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This article was first published 10 years ago

15 most expensive buildings in the world

Last updated on: August 21, 2013 14:14 IST

Image: A view of the new house of Mukesh Ambani, chairman of Reliance Industries.
Photographs: Danish Siddiqui/Reuters

Mukesh Ambani’s Antilia is the only private house that features among the 15 most expensive buildings in the world. A full-time staff of 600 looks after the building that is meant for a single family and its guests.

Most of the other buildings in the list are commercial, which help the owners earn handsome returns on the money spent to construct them. For example, about eight of these structures are luxury resorts with casinos.

Here are the 15 most expensive buildings based in their cost of construction, according to Wikipedia.

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15 most expensive buildings in the world

Image: Manchester United players walk out onto the pitch for a training session at Wembley Stadium in London.
Photographs: Eddie Keogh/Reuters

Wembley Stadium

Rank: 15

City: London

Country: UK

Architect/Designer: Foster and Partners

Height: 133 metres (436 ft)

Floors: 5

Built: 2006

Construction cost per square metre: NA

Total construction cost: $1.50 billion

Construction cost adjusted to inflation: $1.84 billion

This is a football stadium that was built on the site of 1923 Wembley Stadium. With a seating capacity of 90,000, it is the second largest stadium in Europe.

English football's governing body The Football Association owns the stadium through its subsidiary called Wembley National Stadui, Ltd.

A signature feature of the stadium, following on from the old Wembley's distinctive Twin Towers, is the 134-metre-high (440 ft) Wembley Arch. With a span of 317 metres (1,040 ft), this steel arch is the longest single-span roof structure in the world and, uniquely for a stadium, requires beacons for low-flying aircraft, according to Wikipedia.

15 most expensive buildings in the world


Photographs: GREG/Wikimedia Commons

Taipei 101

Rank: 14

City: Taipei

Country: Taiwan

Architect/Designer: C.Y. Lee & Partners

Height: 509 metres (1,670 ft)

Floors: 101

Built: 2004

Construction cost per square metre: $9,307

Total construction cost: $1.80 billion

Construction cost adjusted to inflation: $2 billion

Taipei 101 is one of the tallest skyscrapers in the world. The building has a mall, office spaces, and an observatory on the 91stfloor.

15 most expensive buildings in the world


Photographs: Kris Ziel/Wikimedia Commons

The Palazzo

Rank: 13

City: Las Vegas

Country: US

Architect/Designer: HKS, Inc.

Height: 196 metres (643 ft)

Floors: 50

Built: 2007

Construction cost per square metre: $2,788

Total construction cost: $1.80 billion

Construction cost adjusted to inflation: $2.05 billion

The Palazzo is a luxury hotel and casino resort. It is part of a larger complex that has Venetian Hotel and Casino and the SandsConvention Center.

15 most expensive buildings in the world


Photographs: WiNG/Wikimedia Commons

Bank of China Tower

Rank: 12

City: Hong Kong

Country: China

Architect/Designer: I. M. Pei & Partners, Sherman Kung & Associates Architects Ltd., Thomas Boada S.L.

Height: 367 metres (1,204 ft)

Floors: 76

Built: 1990

Construction cost per square metre: $7,407

Total construction cost: $1 billion

Construction cost adjusted to inflation: $2.09 billion

It is the headquarters of the Bank of China and was first building outside the United States to break the 1,000-ft mark.

15 most expensive buildings in the world


Photographs: Citizen59/Wikimedia Commons

Princess Tower

Rank: 11

City: Dubai

Country: United Arab Emirates

Architect/Designer: Adnan Saffarini

Height: 414 metres (1,358 ft)

Floors: 101

Built: 2012

Construction cost per square metre: $14,467

Total construction cost: $2.17 billion

Construction cost adjusted to inflation: $2.17 billion

The Princess Tower residential skyscraper located in the Marina district. It is the world’s tallest residential building. According to Wikipedia, it has 763 units and 957 underground parking bays spread over six floors, and eight retails outlets.

15 most expensive buildings in the world


Photographs: Clement Bardot/Wikimedia Commons

Bellagio Hotel

Rank: 10

City: Las Vegas

Country: US

Architect/Designer: DeRuyter Butler and Atlandia Design

Height: 151 metres (495 ft)

Floors: 36

Built: 1998

Construction cost per square metre: $3,588

Total construction cost: $1.60 billion

Construction cost adjusted to inflation: $2.29 billion

Owned by MGM Resorts, Bellagio Hotel also has a casino. The building is inspired by the LakeComo town of Bellagio in Italy.

15 most expensive buildings in the world

Image: A view of the new house (C) of Mukesh Ambani, chairman of Indian energy company Reliance Industries.
Photographs: Danish Siddiqui/Reuters

Antilia

Rank: 9

City: Mumbai

Country: India

Architect/Designer: Perkins & Will

Height: 173 metres (568 ft)

Floors: 27

Built: 2010

Construction cost per square metre: $53,820

Total construction cost: $2 billion

Construction cost adjusted to inflation: $2.53 billion

Named after the mythical Atlantic island of Antillia, this building is home to one of the world’s richest person, Mukesh Ambani. It is also the most expensive home in the world.

15 most expensive buildings in the world


Photographs: Courtesy, City of Dreams

City of Dreams

Rank: 8

City: Macau

Country: China

Architect/Designer: Arquitectonica

Height: 164 metres (538 ft)

Floors: 37

Built: 2009

Construction cost per square metre: $7,797

Total construction cost: $2.4 billion

Construction cost adjusted to inflation: $2.75 billion

The casino is constructed in style of a podium and has four towers. These include Hard Rock Hotel, Crown Towers Hotel, and the Grand Hyatt Macau (2 towers). It may also see a 47-story luxury apartment block in the future.

15 most expensive buildings in the world


Photographs: Jimmy Yao/Wikimedia Commons

Venetian Macau

Rank: 7

City: Macau

Country: China

Architect/Designer: Aedas

Height: 225 metres (738 ft)

Floors: 39

Built: 2005

Construction cost per square metre: $2,450

Total construction cost: $2.40 billion

Construction cost adjusted to inflation: $2.97 billion

Venetian Macau, too, is a luxury hotel and casino resort. The property is owned by Las Vegas Sands and is the largest casino in the world.

15 most expensive buildings in the world


Photographs: Almc1217/Wikimedia Commons

Wynn Resort

Rank: 6

City: Las Vegas

Country: US

Architect/Designer: Butler/Ashworth Architects, Jerde Partnership

Height: 187 metres (614 ft)

Floors: 45

Built: 2005

Construction cost per square metre: $3,103

Total construction cost: $2.70 billion

Construction cost adjusted to inflation: $3.26 billion

Another casino and luxury resort, the property covers about 215 acres. The building regularly features in films including the sci-fi film 2012.

15 most expensive buildings in the world


Photographs: Joe Mabel/Wikimedia Commons

One World Trade Center

Rank: 5

City: New York

Country: US

Architect/Designer: David Childs (Skidmore, Owings & Merrill)

Height: 541 metres (1,775 ft)

Floors: 104

Built: 2012

Construction cost per square metre: $15,732

Total construction cost: $3.80 billion

Construction cost adjusted to inflation: $3.80 billion

The 104-story skyscraper occupies the former location of the original 6 WorldTradeCenter. The new structure has surpassed the height of the EmpireStateBuilding and is currently the tallest structure in New York.

15 most expensive buildings in the world


Photographs: Allen McGregor/Wikimedia Commins

The Cosmopolitan

Rank: 4

City: Las Vegas

Country: US

Architect/Designer: Friedmutter Group with Arquitectonica

Height: 184 metres (604 ft)

Floors: 52

Built: 2010

Construction cost per square metre: $6,307

Total construction cost: $3.90 billion

Construction cost adjusted to inflation: $4.16 billion

Consisting of two high-rise towers, this structure is a luxury resort and casino. According to Wikipedia, there are 2,995 rooms, a 75,000 sq ft casino, 300,000 sq ft of retail and restaurant space, a 40,000 sq ft spa and fitness facility, a 1,800 seat theatre, and 150,000 sq ft of meeting/convention space.

15 most expensive buildings in the world


Photographs: GinaD/Reuters

Emirates Palace

Rank: 3

City: Abu Dhabi

Country: United Arab Emirates

Architect/Designer: John Elliott

Height: 72.60 metres (238.2 ft)

Floors: 6

Built: 2005

Construction cost per square metre: $3,530

Total construction cost: $3 billion

Construction cost adjusted to inflation: $4.46 billion

Owned by Abu Dhabi government, EmiratesPalace is a 7-Star luxury hotel. The structure is located on a 1.3 km private beach and surrounded by gardens.

15 most expensive buildings in the world


Photographs: Schristia/Wikimedia Commons

Resorts World Sentosa

Rank: 2

City: Singapore

Country: Singapore

Architect/Designer: Michael Graves

Height: 50 metres (160 ft)

Floors: 10

Built: 2010

Construction cost per square metre: $15,170

Total construction cost: $4.93 billion

Construction cost adjusted to inflation: $5.38 billion

The structure is a resort that has two casinos, shopping spaces, a Universal Studio and a Marine Life park.

15 most expensive buildings in the world


Photographs: Someformofhuman/Wikimedia Commons

Marina Bay Sands

Rank: 1

City: Singapore

Country: Singapore

Architect/Designer: Moshe Safdie

Height: 194 metres (636 ft)

Floors: 57

Built: 2010

Construction cost per square metre: $6,509

Total construction cost: $5.50 billion

Construction cost adjusted to inflation: $6 billion

Similar to Sentosa, this too is a resort developed by Las Vegas Sands. It features a 2,561-room hotel, a 1,300,000-square-foot convention-exhibition centre, the 800,000-square-foot The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands mall, a museum, two large theatres, seven ‘celebrity chef’ restaurants, two floating Crystal Pavilions, an ice skating rink, and the world's largest atrium casino with 500 tables and 1,600 slot machines, according to Wikipedia.