492 metres tall, Shanghai World Financial Center is a mixed-use skyscraper in Shanghai, China. It ranks number 12 among the world's tallest completed buildings by architectural height. [2]
Wikidata contains other height values. The ranking uses the explicitly identified architectural height in the linked measurement source; tip, roof and proposal heights are not interchangeable. Directory record added 9 September 2026. The original top-ten engineering dossiers have a deeper independent review; this record does not claim that same verification level. See source ↗
ENGINEERING DOSSIER
How Shanghai World Financial Center works
Project evidence, construction records and the limits of what is documented. A named consultant’s role is kept separate from the architect, contractor and local engineer of record.
Several disciplines behind the tower
The owner credits Kohn Pedersen Fox and Irie Miyake for design, Leslie E. Robertson Associates for structural design, and ECADI as the local design institute. China State Construction and Shanghai Construction Group are credited for construction.
Material and programme
The official introduction describes steel and steel-reinforced-concrete construction, with three basement levels beneath the mixed-use tower. Those descriptions establish the material family; they do not identify a concrete strength, steel grade or foundation depth.
Car count does not establish passenger capacity, speed, zoning, redundancy or peak traffic performance. Read the engineering guide ↗
Construction start
Not confirmed
A start year can refer to enabling works, foundations or the main construction contract. Read the engineering guide ↗
Structural topping out
Not confirmed
Topping out marks a structural milestone; facade work, commissioning and occupancy can follow later. Read the engineering guide ↗
Reading the vertical dimensions
The directory records 492 metres of architectural height and 101 above-ground floors. The highest occupied level has not been confirmed here. Measurement source ↗
Dividing architectural height by floor count would include the crown and any unequal floor heights. It cannot be used as a typical floor-to-floor dimension, a measure of slenderness or a structural design input.
Questions for a deeper technical review
Foundation tests, core and column sizes, construction-stage stability, creep and shortening allowances, wind-tunnel results and facade movement tolerances need project-specific evidence. Their absence here does not imply that the project lacked those studies.
Directory record updated . No dated field checks have been recorded. Updating the page does not re-verify every fact.
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Evidence and decision
Correction and publication log
: added a visible evidence register and change history. The initial evidence-register release preserved the existing measurements; subsequent corrections appear above.