The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) has released its annual report, CTBUH Year in Review: Tall Trends of 2019, part of the Tall Buildings in Numbers data analysis series. The report shows that 126 buildings of 200 meters’ height or greater were completed in 2019, including 26 “supertall” buildings of at least 300 meters’ height, a new record.
The total number of supertall buildings worldwide is now 170. In 2013, there were 76 buildings 300 meters or higher worldwide; in 2000, only 26. The 530-meter Tianjin CTF Finance Centre in Tianjin, China was the tallest building completed in 2019.
“This is the fifth year in a row that a building over 500 meters has been completed, which is a remarkable accomplishment for the building industry – it was only 15 years ago that such buildings didn’t exist,” said CTBUH Chief Executive Officer Antony Wood.
Overall, the number of completed buildings of at least 200 meters in 2019 declined by 13.7% (there were 146 in 2018). This is the first year in which the overall completion figure declined since the 2010 to 2011 gap, which was attributed to the lag effect of project cancellations due to the 2008 recession. Due to the long lead times inherent to skyscraper construction, many of the projects completing in 2019 were conceived and initiated five or more years ago, and thus reflect the development circumstances of a half-decade prior.
However, 2019 proved to be a significant year for some areas that did not already have an abundance of tall buildings, and in some cases, had never been on the 200-meter-plus list before. The African continent and the nation of Algeria alike got a new tallest building: the Great Mosque of Algiers (265 meters). And on the opposite end of Africa, The Leonardo (227 meters) in Johannesburg, South Africa, became that nation’s new tallest building, and the second-tallest building on the continent. Europe also gained a new tallest building, after a long gestation period (including a change of site) – the Lakhta Center (462 meters) in St. Petersburg. And Brazil completed the Infinity Coast Tower (235 meters), which is the country’s first building to exceed 200 meters, despite being a nation of many tall buildings.
Looking into 2020, CTBUH currently projects a similar range for the expected number of completions for 200-meter-plus buildings: between 115 and 145. Of these, between 17 and 30 are expected to be supertalls (300 meters and higher).
View the full and interactive report on The Skyscraper Center.
Related Stories
Codes and Standards | Oct 26, 2022
‘Landmark study’ offers key recommendations for design-build delivery
The ACEC Research Institute and the University of Colorado Boulder released what the White House called a “landmark study” on the design-build delivery method.
Building Team | Oct 26, 2022
The U.S. hotel construction pipeline shows positive growth year-over-year at Q3 2022 close
According to the third quarter Construction Pipeline Trend Report for the United States from Lodging Econometrics (LE), the U.S. construction pipeline stands at 5,317 projects/629,489 rooms, up 10% by projects and 6% rooms Year-Over-Year (YOY).
Designers | Oct 19, 2022
Architecture Billings Index moderates but remains healthy
For the twentieth consecutive month architecture firms reported increasing demand for design services in September, according to a new report today from The American Institute of Architects (AIA).
Market Data | Oct 17, 2022
Calling all AEC professionals! BD+C editors need your expertise for our 2023 market forecast survey
The BD+C editorial team needs your help with an important research project. We are conducting research to understand the current state of the U.S. design and construction industry.
Market Data | Oct 14, 2022
ABC’s Construction Backlog Indicator Jumps in September; Contractor Confidence Remains Steady
Associated Builders and Contractors reports today that its Construction Backlog Indicator increased to 9.0 months in September, according to an ABC member survey conducted Sept. 20 to Oct. 5.
Market Data | Oct 12, 2022
ABC: Construction Input Prices Inched Down in September; Up 41% Since February 2020
Construction input prices dipped 0.1% in September compared to the previous month, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Producer Price Index data released today.
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.
Market Data | Aug 25, 2022
‘Disruptions’ will moderate construction spending through next year
JLL’s latest outlook predicts continued pricing volatility due to shortages in materials and labor
Market Data | Aug 2, 2022
Nonresidential construction spending falls 0.5% in June, says ABC
National nonresidential construction spending was down by 0.5% in June, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data published today by the U.S. Census Bureau.
Market Data | Jul 28, 2022
The latest Beck Group report sees earlier project collaboration as one way out of the inflation/supply chain malaise
In the first six months of 2022, quarter-to-quarter inflation for construction materials showed signs of easing, but only slightly.
