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World’s Fastest Elevators : Skyscraper Buildings News

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24 + 23 Jan 2013

World’s Fastest Elevators

Vertical Velocity : Taiwan Home to World’s Fastest Elevators

Hamburg, January 23, 2013 – The elevators currently the fastest in the world were manufactured by the Japanese corporation Toshiba.

Passengers are catapulted at a speed of 1,010 meters per minute, or 60 km/h, from the fifth to the 89th floor of Taipei 101. The ride in this Ferrari among elevators lasts a mere 37 seconds, at the end of which passengers step out already 382 meters above the ground at the observation floor of Taiwan’s tallest building.

1st – Taipei 101, Taiwan
Worlds Fastest Elevators
photo : Daniel Shih

Elevator speeds researched by Emporis, the international building-data provider (www.emporis.com), emphasize the pole position of the elevators in Taipei 101: the world’s second-fastest, located in the Yokohama Landmark Tower, “only” manages a speed of 750 meters per minute.

2nd – Yokohama Landmark Tower, Tokyo, Japan
Yokohama Landmark Tower - Worlds Fastest Elevators
photo : Mathias Beinling

The world’s tallest building, Burj Khalifa, only occupies third place in the list, with a maximum elevator speed of 36 km/h. The skyscraper of superlatives does however offer the world’s fastest double-decker elevators. What is more, the double-deckers’ passengers are also able to travel the longest distance currently possible in an elevator, exiting after a ride of 504 meters at the world’s highest stop, 638 meters up the building.

3rd equal – Burj Khalifa, Dubai, UAE
Burj Khalifa Skyscraper - Worlds Fastest Elevators
photo : Axel Schmies

Overall, the race for the world’s fastest elevator is clearly being run in Asian cities. The elevators in Chicago’s John Hancock Center are the only ones not in Asia. What is more, 2014 will see a further attraction added to the continent: the elevators that Mitsubishi is set to install in the Shanghai Tower will take over as the world’s fastest at a speed of 64.8 km/h. The tower itself will become the world’s second-tallest building on completion.

3rd equal. China World Trade Tower III, Beijing, China
Worlds Fastest Elevators - China World Trade Tower
photo : Igor Butyrskii

3rd equal. Sunshine 60 Building, Tokyo, Japan
Sunshine 60 Building - World's Fastest Elevators
photo : Chris Jongkind

3rd equal. Shanghai World Financial Center, China
Shanghai World Financial Center - World's Fastest Elevators
photo : ThyssenKrupp Elevator AG

From 2014 onward, with the Shanghai Tower, Shanghai World Financial Center and Jin Mao Tower, there will be no fewer than three skyscrapers containing some of the world’s fastest elevators located right next door to one another. For skyscraper fans looking for spectacular elevator rides, Shanghai will be impossible to ignore.

4th. John Hancock Center, Chicao, Illinois, USA
John Hancock Center - Worlds Fastest Elevators
photo : Royce Douglas

5th. Jin Mao Tower, Shanghai, China
Jin Mao Tower - Worlds Fastest Elevators
photo : Michael Bär

Shanghai World Financial Center and Jin Mao Tower:
World's Fastest Elevators
photograph : Thierry Beauvir

Shanghai Tower, Shanghai, China
World's Fastest Elevators
photograph : Jason Zhou

World’s Tallest Building

Sky City Tower – World’s Tallest Building
The world’s tallest building in Changsha, China, due to be completed in just 90 days.
World Tallest Building China
World Tallest Building image © BROAD Group
World Tallest Building
Height: 838 m high / Floors: 220 storeys

Tallest Trends and the Burj Khalifa

Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat ratifies official height and “World’s Tallest” status of the Burj Khalifa

History and Progression of the “World’s Tallest” building
World Tallest Buildings
World Tallest Buildings image © CTBUH

World Skyscrapers – The Tallest Towers

Burj Khalifa skyscraper, Dubai, UAE
Burj Khalifa - World's Fastest Elevators
photograph : Imre Solt

Skyscraper Images

Tall Buildings in Major Global Cities

New York Skyscrapers

Hong Kong Skyscrapers

London Skyscrapers

Dubai Skyscrapers

Paris Skyscrapers

Frankfurt Skyscrapers

Burj al Arab tower – World’s tallest hotel building
Burj al Arab
image from architect

Absolute Tower, Canada
Absolute Tower
image from architect

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