Top 10 Construction Projects in the World
Throughout millennia, humans have pushed the limits of what is possible with the tools at their disposal. The result is construction projects of enormous scale.
These projects range from massive airports to gigantic dams and subways. Some have a price tag in the billions. Others have a building timeline of decades.
1. Dubailand
Dubailand is an entertainment complex that’s on a scale the world has never seen before. Three Walt Disney Worlds could fit inside the massive 278 square kilometer project, which will include theme parks, sports venues, health facilities, science attractions and eco-tourism, as well as the world’s largest hotel with 6,500 rooms and a 10 million square foot mall.
It was announced in October of 2003 and has hit several roadblocks, including the 2008 global recession that halted construction for five years. However, it is expected to open in 2025.
2. Al Maktoum International Airport
Located in Dubai South, a massive commercial, residential and logistics development, this airport will significantly reduce the passenger traffic at Dubai International Airport (DXB). The new airport is also four times bigger than LAX and NYC’s JFK airports combined.
Its first phase will see the construction of two 4.5 km-long Code F, CAT III B runways with enough space to accommodate simultaneous operations. It will also include a new 165,000 m2 terminal towards the west end of the airport and two satellite concourses. This will keep delays to a minimum and is especially useful in high-traffic environments.
3. Jubail II
Jubail II is a massive project that will expand the existing Jubail Industrial City by 6,200 hectares. The development is expected to double its current population when completed.
It will be home to 17 major primary industrial (natural-resource-based) facilities and support industries. The project will also include power, water, and waste facilities.
Bechtel has been tasked with managing the project. It will be one of the most ambitious engineering projects in history. The roads will be built to accommodate large trucks, and the electrical lines will run underground.
4. The Great Man-Made River (GMR)
In a country where only five percent of the land receives rainfall, the Libyan government under Gaddafi decided to green its landscape by utilizing fossil water. [1]
It was the largest irrigation project ever built and used a network of underground pipelines to convey water from southern desert basins to northern towns.
GMMR has saved many of Libya’s traditional water sources and prevented desertification by creating green areas and tempering the climate. Unfortunately, since the revolution, the network has been under attack from various forces. This has made it difficult for companies to resume work on it.
5. China’s Three Canals
China has a big problem: its north holds 50% of its population but only 20% of its water resources. To rectify this imbalance, the government has financed three massive canals that are each over 600 miles long to divert water from China’s largest rivers to the north. The project is expected to take more than fifty years to complete.
So what does all this construction translate to? It could mean that in a few years, you can fly between San Francisco and Los Angeles in less than 3 hours.
6. London Crossrail
With 42 kilometers of tunnels, Europe’s biggest engineering project aims to speed passengers across the capital. The new railway stretches from Reading and Heathrow in the west to Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east via central London.
Engineers had to carefully weave the twin tunnels around building foundations and existing London Underground tunnels. They also had to be mindful of the water supply, gas pipes and electrical cables beneath the city. The project has also implemented key environmental initiatives, including 97% of construction and demolition waste diverted from landfills.
7. Dubai’s Al Maktoum International Airport
The United Arab Emirates is no stranger to massive construction projects, but this one might take the cake. The airport mega-project spans more than 21 square miles and can handle 200 wide-body aircrafts at a time.
The project is expected to be completed by 2030.
Another colossal construction project located in Dubai is the $64 billion Dubailand, an entertainment complex on a scale the world has never seen before. The 278 square kilometer complex is slated to include theme parks, sports venues, health facilities, science attractions, and hotels.
8. Libya’s Great Man-Made River (GMR)
When Colonel Muammar Qaddafi launched this project in 1983 it was widely considered a crazy idea. It involved pumping water from ancient fossil aquifers into Libya’s cities and towns through a network of pipes.
The resulting system of giant concrete pipelines, reservoirs and pumping stations are now bringing water to Libya’s coastal towns - fulfilling Gaddafi’s original promise that the desert would be as green as his country’s flag. However, the mayhem of the civil war has threatened this remarkable feat of engineering. The attack on the GMR’s facilities in Sirte has been particularly damaging.
9. China’s Three Canals
Throughout history, humans have demonstrated their belief that bigger is better with colossal construction projects. Pyramids, religious monuments and skyscrapers all testify to mankind’s ingenuity and undying ambition.
China is building a massive canal to divert water from the country’s southern rivers to its dry northern cities. But the project is controversial because of its potential ecological impact.
Whether it’s laying a railway across the snowcapped mountains or taming the floodwaters of the Yangtze, there is no shortage of giant infrastructure projects happening in China right now.
10. Songdo Business District
The New Songdo City development in Incheon, South Korea is a model for sustainable urban development. It’s also a case study in the pervasive power of logistical infrastructure.
Developed by Gale International and steel manufacturer Posco, the 35 billion-dollar city has attracted the attention of global leaders in smart, sustainable city design. Songdo has an extensive system of public transportation, one of the world’s largest pneumatic waste systems (obviating the need for garbage trucks), and 40% green space. All buildings are energy efficient with low U-value windows and water-cooled air conditioning.
