Designbuild Network lists the top six skyscrapers in the world by cost of construction. Image courtesy of Sean Pavone/Shutterstock.
The US has three of the world’s seven most expensive skyscrapers, while China and South Korea have two each. The world’s most expensive skyscraper complex ever built, however, is in Abraj Al-Bait, Saudi Arabia, which cost more than $15bn.
Design-Build Network lists the world’s top skyscrapers based on the total cost of construction.
Top skyscrapers in the world: the most expensive
1. One World Trade Center – $4bn
2. China Zun – $3.35bn
3. One Vanderbilt – $3.2bn
4. Lotte World Tower – $3.18bn
5. Central Park Tower – $3bn
6. Haeundae LCT The Sharp Landmark Tower – $2.64bn
7. Shanghai Tower – $2.54bn
1. One World Trade Center – $4bn
Built on the site of the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center, which was destroyed during the 9/11 terrorist attack in 2001, One World Trade Center in New York City, US, was opened in 2014.
The 541m-high, 104-storey building with a total floor area of 3.5 million square feet was designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and constructed by Tishman Construction. Also known as Freedom Tower, it comprises commercial and office spaces.
Rising from a cubic base, the tower has a faceted form comprising eight elongated isosceles triangles. The hybrid concrete-and-steel structure with a large concrete core is octagonal at the middle. More than 95% of the steel used in the construction of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold-certified building is recycled.
2. China Zun – $3.35bn
Also known as CITIC Tower, China Zun is a mixed-use building located in Chaoyang District, Beijing, China. Developed by the CITIC Group, it was completed in 2018 at a cost of $3.35bn. The 528m-tall skyscraper is the tallest building in Beijing and among the tallest in the world.
The tower houses multiple offices, including the headquarters of the CITIC Group and CITIC Bank. Designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox, it has 109 storeys with a gross floor area of 4.6 million square feet.
Located in the centre of Beijing’s central business district, CITIC Tower has approximately 332,000m² Grade A office facilities and an observation deck at the top. China Zun’s shape is based on the Chinese wine vessel known as ‘zun’ while the outward curve at the top resembles Kǒngmíng lanterns. The curve maximises the floor area at the top of the tower and ensures structural stability at the base.
Advanced technologies such as building information modelling (BIM) technology and digital modelling were used in the design and development of the super-tall building.
3. One Vanderbilt – $3.2bn
One Vanderbilt is a 427m-tall, 1.7 million square feet supertall skyscraper located immediately west of Grand Central Terminal in midtown Manhattan, New York City, US. It is jointly owned by SL Green Realty, South Korea’s National Pension Service, and Hines.
Opened in September 2020, One Vanderbilt serves as the headquarters for multiple firms in finance, banking, law, and real estate industries. The design features four interlocking and tapering planes spiralling toward the sky and a terracotta facade that provides a natural setting.
The tower is incorporated with sustainability features such as cogeneration and rainwater collection systems, as well as the use of recycled materials to achieve LEED certification.
Designed by Kohn Pederson Fox, it has a public transit hall at the base, a 14,000ft² public plaza, more than 1.5 million square feet of new Class A office space and 104,323ft² of new retail space. A 28,000ft² observation deck spans floors 57, 58 and 59 of the 77-storey tower.
4. Lotte World Tower – $3.18bn
The 555m-high Lotte World Tower is located in Seoul, South Korea, spans 5.43 million square feet and has 123 storeys. It was officially completed in April 2017.
The mixed-use building has office space, residential units, retail space, cultural facilities, and a seven-star luxury hotel. Public use and entertainment facilities, including an observation deck and rooftop café occupy the top ten stories. SKY31 CONVENTION in the building is the tallest convention complex in the country.
The tapered form and the curvature of the tower are inspired by Korean artistry. The LEED Gold-certified building features photovoltaic panels, external shading devices, wind turbines, and water harvesting systems. The tower is owned by Lotte Group and designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox and Baum Architects.
5. Central Park Tower – $3bn
The world’s tallest residential tower, Central Park Tower is located on 57th Street in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. Designed by Extell and Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture, the tower is 472.44m-high and has 131 storeys.
Developed by Extell Development Company, the skyscraper achieved topping out in September 2019 and is expected to be completed by the end of 2020. With a gross floor area of 1.28 million square feet, it will include 179 ultra-luxury condominium residences and a 26,500m², seven-storey Nordstrom flagship department store.
The residences range from one to four bedrooms and are available as studio suites, full-floor, as well as duplex and triplex homes. The tower also includes Central Park Club, a private club with approximately 50,000ft² of luxury accommodation spanning three floors.
The transparent facade is designed to allow natural light inside the department store. The tower design includes glass above the base with stainless steel and zinc fins, offering views of the Central Park and the greater city.
6. Haeundae LCT The Sharp Landmark Tower – $2.64bn
The 411m-tall Haeundae LCT The Sharp in Busan, South Korea, consists of a 101-storey landmark tower and two 85-storey residential apartments. The landmark tower is 411m-high, while the remaining two towers are respectively 339m and 333m.
The landmark tower consists of luxury and residential hotels, a convention centre and an observatory. It includes a 561-room residence hotel and a 260-room six-star tourist hotel operated by Lotte Hotels & Resorts.
Completed in 2019, LCT The Sharp features an entertainment complex at the base including a shopping mall and a water park. The second tallest building in South Korea after the Lotte World Tower, it was constructed by POSCO Engineering & Construction with a total built-up area of 7.1 million square feet. It was built with a system resistant to wind and salt to protect it from strong winds and corrosion, respectively.
7. Shanghai Tower – $2.54bn
Rising 632m, the 121-storey Shanghai Tower is located in the heart of the Lujiazui Finance and Trade Zone in Shanghai, China. It is a mixed-used building with a floor area of more than four million ft².
Completed in 2015, the $2.54bn tower was designed by Gensler and developed by Shanghai Tower Construction and Development. It includes office space, retail and entertainment facilities, a luxury hotel, conference centre, as well as cultural areas. Stores and restaurants occupy the podium zone while offices are located in the middle zone and the hotel in the top section.
The spiral-shaped tower has a double facade with sky lobbies, which provide public spaces equipped with vegetation, allowing people to socialise. It is designed as a green building with a LEED Platinum certification from the US Green Building Council. Green solutions incorporated in the building include a double-layer curtain wall, a wind-turbine system, wastewater recycling for internal use, a combined cooling and heating power system, and efficient LED lighting.
Advanced technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and BIM were used in the design and construction. The tower also has a building control system, energy monitoring systems, as well as an intelligent building management system.
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- Wynn Palace
- Resorts World Sentosa
- Apple Park
- SoFi Stadium
- Marina Bay Sands
- Olkiluoto 3
- Abraj Al Bait
- The Great Mosque of Mecca
They used to say “the eight wonders of the world” as a description of the eight most significant buildings and historical sites that people could see. Those wonders, which encompass anything from the Great Pyramids to the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, are inestimable in value. By contrast, these buildings have clear dollar signs attached to them. They are our modern wonders, the most complicated and fancy buildings anywhere, with the price tags to match.
Continue reading to learn about the 8 most expensive buildings in the world. Based on what’s currently under construction, this list is bound to change in the next five years. But for now, here are the world wonders to watch.
Price: $4.2 billion
Location: Cotai, Macau
Year completed: 2016
Designer: Butler/Ashworth Architects and Wong & Ouyang
Owner: Wynn Resorts
photo source: Wikimedia Commons
The Wynn Palace is the third most expensive resort building in the world (see below). Wynn Resorts built this recreation palace in the Macau Special Administrative Region, an area within the People’s Republic of China, specifically in Cotai, a city in Macau.
This hotel has 1,706 rooms, 106,000 sq. ft. of retail space, thirteen restaurants, the largest spa in the country, a pool, and a 424,000 sq. ft. casino. The Wynn Palace cost $4.2 billion to build in 2016.
Did you know?
One of the Wynn Palace’s main attractions is the Performance Lake, an 8-acre water display. The resort also houses an extensive collection of massive floral displays by the designer Preston Bailey, a ton of valuable art works, and over 1,000 rooms that have won the Five Star Award for quality by the Forbes Travel Guide. It also has more Forbes Five-Star restaurants than any resort in the world. These include the renowned luxury restaurant, Sichuan Moon.
Price: $4.93 billion
Location: Singapore, Singapore
Year completed: 2010
Designer: Michael Graves
Owner: Genting Group
photo source: Wikimedia Commons
Resorts World Sentosa is an integrated resort and not the last one on this list. This resort includes not only a hotel but other convention complexes, theme parks, retail centers, restaurants, and more. They are connected by one huge building, the RWS, designed by Michael Graves and completed in 2010 for $4.93 billion.
This resort on the Southern coast of Singapore is one of the world’s most luxurious and includes a museum, the world’s second largest oceanarium, the Galleria of Luxury Fashion, and a waterpark, as well as famous restaurants like Tunglok Heen, Palio, and Osia.
Did you know?
In addition to these attractions as well as one of Singapore’s two official casinos, Resorts World Sentosa also includes the Universal Studios Singapore theme park, the only other Universal Park in Asia other than Universal Studios Japan.
Price: $5 billion
Location: Cupertino, California
Year completed: 2017
Designer: Foster and Partners
Owner: Apple Inc.
photo source: Wikimedia Commons
Apple Park is Apple Inc.’s corporate headquarters. For a company that prides itself on luxury technology, you would expect their headquarters to be lavish and they don’t disappoint. Norman Foster designed the complex as a circle, a blueprint known as a “groundscraper” that encompasses about 64 acres of land.
Apple Park houses 12,000 employees and cost $5 billion to build back in 2017.
Did you know?
Steve Jobs wanted Apple Park to look more like a nature reserve than a business installation. This is why the complex is 80% occupied by green planting space consisting of indigenous trees and plants. The main courtyard of the central building has a pond inside.
Price: $5.5 billion
Location: Inglewood, United States
Year completed: 2020
Designer: HKS, Inc.
Owner: Kroenke Sports & Entertainment
photo source: Wikimedia Commons
The So-Fi Stadium is the most expensive building in the United States, costing $5.5 billion to build. It was finished in 2020 and opened to the public to host both the Los Angeles Chargers and Rams, making it one of only four major stadiums in the country to be the home field of two NFL teams and the only one to do so outside of New York. It hosts the yearly LA Bowl as well.
SoFi is in Inglewood, California and was designed with a canopy fitted with cutting-edge projection technology. The stadium seats 70,240 people but can be expanded to over 100,000.
Did you know?
The SoFi Stadium hosted Super Bowl LVI. It is also slated to host WrestleMania 39, the 2023 College Football Playoff National Championship, and the ceremonies of the 2028 Summer Olympics.
Price: $5.5 billion
Location: Singapore, Singapore
Year completed: 2010
Designer: Moshe Safdie
Owner: Las Vegas Sands
photo source: Wikimedia Commons
The Marina Bay Sands is a major resort property in Singapore on the Bayfront Subzone. This enormous building designed by Moshe Safdie contains 2,561 rooms, a 1.3 million sq. ft. convention center, an indoors mall and museum, theater, restaurants, pavilions, science exhibits, art galleries, and a casino in the atrium with 500 game tables and 1,600 slot machines.
The three skyscrapers of the Marina Bay Sands are connected by the SkyPark, which is a 4,000-person capacity cantilevered platform, which includes conference and recreation spaces galore as well as an infinity pool (or zero-edge pool) hanging over the side of the building. This incredible construct cost $5.5 billion to build.
Did you know?
Marina Bay Sands opened in 2010. It ushered itself into existence with a 13-minute laser, light, and water show (called “Wonder Full”) and a performance by Olympic skater Michelle Kwan on the resort’s indoor skating rink.
Price: $12.4 billion
Location: Eurajoki, Finland
Year completed: 2021
Designer: Areva
Owner: Areva
photo source: Wikimedia Commons
There are two nuclear power plants in Finland. Unit 3 of the second plant is known as Olkiluoto 3 and is one of the most expensive buildings ever constructed. Areva built it for $12.4 billion starting in 2005, though it wasn’t fully completed until 2020. The complex around it was built back in 1973.
The construction of this building created 30,000 of what are known as “person-years,” which is a measure of employment estimated by the amount of work created by the building’s construction.
Did you know?
Unit 3 of the plant went through final testing in 2021, with electricity production slated for July 2022. Finland hopes to have this massive plant operational within the next few years.
Price: $16 billion
Location: Mecca, Saudi Arabia
Year completed: 2012
Designer: Saudi Binladin Group
Owner: Government of Saudi Arabia
photo source: Flickr
The Abraj Al Bait or “Towers of the House” are a massive complex comprising seven interconnected Skyscrapers located in the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia. Despite receiving thousands of pilgrims each year on their holy voyage, Mecca had long been an unmodernized city until state-sponsored endowment projects created facilities like this building.
It is the fourth-tallest building in the world as well as the second most expensive to build, costing $16 billion when it was completed in 2012.
Did you know?
This complex is directly adjacent to the mosque that occupies the number one spot. Its construction was hotly contested by the Turkish government since it involved the demolition of a gorgeous 18th century Ottoman citadel known as the Ajyad Fortress.
Price: $100 billion
Location: Mecca, Saudi Arabia
Year completed: 2021
Designer: KSA
Owner: Government of Saudi Arabia
photo source: Flickr
The most expensive building is The Great Mosque of Mecca. This building, designed for the Government of Saudi Arabia in Mecca and completed in 2021, cost an unbelievable $100 billion to build, making it far and away the most expensive building ever constructed in the modern age. Also known as the Masjid al-Haram, this mosque is one of the ultimate destinations for people on ‘umrah pilgrimages, which encompass millions of worshippers each year.
This mosque is also the largest mosque in the world. Only 7 buildings of any kind in the world are larger. The King of Saudi Arabia, with the title of “Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques,” now controls this holy place.
Did you know?
The Great Mosque of Mecca is the destination of the Hajj, the holy Islamic pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca. It is a non-optional religious duty for practicing Muslims at least once in their life, provided they are physically able to make the journey. Hajj or literally “pilgrimage” is one of the five pillars of Islam alongside oath, alms, fasting, and prayer.
