The second tallest building in the world finds it home in Shanghai, China. That’s right, China is home to two of the 5 tallest buildings. The Shanghai Tower is measured to be 2,073 feet or 632 meters tall. It features 128 stories including the highest observation deck inside of a structure in the world. Shanghai Tower also houses the fastest elevators in the world with a top speed of 20.5 meters per second. That’s the equivalent to 46 miles per hour.
As of June 1, 2017, CNBC has reported that Shanghai Tower has had a problem getting tenants to occupy those 128 stories. Many floors in the giant tower are empty for a few reasons. One of those is that there was a delay in acquiring the fire safety permits. CNBC continues to state that at the time only 60% of the office space had been leased with only one-third of that 60% having actually moved in.
In addition to office space, Shanghai Tower has plenty to offer. There are shops, restaurants, a spa and fitness center, and even a swimming pool. There are also hotels for business people and towards the top of the building is a concert hall!
Construction of Shanghai Tower began in 2008 over the location of a driving range. The final structural beam was laid on August 3, 2013. This made the building the tallest in China and the second tallest in the world. The interior was finished towards the end of 2014, and the building was gradually opened throughout the summer of 2016.
