20 Massive Engineering Feats That Define Human Progress

There have been a number of impressive engineering feats that have been completed over the past few thousand years, but the most recent designs have shown how far we have actually progressed. Click through to see some of the most impressive designs we found, and let us know if you have any additions!

Judge Harry Pregerson Interchange

This interchange was built as the "biggest, tallest, most costly traffic structure built by the California Department of Transportation." Famously, before the interchange was even open to the public, it was featured in the blockbuster movie "Speed."

Burj Al Arab

The luxury Dubai hotel has been called "The world's only 7 star hotel." It's the world's third-largest hotel and stands on an artificial island that is connected to the mainland by a private bridge.

Falkirk Wheel

This rotating boat lift in Scotland connects the Forth and Clyde Canal with the Union Canal; the lift raises the boats 79 feet in the air to pass from one canal to the other, and is the only boat lift of its kind in the world.

The Palm

The Palm islands are made up of approximately 100 cubic meters of rock and sand. The materials used to build these massive islands could stretch across the world over three times.

Habitat 67

Built by Moshe Safdie as his master's thesis in architecture, Habitat 67 was debuted at the 1967 World's Fair. Designed to make the most out of the limited space available, this revolutionary building helped shape the way architects created their future designs.

Burj Khalifa

Standing at 2,722 feet, the Burj Khalifa is the tallest artificial structure in the world. Along with that record, the Burj holds over 15 other distinct records.

Manchester Civil Justice Centre

The Manchester Civil Justice Centre is the largest court complex to be built in the United Kingdom since the Royal Courts in the 19th Century. The building is 15 levels, houses 47 court rooms and 75 consultation rooms.

International Space Station

With a cost of over $100 billion to build, the International Space Station has no completion date since the construction is ongoing. It is one of the most dangerous job sites there is. Going out and fixing something is more than just a quick job; one wrong twist can cause a rip in your suit, which results in instant death.

Beijing National Stadium

Known by its nickname, "The Bird's Nest," Beijing National Stadium was designed for the 2008 Olympic Games. This huge structure was built in less than 5 years, and will host another Olympic Games in 2022.

Millau Viaduct

The Millau Viaduct is the world's tallest bridge at 886 feet, which makes it taller than the Eiffel Tower. It cost $412 million to build, but has a good return on its value since the lifespan of the bridge is 120 years.

Tokyo Sky Tree

Built in earthquake-prone Japan, The Tokyo Sky Tree doesn't beat any height records but was built using a special technique. This building method, known as "shinbashira," relies on one column to counterbalance the seismic waves of an earthquake.

Taipei 101

The 101 was the first building to break the 500 meter mark, and upon completion in 2004, it held many world records. With its revolutionary "mega-column" design, the building is extremely earthquake resistant.

Shanghai World Financial Center

Completed in 2008, the Shanghai World Financial Center was the second tallest building in the world and the tallest in mainland of China. The trapezoid opening at the top was designed to reduce the wind pressure on the 101-story-building. This unique shape also earned it the nickname "The Bottle Opener."