The latest addition to the skyline is the 632-metre high Shanghai Tower, designed by Gensler. It is the second tallest tower in the world when we visited but closely rivalled by another Chinese tower, Tianjin 117 in north China designed by P+T Group that comes in at 596.5metres. The project started in November 2008 and is just about to complete at a cost of around £1.5 billion. We were given rare access to this new addition to the building just before completion in the company of Gensler’s managing principal, Daniel Winey and Xia Jun, Shanghai Tower’s design leader and a star in the Chinese architectural firmament. This was Jun’s last official duty before leaving Gensler for pastures new.

‘Taste aside, it is all fit for purpose and awaits the weddings, banquets and office-party regulars that are necessary to pay for this megastructure’

Architecture firm Gensler has completed its Shanghai Tower, which is now China's tallest building and the second-tallest building in the world.

Located in Shanghai's burgeoning Lujiazui financial district, the 632-metre-high skyscraper is 31 metres taller than the previous title holder, the Makkah Royal Clock Tower in Mecca.

The only taller building on the globe is the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, which measures 828 metres.

上海中心” 位於中國上海浦東陸家嘴金融貿易區核心區，主體建築總高度632米，地上127層，地下5層，總建築面積57.6萬平方米，是一座集辦公、酒店、會展、商業、觀光等功能於一體的垂直城市。