Nov. 28, 2014, — Following its topping out on 3 August 2013, the Shanghai Tower is currently the tallest building in China and the second-tallest in the world, surpassed only by the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. It is also China’s tallest structure of any kind, surpassing the 600-meter (1,969 ft) Canton Tower in Guangzhou.
Buildings reach a milestone in the construction of the Shanghai Tower. The contractors building the city’s new landmark Shanghai Tower say they have complete installing all of its glass walls, and say today’s announcement makes sure that the 632-meter-building will be ready for use by the middle of next year.
The Shanghai Tower was designed by the American architectural firm Gensler, with Chinese architect Jun Xia leading the design team.
The tower takes the form of nine cylindrical buildings stacked atop each other, totalling 121 floors, all enclosed by the inner layer of the glass façade. Between that and the outer layer, which twists as it rises, nine indoor zones provide public space for visitors. Each of these nine areas has its own atrium, featuring gardens, cafés, restaurants and retail space, and providing 360-degree views of the city.