip/Reuters
International Commerce Centre
City: Hong Kong
Country: Hong Kong
Height: 484.0 metres (1,587.9ft)
Completion time: Eight years
Year of completion: 2010
Overall rank in height: 5
International Commerce Centre, a 118-storey commercial tower, has offices of Morgan Stanley, Credit Suisse, a shopping mall, a five-star hotel and highest swimming pool and bar in the world. The tower has an observation deck at the 100th floor, while the hotel's express elevators take just 50 seconds from ground floor to 103rd floor.
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China plans to build world's tallest building in 10 months
Photographs: Bazuki Muhammad/Reuters
Petronas Towers
City: Kuala Lumpur
Country: Malaysia
Height: 451.9 metres (1,483ft)
Completion time: Six years
Year of completion: 1998
Overall rank in height: 6
Petronas Towers, the landmark of Malaysia, house a number of companies, including Huawei Technologies, Aveva, Al Jazeera English, Carigali Hess, Bloomberg, Boeing, IBM, Khazanah Nasional Berhad, McKinsey & Co, TCS, HCL Technologies, Krawler, Microsoft and Reuters. It also has a double decker skybridge, the world's highest two-storey bridge, connecting the two towers on the 41st and 42nd floors, according to Wikipedia.
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China plans to build world's tallest building in 10 months
Photographs: Bazuki Muhammad/Reuters
Zifeng Tower
City: Nanjing
Country: China
Height: 450 metres (1,480ft)
Completion time: Five years
Year of completion: 2009
Overall rank in height: 7
Zifeng Tower, a skyscraper completed in 2009, has offices, outlets, restaurants and observatory deck. It also has a 500-room hotel that has an outdoor swimming pool on the roof.
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China plans to build world's tallest building in 10 months
Photographs: Frank Polich/Reuters
Willis Tower
City: Chicago
Country: United States
Height: 442.1 metres (1,450ft)
Completion time: Four years
Year of completion: 1974
Overall rank in height: 8
When it was constructed in the 1970s, the tower, also known as Sears Tower, used to be the tallest building in the world and held the record for nearly 25 years. The 108-storey building is one of the biggest tourist attractions in Chicago, attracting more than a million visitors every year.
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China plans to build world's tallest building in 10 months
Photographs: Bobby Yip/Reuters
Kingkey 100
City: Shenzhen
Country: China
Height: 441.8 metres (1,449ft)
Completion time: Four years
Year of completion: 2011
Overall rank in height: 9
Kingkey 100 is a skyscraper in Shenzhen, China, with 100 floors for office space and a hotel. The majority of floors have been taken up by offices, while the rest house a five-star hotel and several restaurants. It also has an observation deck and a water fountain.
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China plans to build world's tallest building in 10 months
Photographs: Wikipedia Commons
Guangzhou International Finance Center
City: Guangzhou
Country: China
Height: 438.6 metres (1,439ft)
Completion time: Four years
Year of completion: 2010
Overall rank in height: 10
Guangzhou International Finance Center in Guangzhou, China, is a 103-storey landmark with space for offices, hotel, conference centre and an observation deck.
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China plans to build world's tallest building in 10 months
Photographs: Government Information Services Handout/Reuters
International Finance Centre
City: Hong Kong
Country: Hong Kong
Height: 412.0 metres (1,351.7ft)
Completion time: Three years
Year of completion: 2003
Overall rank in height: 11
International Finance Center, a major landmark of Hong Kong, has two towers, IFC Mall and Four Seasons Hotel. Some of the biggest companies, such as Bank of America, Financial Times, BNP Paribas, have offices in these towers. The hotel has 399 suites, and 519 apartments.
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China plans to build world's tallest building in 10 months
Photographs: Citizen59/Wikipedia Commons
Princess Tower
City: Dubai
Country: The United Arab Emirates
Height: 413 metres (1,355ft)
Completion time: Four years
Year of completion: 2003
Overall rank in height: 12
Princess Tower, a 101-storey skyscraper in Dubai, has residences, outlets and parking area spread over six floors.
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China plans to build world's tallest building in 10 months
Photographs: Jeff Haynes/Reuters
Trump International Hotel & Tower
City: Chicago
Country: United States of America
Height: 423.4 metres (1,389ft)
Completion time: Seven years
Year of completion: 2009
Overall rank in height: 13
Trump International Hotel & Tower has 92 stories, 486 luxury apartments, a five-star hotel, retail space and health club and spa among other facilities. It is named after billionaire developer Donald Trump.
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China plans to build world's tallest building in 10 months
Photographs: Mohdalg/Wikipedia Commons
Al Hamra Tower
City: Kuwait City
Country: Kuwait
Height: 412.6 metres (1,354ft)
Completion time: Six years
Year of completion: 2011
Overall rank in height: 14
Al Hamra Tower in Kuwait has commercial and office space, theatre, 11-storey parking area and connects to a shopping mall that is spread on five stories.
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China plans to build world's tallest building in 10 months
Photographs: Ahmed Jadallah/Reuters
23 Marina
City: Dubai
Country: United Arab Emirates
Height: 392.8 metres ((1,289ft)
Completion time: Seven years
Year of completion: 2012
Overall rank in height: 15
23 Marina in Dubai has 57 swimming pools, private elevator for each duplex and was until recently the tallest all-residential building in the world, according to Wikipedia.
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China plans to build world's tallest building in 10 months
Photographs: Wikipedia Commons
China International Trust and Investment
City: Guangzhou
Country: China
Height: 390.2 metres (1,280ft)
Completion time: Four years
Year of completion: 1997
Overall rank in height: 16
China International Trust and Investment's two antenna-like spires are its most prominent features. It has 38 stories, is near to a Metro station and is located in the booming part of Guangzhou.
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China plans to build world's tallest building in 10 months
Photographs: Bobby Yip/Reuters
Shun Hing Square
City: Shenzhen
Country: China
Height: 384 metres (1,260 ft
Completion time: Three years
Year of completion: 1996
Overall rank in height: 17
Shun Hing Square, which was constructed at break-neck speed of four floors in nine days, has offices, residences, mall and an observation deck.
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China plans to build world's tallest building in 10 months
Photographs: Shannon Stapleton/Reuters
Empire State Building
City: New York City
Country: United States of America
Height: 381.0 metres (1,250 ft)
Completion time: One year
Year of completion: 1931
Overall rank in height: 18
Empire State Building remained the tallest building in the world for 40 years until 1970s. The building, a cultural icon, is now owned by 1,800 investors.
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China plans to build world's tallest building in 10 months
Photographs: Jumana El Heloueh/Reuters
Elite Residence
City: Dubai
Country: United Arab Emirates
Height: 380.5 metres (1,248 ft)
Completion time: Six years
Year of completion: 2012
Overall rank in height: 19
Elite Residence located in Marina district in Dubai has 91 floors, with majority of them residences. It has several facilities, such as spa, gymnasium, recreation area and swimming pools.
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China plans to build world's tallest building in 10 months
Photographs: Bobby Yip/Reuters
Central Plaza
City: Hong Kong
Country: Hong Kong
Height: 373.9 metres (1,227 ft)
Completion time: Three years
Year of completion: 1992
Overall rank in height: 20
Central Plaza has some of the world's biggest companies as tenets, including Sun Microsystems, Chevron, ExxonMobil and Swiss Reinsurance Company. It also houses the world's highest church inside a skyscraper, Sky City Church, according to Wikipedia.
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