In a world beset by troubles, supertall buildings, which measure from 984 ft to 1,968 ft, would not seem to rate high on a list of priority concerns. The 173 completed supertalls—yes, there are that many—have solved space shortages in tight urban environments and engaged the talents of designers and contractors in ways that few projects do.
Most are technologically magnificent. But these buildings also smack of elitism, excess, architectural hubris and environmental carelessness.