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2015 was a major year for skyscraper construction. With the completion of 432 Park Avenue in New York City, there were 100 supertalls soaring high above cities all around the world at year's end. 2016 is shaping up to be just as big, if not bigger, in the world of skyscrapers. One of the tallest towers on the planet will be completed this year in the Ping An Finance Centre, a 115-storey behemoth currently topped-out in Shenzhen, China.
The Ping An Life Insurance Company of China retained Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates to design the megatall structure, which will become the tallest office building in the world when it opens. At 600 metres, it is also now the fourth tallest building in the world behind the Burj Khalifa, Shanghai Tower, and the Makkah Royal Clock Tower. The Ping An Finance Centre is located in the epicentre of Shenzhen's burgeoning central business district.
The mammoth podium houses several floors of retail and conference facilities, complemented by a large and airy atrium. Diagonal beams running up the vertical axis of the glass and stone tower provide strength and stiffness. An observation deck situated on the top three floors will provide mesmerizing views of the booming metropolis. The building was originally going to be equipped with a 60-metre spire, which would have pushed it above the height of Shanghai Tower to become the tallest skyscraper in China. Concerns about plane flight paths led to the eventual nixing of the feature.
Construction on the building began in 2010 and reached its apex on April 30, 2015. Cladding has since been installed on the majority of the tower, with only a few finishing touches left incomplete on the crown and base. Another part of the complex, a second 47-storey tower is now under construction. Photos from Flickr users MisterFoley and ploppalopp show the structure's lattice facade and overall impact on the skyline as it approaches completion, preparing to bask in the limelight.
Additional images and information can be found in the Database file linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion? Check out the associated Forum thread or leave a comment below.
