Foundations for Supertall Buildings in China

The development of supertall buildings in China has progressed rapidly. As of 2023, China accounts for approximately 110 out of 232 global supertall buildings (defined as 300 m or taller), and 7 out of the world’s top 12 completed or topped-out supertall buildings exceeding 500 m (Figure 1). Among these buildings, the 632-m-tall Shanghai Tower (completed and opened in 2016) holds the distinction of being China’s tallest completed building, and ranks as the world’s second tallest, surpassed only by the 828-m-tall Burj Khalifa in the United Arab Emirates. Meanwhile, with the completion of the 588-m-tall Ping An International Finance Centre in Shenzhen, and the structural topping-out of the 597-m-tall Tianjin Goldin Finance 117 Tower, China has emerged as the global epicenter for supertall building development.