Shanghai World Financial Center facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Shanghai World Financial Center
上海环球金融中心
The Shanghai World Financial Center in March 2017
General information
Status	Completed
Type	Office, hotel, museum, observation, parking garage, retail
Architectural style	Neo-Futurism
Location	100 Century Avenue, Pudong, Shanghai
Construction started	27 August 1997; 28 years ago (1997)
Completed	2008; 17 years ago (2008)
Opening	28 August 2008
Cost	RMB ¥ 8.17 billion (USD $ 1.20 billion)
Owner	Shanghai World Financial Center Co., Ltd. (Mori Building Company)
Height
Architectural	492 m (1,614.2 ft)
Tip	494.3 m (1,621.7 ft)
Roof	487.4 m (1,599.1 ft)
Top floor	474 m (1,555.1 ft)
Observatory	474 m (1,555.1 ft)
Technical details
Floor count	101 (3 below ground)
Floor area	381,600 m² (4,107,500 sq ft)
Lifts/elevators	91 + 33 escalators
Design and construction
Architect	Kohn Pedersen Fox
Developer	Mori Building Co.
Structural engineer	Leslie E. Robertson Associates RLLP
Main contractor	China State Construction Engineering Corp and Shanghai Construction (Group) General Co.

The Shanghai World Financial Center (SWFC) is a super tall skyscraper in Shanghai, China. It stands in the Pudong district, a very modern part of the city. This amazing building was designed by the company Kohn Pedersen Fox.

The SWFC is a "mixed-use" building. This means it has many different things inside. You can find offices, hotels, meeting rooms, and even shopping areas on the ground floor. The Park Hyatt Shanghai hotel is located high up in the tower, from the 79th to the 93rd floors. When it was finished, it was the highest hotel in the world! Today, it's still one of the highest.

The skyscraper was completed on September 14, 2007, reaching a height of 492 meters (1,614 feet). At that time, it was the second tallest building in the world. It was also the tallest building in China. The SWFC officially opened its doors on August 28, 2008. Its amazing observation decks opened just two days later. From these decks, you can see incredible views from 474 meters (1,555 feet) above the ground!

Many people have praised the SWFC's design. In 2008, architects even called it the best skyscraper completed that year. In 2013, a new building called the Shanghai Tower was built next to it. The Shanghai Tower is now taller than the SWFC. But together, the Shanghai World Financial Center, the Shanghai Tower, and the Jin Mao Tower form a unique group. They are the world's first three super tall skyscrapers built right next to each other!

Building History
- How it Was Built
Building Design
- How the Building Stays Strong
Who Works There?
Getting There
Awards and Recognition
Gallery
See also
- Similar towers

Building History

The idea for the Shanghai World Financial Center started in 1997. The American company Kohn Pedersen Fox designed the 100-story tower. However, work on the building stopped for a while because of money problems in Asia. The plans were also changed a bit by the Mori Building Company.

Many different companies helped pay for the building. Banks from China, Japan, and Hong Kong, along with investors from America and Europe, all contributed.

How it Was Built

Under construction in February 2006.

The first stone for the tower's foundation was laid on August 27, 1997. After the foundations were finished, the project paused due to money issues. In 2003, the Mori Group decided to make the building even taller. They changed the plans from 460 meters (1,509 feet) and 94 stories to 492 meters (1,614 feet) and 101 stories. They used the same foundations, and construction started again on November 16, 2003.

On August 14, 2007, a small fire broke out in the building while it was still being built. It happened on the 40th floor. Luckily, the fire was put out quickly, and no one was hurt. The damage was not serious.

The building reached its full height on September 14, 2007. This happened when the last steel beam was put into place. The outside panels were added by mid-2008, and the elevators were finished soon after. The Shanghai World Financial Center was officially completed on July 17, 2008. It opened to the public on August 28, 2008. The amazing observation decks opened on August 30, 2008.

The Shanghai World Financial Center compared with other Asian skyscrapers.

Building Design

Shanghai World Financial Center.

Shanghai World Financial Center

Simplified Chinese

上海环球
金融中心

Traditional Chinese

上海環球
金融中心

Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin	Shànghǎi huánqiú jīnróng zhōngxīn
Wade–Giles	Shanghai huanch'iu chinjung chunghsin
IPA	[ʂâŋxài̯ xu̯ǎntɕʰi̯ǒu̯ tɕínɻʊ̌ŋ ʈʂʊ́ŋɕín]
Wu
Romanization	Zaanhe guejjieu jinhhion tsonxin [zɑ̃²³hɛ³⁴ ɡuɛ²³dʑiɤ²³ tɕin⁵³ɦioŋ²³ tsoŋ⁵³ɕin⁵³]

The top of the building, with the aperture clearly visible.

The most special part of the SWFC's design is the trapezoid-shaped hole at the very top. Originally, the plan was for a round hole. This round shape was meant to help with strong winds. It also looked like a traditional Chinese "moon gate." However, some people thought the round hole looked too much like the Japanese flag.

So, the designers changed the shape to a trapezoid. This new shape also helped with wind and was cheaper to build. Because of this unique shape, many people jokingly call the building "the bottle opener"! You can even buy small metal replicas that work as bottle openers in the tower's gift shop.

The tower has three different observation decks. These are located around the big hole at the top.

The lowest deck is on the 94th floor, 423 meters (1,388 feet) high.
The second deck is on the 97th floor, 439 meters (1,440 feet) high.
The highest deck is on the 100th floor, 474 meters (1,555 feet) high.

The roof of the skyscraper is 492 meters (1,614 feet) tall. At one point, it was the highest roof in the world. The architects decided not to add a tall spire to the building. They wanted the SWFC to be a "broad-shouldered building" instead. The building has a huge floor area, with 31 elevators and 33 escalators to help people move around.

How the Building Stays Strong

The trapezoid hole at the top is made of strong steel and concrete. This design helps the building stand firm against strong forces. Things like wind, the weight of people, and heavy equipment all push on the building. The special diagonal braces and trusses carry these forces safely down to the ground. This smart design uses less material, making the building lighter and more eco-friendly.

Who Works There?

The Shanghai World Financial Center is home to many important international financial companies. These include banks, insurance companies, and investment firms. Some well-known tenants are Ernst & Young, Morgan Stanley, and BNP Paribas. Even Google's Shanghai office is located on the 60th and 61st floors!

Getting There

You can easily reach the SWFC by public transport. The Shanghai Metro's Line 2 stops at Lujiazui Station. From there, it's just a 10-minute walk to the building.

Awards and Recognition

Architects named the Shanghai World Financial Center the best skyscraper completed in 2008. It won awards from the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH). Experts praised its simple yet powerful design. They also noted its clever structure, which uses steel trusses to protect against wind and earthquakes. This design made the building lighter and more sustainable. One architect called the SWFC's structure "nothing short of genius."

Gallery

Shanghai World Financial Center, visible behind the Oriental Pearl Tower.
Inside the tower's observation deck.
Shanghai World Financial Center (left) and the Jin Mao Tower.
The Shanghai World Financial Center and Jin Mao Tower adjacent to each other.
At night.
Next to the Jin Mao Tower.
Beside the Shanghai Tower at night.
Under construction.
Under construction.
Under construction.
Beside Jin Mao Tower.
Shanghai World Financial Center pictured at night.
The aperture under construction at the top of the building.
Stucco mural depicting the original design.
The SWFC, Jin Mao Tower and incomplete Shanghai Tower (far right) in August 2012.
The SWFC, Jin Mao Tower, and the Shanghai Tower near completion in January 2014.
View of Jin Mao Tower from the SWFC observation deck.
Top of the building.
Shanghai World Financial Tower seen from Shanghai Tower, 2016.
Shanghai World Financial Center from Lujiazui Central Green Space, March 2024.