South America has historically seen a relatively modest demand for skyscrapers, with the majority of the continent's tallest buildings being residential. Office buildings have not historically been built taller than residential buildings in the region, though this scenario may well change in the next decades, as South America has been experiencing substantial economic growth.

Most of the continent's high-rises are in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Venezuela, with the tallest buildings being located in Buenos Aires, São Paulo, Balneário Camboriú, Santiago, Bogotá, Cartagena, and Caracas, all of which (except Balneário Camboriú) are one of the biggest financial centres of these countries.

History The first skyscrapers of at least height in South America were built in the 1920s, and included the Martinelli Building in São Paulo, Palacio Barolo in Buenos Aires, and the Palacio Salvo in Montevideo. Martinelli was not only the first, but the tallest skyscraper of South America until being surpassed by the Altino Arantes Building, also in São Paulo, in 1947.

Many of the tallest buildings in South America are located in central business districts that emerged as early as the 19th century, or in office parks developed during the second half of the 20th century. Some of the most notable include Catalinas Norte and Puerto Madero (Buenos Aires); along the Centro Empresarial Nações Unidas and the Central Zone of São Paulo (São Paulo); Sanhattan (Santiago); and Parque Central Complex (Caracas).

Tallest buildings

Rank Name Image Location Country Heightm / (ft) Floors Year Notes1 Gran Torre Santiago Santiago622014Tallest building in Chile and South America; first supertall building to be constructed in South America; second tallest building in Latin America (behind Mexico's T.Op Torre 1); fifth tallest building in the Southern Hemisphere (behind Indonesia's Autograph Tower and Luminary Tower, and Australia's Q1 Tower and Australia 108).2=Yachthouse Residence Club (Tower 1) Balneário Camboriú 81 2023 tallest buildings in Brazil.2=Yachthouse Residence Club (Tower 2) 81 2023 4 One Tower 8420225 Boreal Tower 5520256Alvear Tower Buenos Aires 542017tallest building in Argentina.7Infinity Coast Balneário Camboriú 66 2019 8 Parque Central Complex (West Tower) Caracas561979tallest building in Venezuela; tallest building in South America from 1979 until 2014.9 BD Bacatá (South Tower) Bogotá672015tallest building in Colombia.10 Epic Tower Balneário Camboriú55202011 Estelar Hotel Cartagena52201712 Torres Atrio (South Tower)Bogotá44201913 Torre ColpatriaBogotá501978tallest building in South America from 1978 until 1979.14 Titanium La PortadaSantiago55201015 Centro de Comercio InternacionalBogotá501977tallest building in South America from 1977 until 1978.16 Orion ComplexGoiânia50201817 Centro Financiero ConfinanzasCaracas45199418= Plaza Bocagrande Cartagena 44 2017 18= Museo Parque Central Bogotá45201720= Tour GeneveJoão Pessoa51201820= Cali TowerCali46198422Green Tower La Paz402022tallest building in Bolivia.23 Mercantil TowerCaracas40198424 Millennium Palace CamboriúBalneário Camboriú46201425= Coltejer BuildingMedellín371972tallest building in South America from 1972 until 1977.25= The IconBarranquilla41202127 Kingdom Park Vaca BravaGoiânia44202228= North Point Torre EBogotá45201728= Torre CaviaBuenos Aires45200928= Concórdia CorporateNova Lima44201828= Petra TowerAsunción442025tallest building in Paraguay.28= Platina 220São Paulo40202233 Ciudadela San Martín Torre NorteBogotá47198334= Mirante do ValeSão Paulo511960tallest building in South America from 1960 until 1972.34= Grand Bay ClubCartagena43200936 Figueira Altos do TatuapéSão Paulo52202137 Edifício ItáliaSão Paulo45196538= Rio Sul CenterRio de Janeiro40198238= Villa Serena Home Club Balneário Camboriú46201340 Majestic BuildingBucaramanga42201541 Mirage 57Barranquilla43201642= Altino Arantes BuildingSão Paulo361947tallest building in South America from 1947 until 1960.42= Avianca BuildingBogotá41196942= Mulieris TowersBuenos Aires44200845= El Faro TowersBuenos Aires46200545= Torre del CaféMedellín36197545= PalmettoCartagena42200945= Repsol-YPF TowerBuenos Aires36200849 Provincial TowerCaracas40198450= Le Parc TowerBuenos Aires51199550= Torre NorteSão Paulo38199950= Parque Cidade JardimSão Paulo41201050= Brookfield Towers (Tower A) São Paulo47201354 Telecommunications TowerMontevideo352002tallest building in Uruguay.55 Palmetto ElipticCartagena41201156= Château Puerto MaderoBuenos Aires50201056= BBVA TowerBuenos Aires33201758= Mansão Margarida Costa Pinto Salvador43200858= San Martín Torre Norte Bogotá40197060= Grattacielo BuildingBarranquilla39201460= Centro Financiero LatinoCaracas32197862 Universe Life Square Curitiba45201463= Go Green BuildingBucaramanga38201563= CAF Tower Caracas40201463= Intercontinental Hotel (Isla Multiespacio Complex)Valencia40201463= Torres del PoetaLa Paz36201863= Girasoles TowerLa Paz40201363= North Point Krystal TowerBogotá35201569 Birmann 21São Paulo24199670= Premier VisionGoiânia47200570= E-TowerSão Paulo37200572=Infinitum CartagenaCartagena39201872= Sede do BankBostonSão Paulo35200272= Building of the Comptroller General of ColombiaBogotá32197472= Galicia Central TowerBuenos Aires33200772= Le Parc Puerto MaderoBuenos Aires 37200772= Iluminata TowerBarranquilla36201678= Torre Telefónica ChileSantiago33199678= Banco do Brasil BuildingSão Paulo24195578= 105 Lélio Gama St.Rio de Janeiro40198081 Solara TowersBarranquilla36201582= Alas BuildingBuenos Aires41195782= Eldorado Business TowerSão Paulo36200784= Torre Banco de la NaciónLima302015tallest building in Peru.84= Yacht TowersBuenos Aires44201084= Torres MauiRosario44201484= World Trade Center Montevideo (Tower 4)Montevideo40201384= Torre AllianzBogotá36199684= Edificio HorizontesCartagena37200784= Fonade TowerBogotá37197484= Edificio de la ContraloríaBogotá36197484= BankBoston TowerBuenos Aires33200184= Libertador 4444 Buenos Aires46199584= Evolution Corporate São Paulo35201495 Plaza CentenárioSão Paulo32199596= Mirante João Olímpio FilhoNatal43200996= Torre GirasolesLa Paz38201398= Edificio Banco ContinentalLima20197898= Mandarim BuildingSão Paulo42200698= Bellini Esmeralda Plaza San MartínBuenos Aires452015101= The Point TowerGuayaquil362013tallest building in Ecuador.101= Icono TowerAsunción372011101= Torre Renoir IBuenos Aires412008101= Dolfines GuaraníRosario452009105 Mirador Playa Brava Torre 1Iquique372015106= Mundo PlazaSalvador412010106= Torre Lapacho Asunción352022106= Edificio La PrevisoraGuayaquil351991109 MetrópolisBalneário Camboriú402010110= Edificio CorficolombianaCali321974110= Barão de Iguape BuildingSão Paulo371959110= Château Libertador ResidenceBuenos Aires402008113= Madero Office TowerBuenos Aires272011113= City U Bogotá322016113= Píer Maurício de NassauRecife422009116 Hotel Marriott SantiagoSantiago421999

See also

List of tallest buildings in the Southern Hemisphere

List of tallest buildings in Argentina List of tallest buildings in Bolivia List of tallest buildings in Brazil List of tallest buildings in Chile List of tallest buildings in Colombia List of tallest buildings in Ecuador List of tallest buildings in Paraguay List of tallest buildings in Peru List of tallest buildings in Uruguay List of tallest buildings in Venezuela List of tallest buildings in Latin America

References

External links