Shanghai’s Jin Mao Tower was completed in 1999 and has 88 floors with a tiered design inspired by Chinese pagodas.
The tower stands in the Lujiazui financial district of Pudong, alongside Shanghai Tower and Shanghai World Financial Center. Its form combines modern structural engineering with traditional Chinese architectural symbolism. The number eight is especially significant in Chinese culture because of its association with prosperity.
The building was designed by the Chicago-based firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, with Adrian Smith as chief architect. It contains offices, a hotel, restaurants and observation areas, making it a mixed-use skyscraper rather than a purely commercial tower.
The Jin Mao Tower is sometimes confused with its taller neighbours. Shanghai Tower is the district’s tallest building, while Shanghai World Financial Center is recognizable for its large opening near the top.