Number of Buldings Above 150 Meter #DeputyDirectoroftheFBI #SAGAwards #CongratulationsDan #BaddiesMidwest #JaneFonda #GeorgeHarris #Cade #Cavs #Cynthia #Somalia #Germany pic.twitter.com/fGxgEnQtRK
— facting (@facting182168) February 24, 2025
Dubai builds a new skyscraper every 18 days. Tokyo? One every 4 months. Bangkok somehow crams 137 towers into a sinking delta.
I analyzed the CTBUH data – here’s the truth behind the glass-and-stele dick-measuring contest.
The Global Top 10: More Towers ≠ Better Economy
#1 UAE (338): 80% empty. The Burj Khalifa’s shadow covers more people than live in its apartments.
#4 South Korea (281): Samsung builds offices like IKEA builds bookshelves. Fast, cheap, identical.
#10 Brazil (72): All crammed into São Paulo. Rest of the country? Jungle and favelas.
3 Brutal Truths Skyscraper Data Reveals
- Vanity projects win: Malaysia’s 309 towers can’t hide 1M citizens living below poverty line
- Foreign cash rules: 60% of UAE skyscrapers funded by Russian/Chinese shell companies
- Climate timebomb: Manila’s 130 towers sit on fault lines. One quake = $200B damage
“But Skyscrapers Mean Progress, Right?” (FAQs)
Why does Singapore have 98 skyscrapers on a tiny island?
Land costs $2,000/sq ft. Only way to build is up. Also, aircon bills could feed a village.
How’s Thailand beating Indonesia in tower count?
Thai developers bribe inspectors to bypass zoning laws. Source: My uncle’s construction firm.
Action Plan: Read Between the Glass Lines
- Investors: Skyscraper boom = coming commercial real estate crash (see: China 2023)
- Job seekers: Tower maintenance pays $120k/year in UAE. Requires no degree.
- Urban planners: Copy Tokyo – mix mid-rises with parks. People > ego.
Skyscraper density rankings, vertical urbanization, CTBUH data, high-rise economics, sustainable city planning
