For the last several hundred years, humanity has been getting taller, and so have our buildings.
With the completion of New York City's 432 Park Ave. last December, the world now has 100 "supertall" skyscrapers — or those measuring at least 984 feet in height.
Supertall skyscrapers have been rising from their foundations steadily since the mid-1960s, back when there were only two. But expansion has gained considerable speed within the last five years.
By 1990, the count had risen to 11. By 2010, it'd reached 50.
Now that 432 Park Ave. has reached completion — and attained the distinction of world's tallest all-residential building — the total stands at a round 100.
The largest collection of supertall skyscrapers is in Dubai. The lavish city-state has 18 supertall skyscrapers, the largest of which is called the Burj Khalifa. It stands at a cloud-piercing 2,717 feet tall.
The future of supertall skyscrapers is bright (or perhaps blinding, considering all those glass windows).
Saudia Arabia, for example, is currently planning to build a tower that surpasses even Burj Khalifa. The building will be completed by 2018, the architects say, with the final structure reaching 3,280 feet tall.
Not to be outdone, Iraq recently released its plans for "The Bride," a 3,779-foot-tall behemoth that has a massive shade-providing veil draped over one side.
At the heart of these supertall buildings is an ethos focused on vertical living.
The building at 432 Park Ave. is just a residence (and that's a loose "just"). But the Jeddah Tower and The Bride contain offices, apartments, shopping malls, restaurants, parks, and more. They even have their own transportation systems.
As more people move into urban areas, these kinds of self-contained living spaces will become the norm.
Skyscrapers may even begin adopting plant-covered facades, like those in Italy, Switzerland, and Singapore have already begun to do.
With a shrinking amount of space on the ground, many architects and designers are realizing the only direction to go is up.