Shanghai Tower
The Shanghai Tower is a 128-storey, 632-metre megatall skyscraper in the Lujiazui financial district of Pudong, Shanghai. Completed in 2015 and designed by the American firm Gensler, it is currently the tallest building in China and the world’s third-tallest structure by height to architectural top. The tower is distinguished by its tapering, twisted form — a continuous double-skin facade that spirals 120 degrees from base to spire — and achieved the highest LEED Platinum certification of any building in the world at the time of its opening.
At a glance
- Type
- Mixed-use megatall skyscraper
- Period
- Construction 2008–2015; opened 2015
- Style
- Contemporary high-tech / sustainable architecture
- Location
- Lujiazui, Pudong, Shanghai, China · 31.2366° N, 121.4978° E
Overview
The Shanghai Tower stands at 632 metres and forms part of a dramatic trio of supertall towers in Lujiazui alongside the Jin Mao Tower (421 m) and the Shanghai World Financial Center (492 m). Together, the three buildings define one of the world’s most distinctive high-rise skylines. The Shanghai Tower contains office space, luxury hotel floors, retail, cultural facilities, and two observation decks, making it a vertical city within the city.
History
Construction of the Shanghai Tower began in 2008 following a design competition won by Gensler. The project was developed by Shanghai Tower Construction and Development Co. and involved engineering challenges of considerable complexity, including the twisted exoskeleton required to withstand typhoon-force winds. The tower was topped out in August 2013 and formally opened in 2015. At the time of its completion it was the world’s second-tallest building, a position it held until 2021 when overtaken by Merdeka 118 in Kuala Lumpur.
What you see
The tower’s most striking external feature is its continuous double-skin glass facade that spirals 120 degrees over its full height, reducing wind loads by 24 percent compared to a conventional rectangular tower. At the summit, the Observation Deck on the 118th floor (at approximately 546 metres) offers panoramic views over the entire Shanghai metropolitan area. Inside, nine vertical zones stack offices, hotel rooms (Park Hyatt Shanghai occupies upper floors), retail streets, and atrium gardens within the building’s inner facade.
Cultural significance
The Shanghai Tower has become an emblem of China’s rapid urban transformation and a benchmark in sustainable high-rise design, achieving LEED Platinum CS certification and incorporating 270 wind turbines on its crown. It also held the world record for the fastest elevators (20.5 m/s) until 2017, reflecting the engineering ambition that characterises the entire Lujiazui development. For international visitors, ascending the observation deck offers one of the definitive modern urban experiences in Asia.
Practical information
- Address
- 501 Yincheng Middle Road, Lujiazui, Pudong New Area, Shanghai
- Observation Deck
- 118th floor; open daily — check shanghaitower.com.cn for hours and ticket prices
- Admission
- Paid entry to observation deck
Getting there
The Shanghai Tower is a short walk from Lujiazui Metro Station on Line 2, which connects directly to Nanjing Road and People’s Square in central Shanghai. The station exit leads directly into the Lujiazui financial cluster. Taxis and the Maglev train from Pudong International Airport are additional options for arrivals from outside the city.