The Great Pyramid of Giza or the Taj Mahal – as amazing and huge constructions they may be, on our list of the 10 biggest construction projects in the world there are only contemporary buildings.
Humanity has always aspired to leave a mark on this planet. Now we are aware that the Great Chinese Wall cannot actually be seen from the Moon, though it certainly was a great idea. I am almost positive the wall’s architect and commissioner had something like that in mind. Apparently, we have the need to construct huge projects. What is the reason behind it all? Could it be that by building something so majestic we are (sub)consciously trying to deal with our own mortality? Or is it just our ego that needs some kind of a confirmation for everyone to see and admire? Perhaps a bit of both. Either way, we have to be grateful because it prompted some of the biggest, but also most beautiful projects worldwide.
It would be lovely to say that the beauty and expansiveness of the objects were enough to make sure everything went as planned. If you have ever tried to build a house or a flat, or bought one under construction, you are only too aware of all the things that can go wrong. Unfortunately, that is exactly what happened in 10 Worst Construction Accidents in History. Don’t worry, if you have a bad stomach, in this article we are not going to astound you with such facts.
Kokliang/Shutterstock.com
Now let’s see how we chose the 10 biggest construction projects in the world. I dare say the choice was not easy. With so many gorgeous and gigantic man-made wonders it is hard to opt for just ten of them. We searched the World Atlas, Popular Mechanic, Quora and Dienamics for suggestions and took our picks based on how prominent they were in different lists of most impressive buildings. Next, we explored other sites, such as BBC, which gave us more detailed information on a particular object. Secondly, the biggest constructions shouldn’t be regarded as the biggest mass of concrete, don’t you agree? Should that be the case, the question arises whether the ground, water, or air space belonging to them be included in their size? Also, should we take into consideration the tallest among them all or those that occupy the biggest ground area?
Therefore, we’ve concluded that it is ungratifying to compare the constructions in those oversimplified ways. It only seemed fair then to take different categories and find the largest construction for each one of them. To make the article more gripping, we also bore in mind how much they affect people’s lives with their existence. Another criterion was how likely it is that you might visit them someday, if not already. Hence the biggest airport to read about. On your holiday you might stay in the world’s largest hotel. Football fans will definitely approve of the part about the world’s biggest stadium. But we are getting carried away. Without further ado, here are the ten biggest construction projects in the world that we chose to include in our list.
10. Three Gorges Dam
It is officially the biggest power station in the world. Finished in 2008, even though the first ideas were conceived some 90 years before its realization. Facts provided some interesting information on it. It is located in Sandouping, Hubei, in China, preventing the Yangtze River from flowing naturally. The total cost was $37 billion and they say it was worth every cent. Not sure if the 1.3 million people who had to move their homes due to its construction totally agree. Its enormousness is such that it affects the Earth’s rotation. Fear not, however, and watch the video below about it. Should you wish to see how it compares to the Hoover dam, visit Prezi site for a short and interesting presentation. Let’s just mention that Hoover can produce a maximum 4 billion KW/hr. of electricity. Three Gorges Dam’s number is 84.7 billion KW/hr. But don’t be disheartened. The USA still holds the second place in the world when it comes to the number of dams. Though you already guess who’s in the first…
9. The Kingdom Tower
Saudi Arabia is a country which has a reputation for creating mega-giga-over-the-moon luxurious projects. One of them is the Kingdom Tower, our number 9 on the list of biggest construction projects in the world, or the Jeddah Tower, as it is now more fashionably known. OK, the latest info from Architizer says they delayed its completion for 2018. 80,000 tons of steel turned into the tallest tower into world – not an easy task, but definitely manageable. Adrian Smith and Gordon Gill Architecture from Chicago are the creators of this 3,280 feet tall giant in the city of Jeddah. The building is to have an observatory on top of all the technological wonders you can imagine. Once again, the borders of human imagination have been moved.
Fedor Selivanov / Shutterstock.com
8. Petronas Twin Towers
Getting bigger and bigger on our list of biggest construction projects in the world. Here are not just one, but two tallest towers! Actually, shuffling through the World Atlas we found that they actually were the tallest building in the world from 1998 to 2004, but today they are “barely” the tallest twin towers in the world. They are situated in Kuala Lumpur, in Malaysia. You may experience some dizziness since the height is 1,483 feet, especially if you take a look from the sky bridge connecting them. The look from the top is not for the faint-hearted.
7. The San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge
Speaking of the bridges, here is the widest and longest bridge in the world – the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge that’s up next on our list of biggest construction projects in the world. Mental Floss provided us with some interesting facts. Did you know this bridge connecting two cities was originally dreamt about during the Gold Rush? And that this is basically three bridges, not one? This 7,710 feet long wonder had to be listed as our top ten construction projects. Make sure you observe it at night, too. Here’s a small hint: 25,000 lights shining brightly.
Albert Pego/Shutterstock.com
6. The Rungrado May Day Stadium
Everybody loves watching the game live at a stadium, cheering, yelling, celebrating or sobbing with other supporters of your favorite club. Probably sensations are the strongest at the place where the highest number of people can endorse their club – The Rungrado May Day Stadium in Pyongyang, North Korea. Dienamics says it can hold 150,000 people. North Korea is hard to get a visa to, but if you manage, this is something you mustn’t miss.
5. Songjiang InterContinental Hotel
After all the traveling around the world to see all the wonders, you are bound to be exhausted. Maybe you should have a rest in the world’s largest hotel. To tell the truth, don’t visit it just yet. It’s not finished, but the AtkinsGlobal claims that is going to happen pretty soon. It is futuristic, eco-friendly and absolutely astounding. It spreads over 49,409 sq.m. It is perfectly combined with the surrounding nature. This hotel has it all. Even its own waterfall. Underwater premises included, of course. It simply had to win the prestigious The World’s Best Hotel Architecture Award and a place on our list of biggest construction projects in the world. Simply majestic.
4. Crossrail
Now, let us see a wonder or two in Europe. The Old Continent may still have something to brag about. It is proclaimed as the biggest construction project in Europe. Due to open is in December 2018, as announced on its official Crossrail site, it is also called the Fifteen Billion Pound Railway. You may guess only once why it is so; just imagine how many times you wished for some more lines on the subway. This one is making it happen big time. One of its lines is called Elizabeth. Of course, location – London, UK. And now, let’s see the top three on our list of biggest construction projects in the world.
3. Gotthard Base Tunnel
Let us stay under the ground a little bit more. However, this tunnel goes under the Alps, not a city, and it stretches for some 35 miles. The BBC made a nice report about it. Its magnificence is not only in the fact that it’s the longest rail tunnel in the whole world, but the role it plays in the transport of the neighboring countries, too. Being life-changing for so many people, though it may seem humble when compared to the other from the list, it rightfully deserves a place in our list of construction wonders of the modern world.
2. NAICM Airport
How are you going to visit the largest constructions in the world? Well, you’ll probably take off from this airport. When we asked Quora about the biggest construction project in the world, it appears to be an airport under construction. NAICM International Airport in Mexico, the number two on our list of biggest construction projects in the world should be finished in the year 2020. Ambitiously, it will have a large terminal of 743,000 m2 and serve 57 million passengers per year. And that’s just for the starters. The plan is to deal with 120 million passengers annually. Is it eco-friendly? Of course, it is to be environmentally sustainable. Plus, it’s absolutely breath-taking.
1. The Large Hadron Collider
This is how we finish our list of 10 biggest construction projects in the world. Due to the fact its importance overweighs arguments of all other buildings which seem to fade in comparison. It looked right to end with the LHC. Quora again states it is the biggest, project, and also the biggest machine in the world. True, it is not a building per se, but just remember all those explanations and interviews you have seen on the news. The Large Hadron Collider is basically a 17-mile tunnel which is partially in France, and partially in Switzerland. Still, we can say without any doubt that this is the most powerful tunnel in the whole world.
