Imagine waiting for an elevator in your office building. The target wait time might be 20 seconds, but when you’re rushing for a meeting, it can feel like an eternity. But have you ever wondered just how fast these elevators can actually move?
The answer lies in Shanghai, China, where the Shanghai Tower boasts the title of the world’s fastest elevator. This marvel of engineering, designed by Gensler, reaches a staggering speed of 67 feet per second (20.5 meters per second), translating to a whopping 46 miles per hour (73.8 kilometers per hour). This translates to reaching the 119th floor in a mere 55 seconds. The Shanghai Tower also holds the record for the longest continuous elevator run, traveling a distance of 1,898 feet (578.5 meters) within the 2,073-foot (632 meters) tall building, according to a recent study by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH).
But the Shanghai Tower isn’t alone in the high-speed elevator race. Here are some of the other contenders vying for the top spots:
- CTF Finance Center (Guangzhou, China): This skyscraper boasts an elevator reaching speeds of 65 feet per second (20 meters per second).
- Taipei 101 (Taipei, Taiwan): This iconic building features elevators with a peak speed of 55 feet per second (16.8 meters per second).
- Landmark Tower (Yokohama, Japan): Travelers here can experience acceleration of 41 feet per second (12.5 meters per second).
- Two International Finance Center (Hong Kong, China): Designed by renowned architect Cesar Pelli, this building features elevators reaching speeds of 35 feet per second (10.6 meters per second).
Interestingly, speed isn’t the only factor when it comes to impressive elevator design. The CTBUH study also looked at continuous elevator runs, which is the total distance an elevator can travel without stopping. Here, some surprising results emerged:
- Second Longest Run: While the Shanghai Tower takes the cake for longest run, the Ping An Finance Center (Shenzhen, China) by KPF comes in a close second, with its elevator traveling 1,881 feet (573.5 meters) within the 1,965-foot (599 meters) tall tower.
- Burj Khalifa (Dubai, UAE): Despite holding the title of the world’s tallest building designed by SOM, the Burj Khalifa’s elevator run only covers 1,653 feet (504 meters), reaching just 60% of the building’s total height.
- Lotte World Tower (Seoul, South Korea): This 1,821-foot (555-meter) tall tower features a 1,627-foot (496-meter) continuous elevator run, with a ride time of one minute from bottom to top.
The CTBUH report doesn’t just focus on sky-high ascents. For those interested in subterranean travel, the report also highlights the world’s deepest elevator. This record-breaker resides at the KONE elevator testing facility in Tytyri, Finland, where an elevator descends a remarkable 1,148 feet (350 meters).
For a deeper dive into the data behind the world’s fastest elevators and longest runs, you can check out the full CTBUH report. So, the next time you step into an elevator, take a moment to appreciate the incredible engineering feats that make these high-speed journeys possible!
