Houston Tower

The Houston Tower was a plan for a 500-story skyscraper conceived in the 1970s to be built in Houston, originally designed as a research project for the feasibility of a 500-story building. American Architect Robert B. Sobel of Emery Roth & Sons, with engineer and fellow American Nat W. Krahl of Rice University, created a concept for a 500-story building made from 200-foot sided bundled triangular tubes. Sobel had theorized the construction of a 500-story building as early as 1947.

According to Emery Roth & Sons, the project showed that the technology and materials existed to build a 500-story (or taller) building if someone wished to do so. Since its first inception, it has remained one of the tallest buildings ever fully envisioned, and would have taken up 16 city blocks of 250x250 feet if constructed. Its design features are reminiscent of the Sears Tower, which utilizes a similar construction pattern albeit on a smaller scale.