When the building formerly known as the Sears Tower was completed in 1973, it was the tallest building in the world. It held that title until 1998 when the Petronas Towers in Malaysia were completed, which led to controversy about which one was technically taller. Since then, four different categories of "tallest buildings" have been created, the most popular of which—and the one at play here—is the height to the top of architectural elements. Those elements include spires but not antennas, which is why buildings like One World Trade Center are considered taller than Chicago's largest.
With the completion of the 2,073-foot Shanghai Tower this week, the Willis Tower now ranks 11th among the tallest buildings in the world. With a slew of giant buildings currently under construction in places like New York, Saudi Arabia and China, it won't be long before the building isn't even among the 20 tallest in the world.
The Willis Tower has long been a reflection of Chicago's inferiority complex. It's a phallic compensation—a giant structure that tells the world that the city is relevant on a global scale. But the world isn't going to look at Chicago any differently because our tallest building isn't among the 10 tallest on the planet. It'll just force some Chicagoans to find something else to thump their chests about.