Why the US Stopped Building the World's Tallest Skyscrapers

The soaring skyscrapers that have been crowned the world's tallest over the past nearly 30 years all have one thing in common-none is in the United States.

Despite boasting some of the world's most recognizable skylines, the U.S. has not been home to the tallest building since Chicago's Willis Tower, which was completed in 1974. Formerly known as the Sears Tower, the structure stood as the world's tallest until 1998, when Malaysia's Petronas Towers surpassed it.

The shift reflects not a loss of architectural capability, but a deeper change in priorities. A combination of regulation, urban maturity and changing global motivations has reshaped where-and why-super‑tall buildings are constructed.

Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), the Willis Tower remains a landmark in high‑rise engineering. The same U.S. firm later designed the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, the current tallest building on Earth. So, American architects are still shaping the global skyline-just not at home.

Regulatory Ceilings

One of the most significant constraints on skyscraper construction in the U.S. is regulation.

Gordon Gill-the architect behind Saudi Arabia's Jeddah Tower, which will be the world's tallest building once completed-told Newsweek that strict aviation rules in the U.S., overseen by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to ensure airspace safety, play a key role in limiting building height.

While the FAA does not set a single maximum height for buildings, any structure exceeding 200 feet must be reviewed. In practice, proximity to airports often caps how tall a building can be, especially in dense urban regions.

In American cities, airports are frequently close to downtown cores, limiting how tall buildings can be, while many cities abroad have their largest airports farther from the city center. Height limits abroad are also often determined locally, rather than nationally, as in the U.S.

When Skyscrapers Were Catalysts

Beyond regulation, Gill notes that the U.S. is simply at a different stage of urban development. He told Newsweek: “Many of the projects that we’re doing, they are catalysts for cities, and the U.S. is of an age where we’ve gone through it.”

In earlier decades, supertall skyscrapers played a transformational role in American cities. Gill pointed to Chicago's Willis Tower and John Hancock Center as examples.

“When you look at those two buildings and then at their inception, there was basically nothing around them,” Gill said. Today, American cities are far more built out. The need to announce growth or attract investment through sheer height has largely passed.

Global Rivalry and Symbolism

In many parts of the world, the tallest buildings are closely tied to national identity, economic ambition, and global positioning-factors that have less urgency in the U.S. today.

The Burj Khalifa in Dubai is a prime example. Originally known as the Burj Dubai, it was constructed during a debt-fueled boom backed by Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum's vision of transforming the emirate into a global hub. When Dubai's finances collapsed during the 2008-2009 financial crisis, Abu Dhabi stepped in with billions in support, and the tower was renamed in honor of its ruler, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Elsewhere, skyscrapers have become instruments of rivalry. In the Gulf, competition between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates has manifested in ambitious skyline projects. Saudi initiatives like NEOM and Jeddah Tower aimed to surpass Dubai's global prominence in architectural feats.

At the opening of the Petronas Towers in Malaysia, the country's former prime minister Mahathir bin Mohamad said a nation needs visible aspirations, noting that “a country needs something to look up to.” He explained: “When one is short, one should stand on a box to get a better view. The twin towers is to our ego what the box is to the shorties.”

Similarly, Taiwan's former President Chen Shui-bian described Taipei 101 as a source of national inspiration, saying: “This building will lead Taiwan to the top of the world, giving Taiwan the drive to fulfill its dreams.”

Mature Cities Have New Priorities

Gill believes that American cities no longer need record-breaking skyscrapers to prove their status or establish their identity.

Instead, they are focused on density, livability, and cultural depth. “There’s a maturity in the United States that offers a real richness in its cities…these cities offer a variety of things that create value,” Gill noted.

“Cities grow up,” Gill said. “At some point, they may need to be an attractor. And at other points in their lives, they may need to be more substantial in their cultural programs, in their open spaces.”

Even Dubai is evolving. Gill noted that buildings his firm designed in 2009 are already being adapted, with apartments combined and layouts reworked to meet changing demographics. “It's wonderful to see cities age,” he said.

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This story was originally published May 11, 2026 at 10:53 AM.