7 highest building in the world

Burj Khalifa
Also Known As: Burj Dubai or Dubai Tower
Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Developer: Emaar Properties
Architect: Adrian Smith, Skidmore, Owings, & Merrill (SOM)
Year: Officially opened January 4, 2010
Height: 828 meters / 2,717 feet (including the spire)
Stories: 162
About the Burj Khalifa:
Originally named Burj Dubai (or Dubai Tower), the soaring skyscraper is now called Burj Khalifa, after Khalifa Bin Zayed, the president of the United Arab Emirates.

Dubai has been a showplace for innovative buildings, and the Burj Khalifa shatters world records for building height. The skyscraper is much taller than Taiwan's Taipei 101, which rises 508 metres (1,667 feet). During a time of economic slowdown, the Burj Khalifa has become an icon for wealth and progress in Dubai. No expense was spared for the building's opening ceremonies on January 4, 2010.

Location: Taipei, Taiwan
Architect: C.Y. Lee & Partner
Year: 2004
Height: 509 meters / 1,670 feet
Stories: 101
About the Taipei 101 Tower
The design of Taipei 101 borrows heavily from Chinese culture. Both the building's interior and exterior incorporate the Chinese pagoda form and the shape of bamboo flowers. The lucky number eight, which means blooming or success, is represented by the eight clearly delineated exterior sections of the building.

The towering spire of Taipei 101 Tower made it the world's tallest building for several years. However, it is now outranked by the Burj Khalifa (Dubai Tower) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, which opened in January 2010.

Location: Pudong District, Shanghai, China
Project Architect and Engineer: Minoru Mori, Mori Building Co., Ltd.
Design Architect: Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates P.C. (KPF)
Year: 2008
Structure: Steel-framed and steel reinforced concrete
Height: 492 meters / 1,600 feet
Stories: 101
About the Shanghai World Financial Centre
The Shanghai World Financial Centre, or Center, is a soaring glass skyscraper with a distinctive opening at the top. The original plans called for a 46 meter (151 foot) circular opening that would reduce wind pressure and also suggest Chinese symbolism for the moon. Many people protested that the design resembled the rising sun on the Japanese flag. Eventually the opening was changed from circular to a trapezoid shape.

The ground floor of Shanghai World Financial Centre is a shopping mall and an elevator lobby with gyrating kaleidoscopes on the ceiling. On the upper floors are offices, conference rooms, hotel rooms, and observation decks.

International Commerce Centre (ICC)
Also Known As: Union Square Phase 7
Location: West Kowloon, Hong Kong
Architect: Wong & Ouyang (HK) Ltd.
Design Architect: Kohn Pedersen Fox Association
Construction Started: 2002
Expected Completion: 2010
Height: 484 meters / 1,587.9 feet
Stories: 118
About the International Commerce Centre
Formerly known as Union Square Phase 7, the International Commerce Centre is part of the expansive Union Square project on the Kowloon peninsula across from Hong Kong Island. The ICC building stands at one end of Victoria Harbour, opposite from Two International Finance Centre located across the harbour on Hong Kong Island. The International Commerce Centre will include a Ritz-Carlton that is expected to be the largest hotel in the world.

Original plans were for an even taller building with 102 floors rising 574 meters (1,883 feet). However zoning laws prohibited the construction of buildings higher than the surrounding mountains. The design of the ICC building was revised and plans for a pyramidal-shaped top were abandoned.

Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Architect: Cesar Pelli
Year: 1998
Petronas Tower 1 Height: 452 meters / 1,483 feet
Petronas Tower 1 Stories: 88
Petronas Tower 2 Height: 452 meters / 1,483 feet
Petronas Tower 2 Stories: 88
About the Petronas Towers
Traditional Islamic design inspired the floor plans for two Petronas towers in Kuala Lumur, Malaysia. Each floor of the 88-story towers is shaped like an 8-pointed star. The two towers have been called cosmic pillars that spiral heavenward. At the 42nd floor, a flexible bridge connects the two Petronas Towers.

Historically Named: Sears Tower
Current Name: Willis Tower
Location: Chicago, Illinois, USA
Architect: Bruce Graham, Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (SOM)
Year: 1973
Height: 442 meters / 1,450 feet
Stories: 110
About the Sears Tower
To provide stability against high winds, architect Bruce Graham used a new form of tubular construction for Sears Tower. Two hundred sets of bundled tubes were laid into the bedrock. Then, 76,000 tons of prefabricated steel in 15-foot by 25-foot sections were put into place. Four derrick cranes moved higher with each floor to lift these steel "Christmas Trees" into position.

Location: Shanghai, China
Architect: Skidmore Owings & Merrill (SOM)
Year: 1999
Height: 421 meters / 1,381 feet
Stories: 88
About the Jin Mao Building
The architects at Skidmore Owings & Merrill designed the Jin Mao Building around the number eight. Shaped like a Chinese pagoda, the Jin Mao Building is divided into segments. The lowest segment has 16 stories, and each succeeding segment is 1/8 smaller than the one below.

Totalling 88 stories, the Jin Mao Building combines shopping and commercial space with office space and, on the upper 38 stories, the towering Grand Hyatt Hotel.