According to the Council of Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, a steel “steel skyscraper” is one whose main construction vertical and lateral structural elements, as well as floor systems, are constructed from steel. The idea of steel skyscrapers was first fronted by Fazlur Khan, a vibrant young engineer of Bengali descent.
Although there are a number of incredible steel structures scattered around the world, these kinds of buildings are a phenomenon in their own right, relying solely on the brazen strength of steel for structural integrity.
Below we look at the top 5 tallest steel buildings to ever exist in the world.
Top 5 tallest steel buildings in the world
- Willis Tower (height 442 meters)
- 1 World Trade Center/the North Tower (height 417 meters)
- 2 World Trade Center/the South Tower (height 415 meters)
- Empire State Building (height 381 meters)
- 875 North Michigan Avenue/John Hancock Center (height 344 meters)
1. Willis Tower, Chicago
Also called the Sears Tower, Willis Tower was completed in 1974 having been constructed for just three years. Sears Tower stands 442m high and is the tallest steel building in the world.
The building was constructed using Bundled Tube structural engineering principles and its strength comes from a combination of nine main structures arranged in a three-by-three grid that make up the complex. Willis Tower has 101 floors.
2. North and South World Trade Center Towers
These were the twin towers of the World Trade Center (WTC), a large complex of seven buildings located in the Financial District of Lower Manhattan in New York City. The complex opened on April 4, 1973, and was destroyed during the September 11 terrorist attacks in 2001.
At the time of their completion, the Twin Towers i.e. the 1 World Trade Center (the North Tower) and 2 World Trade Center (the South Tower), were the tallest buildings in the world. The former was 417 meters tall while the latter was 415.1 meters.
Generally, the twin towers were built as a steel tubular structural system. The building’s exterior walls were built of closely spaced steel columns.
4. Empire State Building
The Empire State Building is a 102-story Art Deco skyscraper in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. The building is easily recognizable thanks to its thrusting pinnacle and broad, sprawling base. The building was completed in 1931 and was the tallest building in the world for more than 40 years.
The 381 structure took 13 months to construct. Its construction involved a lot of planning. During construction, steel girders were ordered to length and arrived on site ready to go and each girder was marked with where it would be placed in the framework.
5. The John Hancock Centre
The John Hancock Center is a 100-story, 1,128-foot skyscraper located in Chicago, Illinois. Construction of the building began back in 1965 and was completed in 1969. In 2018, it was officially renamed 875 North Michigan Avenue.
875 North Michigan Avenue has a trussed tube structural engineering design which is evident on the building’s exterior. The building was designed by the same company that built the World Trade Centres.
In total, there are close to 35 free-standing steel buildings in the world. In addition to the aforementioned, these include the One Vanderbilt and JPMorgan Chase World Headquarters. Others are the Two World Trade Center, 30 Hudson Yards, Zhongyuan Tower, and Tuntex Sky Tower just to mention a few.
