Hong Kong: The World’s Leader in Skyscrapers and Vertical Urbanism

The city with the most skyscrapers is not New York, Chicago, or Dubai. It is Hong Kong. With 569 buildings exceeding 150 meters (around 492 feet), Hong Kong outranks New York City, which has just over 320 such towers. The Council on Vertical Urbanism provides these figures, defining a tall building as generally more than 14 stories or 50 meters in height. Hong Kong’s skyscrapers not only meet but exceed these dimensions, transforming the city into one of the planet’s most vertically dense urban centers.

Hong Kong’s skyline boasts 102 buildings soaring beyond 200 meters (around 656 feet). Additionally, six of these structures reach ‘supertall’ heights exceeding 300 meters (around 984 feet). The number of buildings over 150 meters tall in Hong Kong nearly doubles that of New York City, leaving Chicago, home to the first skyscraper, with 137 such buildings.

Global Race for Height

As cities like Hong Kong, New York, and Dubai strive to push the boundaries of vertical design, the international competition to construct taller buildings is escalating. This ambition, however, poses mounting environmental challenges. Buildings and construction together contribute to 39 percent of global energy-related carbon emissions, according to the World Green Building Council, with 28 percent stemming from operational energy use and 11 percent from materials and construction.

The emissions before a building is occupied account for a rising portion of this figure. Known as ‘upfront carbon,’ these emissions occur during material procurement, manufacturing, and construction phases. The World Green Building Council cautions that upfront carbon might represent half of the entire carbon footprint of new buildings by 2050, particularly as global building stock is projected to double.

Earlier this month, Gordon Gill, architect of the Jeddah Tower, emphasized the issue’s magnitude. He highlighted that embodied carbon, emissions released during the lifecycle of building materials, is hidden within the structural systems of the buildings. Gill explained, “The majority of embodied carbon that we’re seeing is primarily in the infrastructure and the structure of these buildings,” likening it to an unseen ‘city under the asphalt.’

The Rising City

Hong Kong’s high-rise proliferation stems from geographical and economic factors. Architect James von Klemperer of KPF noted that the increase in skyscrapers mainly emerged due to two primary conditions. The limited land supply caused by island/mountain topographies and the increased demand for building space driven by economic prosperity have propelled vertical growth.

Only about a quarter of Hong Kong’s land is developed, with the rest preserved as protected natural areas. This dedication forces the city to grow vertically, ensuring residents remain close to nature. Hong Kong’s role as a global gateway between China and other parts of the world also fueled growth, facilitating expansion in office, residential, and retail spaces. The skyscraper boom began in the 1970s, accelerated in the 1980s, and flourished in the 1990s and 2000s.

Engineer John Peronto from Thornton Tomasetti underlined the importance of high-rise construction due to necessity. He compared Hong Kong’s situation with early Chicago, where land constraints similarly led to vertical building. “There’s only one way to build now…you have to take full advantage of the land you got,” he said.

Challenges in Adopting Hong Kong’s Model

Despite its global influence, replicating Hong Kong’s model is complex. “While knowledge accumulated from designing buildings in one city can inform our work in another, fully exporting and importing innovative architecture and urban design without adaptation is not wise,” von Klemperer stated. Elements like climate, cultural habits, and susceptibility to natural forces necessitate tailored solutions. Ultimately, the success of a high-rise city hinges on customizing design to local conditions—a principle exemplified by Hong Kong’s ascent to becoming the world’s most vertical city.