Amidst the recovery of China's real estate market, the return of Goldin Finance 117 – a nearly 600-meter-tall skyscraper in Tianjin – is attracting particular attention. According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP), construction began installing the approximately 7.6-ton "diamond crown" steel structure at the top of the building in late March 2026.
Restart milestones and occupancy progress
The installation of the steel crown is considered a significant milestone, indicating that the project is entering its final stages after officially restarting in April 2025. Notably, the majority of the tower's leasable space has already been occupied by 17 businesses, including 7 state-owned enterprises and 10 private companies.
Goldin Finance 117 began construction on August 18, 2008, in Tianjin – one of the important industrial and financial centers in northern China. With a design height of approximately 597 meters, including 128 above-ground floors and 4 basement floors, the tower was once among the top 5 tallest buildings in the world when it reached its maximum height in 2015.
Advanced architecture and engineering solutions
The design of Goldin Finance 117 is inspired by the shape of diamonds tapering towards the apex. According to Parametric Architecture, this architectural style not only provides aesthetic value but also optimizes aerodynamic performance. The building's structure is meticulously calculated to withstand strong winds and high-intensity earthquake vibrations.
The project is the central component of the 1.8km2 Goldin Metropolitan complex developed by billionaire Pan Sutong. According to the initial plan, this urban area targets the ultra-wealthy with subdivisions of French-style villas, commercial areas, and luxury hotels. At the top of the diamond-shaped tower, the developer plans to place high-end amenities such as an observation deck, swimming pool, restaurants, and bars at an altitude of nearly 600m.
Reasons for the stagnation of nearly two decades.
The construction of Goldin Finance 117 faced numerous obstacles due to the impact of financial crises. The project was temporarily suspended in early 2010 due to the effects of the 2008 global financial crisis. Although restarted in 2011, the project stalled again after the sharp decline of the Chinese stock market in 2015.
The events of 2015 caused Goldin Group's stock value to plummet, severely impacting the wealth of billionaire Pan Sutong. International sources reported that Mr. Pan lost approximately $13 billion in a short period, leading to the suspension of construction on the project shortly after the topping-out ceremony in September 2015. Since then, the tower has often been referred to as the world's tallest abandoned skyscraper.
New signals for the real estate market.
The accelerated construction of Goldin Finance 117 in 2025-2026 is seen as a positive sign for the Chinese real estate market, which is facing debt pressure and weak liquidity. Although the official operational date has not been announced, sources indicate that the project is striving for full completion within the next few years.
Goldin Finance 117 is not the only case of a project facing delays worldwide. The Jeddah Tower project in Saudi Arabia, expected to be over 1,000 meters tall, was also temporarily halted in 2018 due to political instability and the pandemic. However, similar to the supertower in Tianjin, Jeddah Tower has now resumed construction under the supervision of international design firms.