While most Chinese cities having their numerous skyscrapers built in last five or ten years, Guangzhou is one of a few exceptions in China that had had lots of skyscrapers a long time ago, the city had already witnessed skyscraper construction booms as early as 1990s, when the majority of Chinese cities had no skyscrapers at all. And even to nowadays, many new skyscraper projects are ongoing in the city. In 2016, Chow Tai Fook Center was completed, with a height of 530 meters, it became the tallest building in Guangzhou bypassing IFC Tower for that title, and ranks 8th in the world in height. If not considering habitability, the 597 meters Canton Tower is the city's tallest supertall with a height of 596 to its tip, it was once the tallest telecom tower of the world and now ranks 2nd, only after Tokyo Sky Tree.
As of 2016, there are about 30 skyscrapers built or being built that exceeding 200 meters in Guangzhou, among them 11 are supertall skyscrapers (including 1 sightseeing tower), making Guangzhou currently ranks first in the whole Greater China Region in terms of amount of completed supertall skyscrapers, even Shenzhen is after it at present.
The first supertall built in the city is CITIC Plaza, it was built in 1997, and standing 391 meters tall, it was once the tallest building of China and world's tallest concrete building, now it remain the 10th tallest completed building in the country as of 2016.
Completed and Topped out:
1. Canton Tower
Standard height: 596 meters
Roof height: 454 meters
Observation deck: 488 meters
Built year: 2010
Canton Tower was 610 meters tall upon its completion, this height didn't last long, the tower faced a series of flight issues soon after completion, then the peak of the spire got removed making the height of the tower decreased to 596 meters. The tower features world‘s highest outdoor observation deck, at a height of 488 meters, with such a height it is also higher than almost every indoor observation decks in the world, only second of At The Top of Burj Khalifa.
2. Chow Tai Fook Centre
Standard height: 530 meters
Roof height: 530 meters
Built year: 2016
Chow Tai Fook Center is the tallest building in Guangzhou, also known as East Tower, while International Finance Center named West Tower. This special name is due of the original design in which these two buildings were set to be built as twin towers, however in the later the Chow Tai Fook Center got a redesign.
3. Guangzhou International Finance Center
Standard height: 439 meters
Total height: 442 meters
Roof height: 439 meters
Built year: 2010
Guangzhou International Finance Center also named West Tower, it was the tallest building in Guangzhou before the completion of Chow Tai Fook Center.
4. CITIC Plaza
Standard height: 391 meters
Roof height: 321 meters
Built year: 1997
Built in 1997, CITIC Plaza had been honored as tallest building of Guangzhou for 11 years until being surpassed by IFC Tower in 2008.
CITIC Plaza is seen as the landmark of the city, even the new landmark the Canton Tower is built standing directly across from CITIC Plaza at a distance, making them echo each other, while East Tower and West Tower are positioned on either side of the line connecting Canton Tower and CITIC Plaza.
5. The Pinnacle
Standard height: 391 meters
Roof height: 312 meters
Built year: 2012
6. Global City Square
Standard height: 319 meters Built year: 2015
7. Pearl River Tower
Standard height: 310 meters Roof height: 310 meters Built year: 2012
8. Fortune Center
Standard height: 309 meters Built year: 2015
9. Pazhou Poly Project
Standard height: 309 meters Roof height: 309 meters
Estimated built year: 2017
10. GF Securities Headquarters
Standard height: 308 meters Roof height: 308 meters
Built year: 2016
11.Leatop Plaza
Standard height:303 meters
Roof height:303 meters
Built year:2012