Up to 1990, tallest buildings were almost always built in North America—in America or, generally during the downward periods, Canada. The years before and after the second world war saw a handful of European and South American exceptions in countries such as Russia and Brazil. Since 1990 the baton has passed from North America to China (via other Asian countries such as Malaysia and Taiwan), and to the Middle East. That buildings are getting ever higher may please architectural buffs, but whether it makes financial sense is a different question. In terms of economic return, the ideal height for a building may not have changed much since 1930, when it was estimated (in New York) at 63 stories. Today’s buildings are heading above 170 floors.
