Presently, the record holder for the world’s tallest building is the Burj Khalifa in Dubai at 2,722 feet. However, a New York-based architecture firm may have discovered a loophole to achieve the record for world’s tallest building without the red tape of New York’s zoning laws. Rather than build a single tower that extends the height needed to reach the record, Oiio proposes a 4,000-foot-long horseshoe-shaped structure. If built, the building nicknamed “Big Bend” could surpass Burj Khalifa as the longest/tallest building in the world.
Designer Ioannis Oiaonomou says the building’s design is inspired by elevators that can move both vertically and horizontally. It features two narrow glass towers connected by an arc at the top. The building has been proposed to stand tall at the edge of Central Park. While the design is only a concept at this point, Oiio is actively seeking investors to bring the reality to life. 
Burj Khalifa Holds Record for World’s Tallest Building
Burj Khalifa, which opened to the public in 2010, was designed by Chicago-based Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM). It stands 160 stories tall. In comparison, the Willis Tower in Chicago, also designed by SOM, stands at 110 stories tall. Furthermore, Burj Khalifa also holds the records for world’s tallest structure and world’s tallest freestanding structure.
The criteria to achieve these world records is clearly defined by the Chicago-based Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH). The three criteria for defining the tallest building are as follows:
- Height to architectural top. This is the measurement from the lowest main pedestrian entrance to the highest architectural point of a building, including spires. It does not include antennae, signage or flagpoles.
- Highest occupied floor. This is the measurement from the lowest main pedestrian entrance to the highest continually occupied floor of a building, but does not include maintenance areas.
- Height to tip. This is the measurement from the lowest main pedestrian entrance to the highest point of the building. This includes antenna, signage and flag poles.
Ultimately, the most commonly recognized measurement for establishing the world’s tallest building is the height to architectural top. In any case, Burj Khalifa is the current record holder regardless of which above defined measurement is used.