After nearly a decade of abandonment, construction on Tianjin’s Goldin Finance 117 tower — once poised to become the world’s tallest unoccupied skyscraper — is set to resume as early as next week, Chinese state media reported. The 597-metre structure was halted in 2015 following a financial downturn, leaving it as a towering symbol of China’s troubled real estate market.
New permits valued at nearly 569 million yuan ($78 million) have been issued, naming state-owned BGI Engineering Consultants as the new contractor. The project no longer references its original developer, reflecting broader shifts in China’s approach to unfinished high-rise developments.
Also Read: China Opens Moon Sample Access to US Scientists Amid Trade Tensions
Experts believe the revival is part of a larger, state-coordinated push to stabilise the real estate sector. Law professor Qiao Shitong notes the move is as much about market confidence as it is about urban development. Architect Fei Chen adds that while such towers may be costly, they can serve as “investment magnets” for surrounding infrastructure.
Despite its looming status, the tower’s future purpose remains unclear. Originally planned as a luxury hotel and office space with striking features like a diamond atrium and rooftop pool, current usage plans have not been publicly confirmed. Analysts remain cautious about its financial viability amid a national property slump.
Goldin Finance 117, if completed, will now rank as China’s third tallest skyscraper and sixth tallest in the world — a symbol not just of architectural ambition, but of China’s complex real estate recovery.
