- The Lotte World Tower is the tallest building in South Korea and the fifth tallest building in the world.
- The high-rise recently won the Emporis Skyscraper Award, which honors the top 10 skyscrapers that have been completed in the previous calendar year.
- The tower has a number of record-breaking features, such as an elevator that delivers people from the bottom floor to the 121st floor in one minute.
- It's also built to withstand major disasters, such as a 9.0 magnitude earthquake or winds as strong as those seen during Hurricane Katrina.
The world is witnessing a massive boom in skyscraper construction, led by nations like China, Saudi Arabia, and the United States. This year alone, China built more skyscrapers than any country has ever built in a year.
Amid growing competition for the tallest and most innovative towers, one high-rise in South Korea managed to surpass all others.
Read more:Stunning photos of the 10 best skyscrapers in the world
Earlier this week, the Lotte World Tower in Seoul received the Emporis Skyscraper Award, the world's most renowned prize for high-rise architecture.
The tower's sleek design pales in comparison to its record-shattering features, which include the world's highest glass-bottomed observation deck and the world's fastest elevator.
Take a look at how it was built — and what it looks like now.
The tower's construction began in 2011, more than two decades after the land was procured.
The owner, Lotte Corp., also oversaw the construction of the world's largest indoor theme park.
The structure is designed to withstand a 9.0 magnitude earthquake.
It's also intended to withstand gusts of wind as strong as those seen in Hurricane Katrina (around 180 miles per hour).
At more than 1,800 feet, it's the tallest building in South Korea and the fifth tallest building in the world.
The structure, which opened in in April 2017, has 123 floors and 42,000 windows. Construction of the roof alone required 3,000 tons of steel.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider