Following the completion of Brazil’s tallest skyscraper, we’ve rounded up the tallest building in each of the South American countries, from Colombia to Argentina.
The spread of skyscrapers in South America is very uneven, with Colombia, Chile, Argentina, Venezuela and Brazil claiming all of the 20 tallest buildings on the continent.
Brazil itself claims five of the top 10, most of which have been built in the last two decades in the coastal city of Balneário Camboriú.
Various countries have had different periods of accelerated skyscraper production followed by latent periods, at times mirroring the boom and bust economies of resource-exporting countries such as oil-rich Venezuela.
Read on for the tallest buildings in each of the 12 South American countries:
Chile – Gran Torre Santiago, Santiago, by Pelli Clarke Partners
509 metres (1,670 feet), 2013
The tallest building on the continent, Gran Torre Santiago was designed by the late Argentine architect César Pelli with local studio Alemparte Barreda & Asociados.
The skyscraper towers above Santiago and has a heavily reinforced concrete core, steel outriggers and a tapered form to make it resistant to earthquakes. It took about seven years to complete due to halts triggered by the 2008 financial crisis.
Brazil – Yachthouse Residences, Balneário Camboriú, by Pininfarina
294.1 metres (965 feet), 2024
Recently completed in a small coastal city that has become the skyscraper capital of South America, the twin towers of Pininfarina‘s Yachthouse Residences sit on a small island between a coastal river and the sea.
The luxury skyscraper sits on a triangular podium and has a design informed by the local nautical culture.
Find out more about Yachthouse Residences ›
Argentina – Alvear Tower, Buenos Aires, by Pfeifer-Zurdo
235.2 metres (772 feet), 2018
Built in a cluster of skyscrapers near the sea in the Argentinian capital, Alvear Tower contains luxury residences.
Its structure comprises a series of cylindrical side towers attached to a single elongated central structure and is covered with high-performance glass and balconies.
Venezuela – Parque Central Torre Officinas I, Caracas, by Siso, Shaw y Asociados
225 metres (738 feet), 1979
This tower held the record as the tallest building in South America for more than three decades until it was overtaken by the Gran Torre Santiago. Part of a complex of skyscrapers, it has a visible concrete structure for seismic reinforcement with large expanses of glazing on one side.
It was supposed to be surpassed by another skyscraper in the city, Centro Financiero Latino (Torre David), but that tower experienced financial trouble and was struck by an earthquake, leaving it abandoned for a time before it was occupied by squatters.
Colombia – Bogotá Downtown Bacatá south tower, Bogotá, by Grupo Alonso Balaguer
216 metres (709 feet), 2018
The BD Bacatá has the two tallest structures in the country, with the south tower taking the crown. It was described by its architecture studio as a “living organism”
The skyscraper features a stepped design with layers of glass envelopes appearing to cling to the side of the concrete structures, with sculptural external staircases throughout.
Bolivia – Green Tower, La Paz, by Gustavo Dellien
163.4 metres (536 feet), 2022
This recently completed tower by local architect Gustavo Dellien features a distinct tint of glass that gives the skyscraper its name. It has an arced form and a ridge in its middle that terminates in a protruded level near the top.
The architects and builders aimed for the structure to be more sustainable, implementing solar panels and rain-water filtration systems
Uruguay – Torre Antel, Montevideo, by Carlos Ott
157.6 metres (517 feet), 2002
This high-tech skyscraper is home to Uruguay‘s national telecommunications firm, Antel.
It has a sail-like profile and is flat on one side, while the opposing side features a large hemispherical volume. The facades have different treatments and layouts of glazing that give it texture and emphasize its height.
Paraguay – Icono Tower, Asunción, by EST Arquitectura
142 metres (466 feet), 2014
This slender residential tower in Paraguay‘s capital features bright red panels that distinguish it and connect it to the red brick and Spanish tile of the surrounding buildings.
Both inside and out, the tower features large expanses of exposed structural concrete. It has corner balconies lined with glass that makes its profile appear even more slender.
Peru – Torre Banco de la Nación, Lima by Arquitectonica
140.1 metres (460 feet), 2015
This headquarters for a state-owned bank was completed after a fire destroyed the institution’s original home in 2020. It was designed by businessman and architect Bernardo Fort, co-founder of architecture studio Arquitectonica, known for its skyscrapers in Miami.
It has a trapezoidal form completely clad in glass with an interior recess on the facade that appears to cleave the form in two. The central recess creates a valley on the ceiling allowing for the concealment of mechanical equipment.
Ecuador –Torre The Point, Guayaquil, by Christian Wiese Architects
136 metres (446 feet), 2013
Ecuador’s tallest building is located at the confluence of two rivers near the port in Guayaquil, but it could soon be unseated by a proposed skyscraper by French designer Phillipe Starck.
Sprandrels completely wrap the tower and are interspersed by bands of glass, which, combined with its twisting profile, are meant to give the skyscraper the appearance of a whirlpool.
Suriname – Assuria Hermitage Highrise, by Architectenbureau ABT
55 metres (180 feet), 2019
This structure was the product of a design competition held in the early 2010s for the capital of the only Dutch-speaking nation in South America.
The result was a building that combines influences from indigenous and modern architecture that stands out in a city where the average structures are only a few storeys tall.
Guyana – New Pegasus Hotel, Georgetown, by China Harbour Engineering Company
39.5 metres (129.5 feet)
Located near the coast in the city of Georgetown, the New Pegasus Hotel is an extension to a historic 1960s structure.
The fully glazed, 12-storey structure, which is the shortest tallest building on the continent, contains 100 suites with views of the Atlantic.
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