China's $1BN Skyscraper Mistake

More like this

• Policy09/15/2026@BuildDesk

  China Expands Its Nationwide Skyscraper Height Caps

  Beijing, ChinaMinistry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development

  

  Starts 10/26/2021CONFIRMED90% CONFIDENCE4.9 years agoHappened as dated, per the source^[1]: "Skyscrapers taller than 150 meters are not allowed to be built in cities with less than 3 million people".

  China's housing ministry tightened its skyscraper rules nationwide, barring any new building over 150m in cities under 3 million people and capping larger cities at 250m.

  0.72

  00
• Architecture09/15/2026@BuildDesk

  Why Shanghai Tower Failed

  501 Yincheng Middle Road, Lujiazui, Pudong, Shanghai, China

  

  Starts 02/01/2015ESTIMATED50% CONFIDENCE11.6 years agoEstimated: Wikipedia's^[3] infobox gives 1 February 2015 and its text says public use began in February 2015 rather than the scheduled November 2014, but the tower opened in stages - ICE^[2] says it was 'officially opened to the public in 2016' and the observation deck only opened in July 2016, with the 118th and 119th floor decks fully public from 26 April 2017.

  Shanghai Tower, the 632-metre twisting skyscraper meant to crown China’s financial capital, opens to the public - but spends its first years struggling to fill offices meant for multinational tenants.

  CN¥15.9B

  0.72

  00
• Policy09/15/2026@BuildDesk

  China Bans New Skyscrapers Over 500 Metres Nationwide

  Beijing, ChinaMinistry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development

  

  Starts 04/27/2020CONFIRMED82% CONFIDENCE6.4 years agoHappened as dated, per the source^[1]: "new buildings over 500 metres in height are not allowed to be built."

  China's housing ministry issued a nationwide notice halting construction of any new building taller than 500 metres and tightly restricting towers over 250 metres.

  0.71

  00
• Property09/14/2026@BuildDesk

  The One Placed Into Receivership in Toronto

  Yonge and Bloor, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

  

  Starts 10/16/2023CONFIRMED84% CONFIDENCE2.9 years agoHappened as dated, per the source^[1]: the tower "was taken over by a court-appointed receiver" in "October 2023" after "financiers defaulted on more than $1.2 billion in loans."

  The One, an 85-storey tower at Yonge and Bloor meant to be Canada's first supertall skyscraper, was placed into receivership after its financiers defaulted on more than $1.2BN in loans.

  C$1.2B

  0.71

  00
• Architecture09/14/2026@BuildDesk

  Goldin Finance 117 Targeted to Finally Complete in Tianjin

  Goldin Finance 117, Xiqing District, Tianjin, China

  

  Starts 06/30/2027ESTIMATED65% CONFIDENCEin 280 daysGiven as scheduled, per the source^[1]: "In April 2025, it was announced that construction would resume and be completed in 2027."

  After a decade standing unfinished as the world's tallest abandoned building, Tianjin's 597-metre Goldin Finance 117 resumed construction under a state-led rescue and is targeted to complete in 2027.

  0.68

  00
• Architecture09/15/2026@BuildDesk

  Chicago's Century and Consumers Buildings Saved From Demolition

  220 South State Street, Loop, Chicago, Illinois, United StatesGeneral Services Administration

  

  Starts 08/02/2024CONFIRMED90% CONFIDENCE2.1 years agoHappened as dated, per the source^[1]: the GSA released its final environmental review, "ultimately choosing to reuse the vacant buildings rather than demolish them," reported August 2, 2024.

  The US General Services Administration reversed course on a $52M congressional earmark to demolish two historic Chicago Loop skyscrapers, opting to reuse them instead after a sustained preservation campaign.

  0.65

  00
• Architecture06/21/2017@ThePinGang

  Dubai to Add the World's First Rotating Skyscraper to Its Skyline by 2020

  

  12/01/2020 - 12/02/2020CONFIRMED80% CONFIDENCE5.8 years agoHappened as dated, per interestingengineering.com^[1]: "…“Dynamic Tower” which is expected to be completed in 2020. Th … line by 2020 Dubai will be home to t…"

  Dubai will be home to the first rotating skyscraper, dubbed the “Dynamic Tower” which is expected to be completed in 2020. The 42-meter skyscraper will be made of a series of 80-story-high rotating condos each costing a whopping $30 million.

  $30M

  0.64

  00
• Architecture09/15/2026@BuildDesk

  Australia's Tallest Tower Plan, STH BNK by Beulah, Collapses

  60 Southbank Boulevard, Southbank, Melbourne, AustraliaBeulah International

  

  Starts 08/14/2026CONFIRMED81% CONFIDENCE40 days agoHappened as dated, per the source^[1]: "The dream of Australia's tallest apartment tower is dead in all but name".

  Melbourne's planned 366-metre STH BNK by Beulah tower, once set to be Australia's tallest building and a supertall vertical garden, collapsed after its developer defaulted on financing.

  0.64

  00
• Architecture09/15/2026@BuildDesk

  Leeza SOHO Opens with the World’s Tallest Atrium

  Leeza SOHO, Jinwan South Street, Fengtai District, Beijing, ChinaZaha Hadid Architects

  

  Starts 11/19/2019CONFIRMED90% CONFIDENCE6.8 years agoThe B1M’s March 2018 video and article described the tower as if newly finished, but construction was still ongoing (topping out was only September 2017); Zaha Hadid^[4] Architects’ own announcement and multiple design outlets confirm Leeza SOHO actually opened on 19 November 2019. Happened as dated, per the source^[1]: "zaha hadid architects completes 'leeza SOHO tower' in beijing".

  Zaha Hadid Architects’ twisting Beijing skyscraper opened with a 194-metre atrium spanning two towers built around a live subway line.

  0.63

  00
• Architecture09/15/2026@BuildDesk

  The Henderson Skyscraper Opens on Hong Kong's Priciest Site

  The Henderson, 2 Murray Road, Central, Hong KongHenderson Land

  

  Starts 06/30/2024CONFIRMED82% CONFIDENCE2.2 years agoHappened as dated, per the source^[1]: "Construction began in 2019 and was completed in 2024".

  The Henderson, a curved Zaha Hadid-designed office tower on the world's most expensive building site, was completed in mid-2024 in Hong Kong's Central district.

  0.63

  00
• Policy09/15/2026@BuildDesk

  Sydney Approves Taller Skyscrapers Above Its 235m Cap

  Sydney Tower, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

  

  Starts 12/31/2021CONFIRMED90% CONFIDENCE4.7 years agoHappened as dated, per the source^[1]: "In 2021, the City of Sydney announced that the state government had approved its planning framework that would allow buildings of up to 310m."

  Sydney's decades-old rule capping buildings at 235m, tied to the height of Sydney Tower, gave way as the state government approved a planning framework allowing towers up to 310m.

  0.63

  00
• Architecture09/15/2026@BuildDesk

  Central Park Tower Welcomes Its First Residents

  Central Park Tower, 225 West 57th Street, New York, New York, United StatesExtell Development Company

  

  Starts 02/25/2021CONFIRMED85% CONFIDENCE5.6 years agoHappened as dated, per the source^[1]: "The first buyers finalized the purchases of their apartments in February 2021."

  The world's tallest residential building began closing apartment sales on Billionaires' Row, months after finishing construction as Manhattan's newest supertall.

  0.63

  00