Here's a look at the 10 tallest skyscrapers expected to complete around the globe this year, including China's new tallest building, Rafael Viñoly's super-skinny New York tower block and a pair of Russian high rises.

1. Shanghai Tower, China, by Gensler

On track to become the world's second-tallest building, Gensler's Shanghai Tower has already topped out at a height of 632 metres, surpassed only by the 828-metre Burj Khalifa in Dubai.

It is the tallest structure ever built in China and features a twisted form generated after a series of wind-tunnel tests. It will offer an observation deck on the 124th floor when it opens later this year.

2. Marina 101, UAE, by National Engineering Bureau

The Marina 101 tower in Dubai is set to become the second-tallest building in Dubai, with a height of 426.5 metres.

The lower portion of the 101-storey tower will house the Middle East's first Hard Rock Hotel, while the upper levels will accommodate 420 one- and two-bedroom holiday apartments and a restaurant with panoramic views of the city.

3. 432 Park Avenue, USA, by Rafael Viñoly Architects

Rafael Viñoly hit the headlines for the wrong reasons when the glare from his Walkie Talkie skyscraper in London was reported to be melting cars, so the architect will be hoping for a better reaction to his super-skinny 425-metre building completing this year in New York.

Understood to be the tallest all-residential building in the world, 432 Park Avenue will offer 104 luxury residences, alongside facilities that include a private swimming pool, library and cinema screening room.

4. Capital Market Authority Tower, Saudi Arabia, by HOK and Omrania & Associates

With a height of 385 metres, this office tower by HOK and Omrania & Associates will become the tallest building in Saudi Arabia's capital city, Riyadh.

The 76-storey CMA Tower is the highest of the five structures at the plaza of the King Abdullah Financial District, which will also boast a metro station designed by Zaha Hadid. An external skin of fins, gantries and perforated panels will shade the building from the desert sun.

5. Eton Place Dalian Tower 1, China, by NBBJ

Two years after the expected the completion date, the tallest of the five towers at the mixed-use Eton Place Dalian complex in north-east China is finally expected to open in 2015.

Designed by architects NBBJ, the 381-metre skyscraper will house offices, two hotels, and an elevated observation deck.

6. Vostok Tower, Russia, by NPS Tchoban Voss and Schweger Associated Architects

The title of Europe's tallest building will likely be passed over in 2015, as Moscow's Federation Tower complex is due for completion. The 373-metre Vostok Tower will extend 34 metres higher than the nearby Mercury City tower, which has been the continent's tallest for over two years.

The building was designed as a collaboration between Peter Schweger of Schweger Associated Architects and Sergei Tchoban of NPS Tchoban Voss, and it forms part of Moscow-City, the Russian capital's new business district.

7. OKO South Tower, Russia, by SOM

The second building from Moscow-City to make the top 10 is a 352-metre tower by skyscraper veteran SOM, whose portfolio extends from Chicago's Willis Tower and John Hancock Center, to One World Trade Center and the Burj Khalifa.

The OKO South Tower is one of two faceted skyscrapers underway on the site, connected at the base by a transparent crystalline structure. The complex will include a four-star hotel, offices and apartments.

8. Forum 66 Tower 2, China, by Kohn Pedersen Fox and P&T Group

The eighth-tallest building of 2015 is expected to be the first half of a twin-tower office complex designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox and P&T Group for Shenyang, another city in north-east China.

The 351-metre Tower 2 has already topped out, although its 384-metre partner is currently on hold. Once complete, both buildings will be capped with "glowing lanterns" that will help them to stand out at night.

9.= Abu Dhabi National Oil Company Headquarters, UAE, by HOK

The new headquarters for the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company will be housed within this 342-metre skyscraper, which is most recognisable for the large rectangular opening at its top.

The second project by HOK to make the top 10, the tower will also act as a landmark for the neighbouring Emirates Palace Hotel.

9.= Ahmed Abdul Rahim Al Attar Tower, UAE, by Adnan Saffarini

Also standing at 342 metres, the Ahmed Abdul Rahim Al Attar Tower in Dubai is one of the least showy skyscrapers in the top 10.

Located on Sheik Zayed Road, the residential tower was designed by engineer Adnan Saffarini. It will feature gold-coloured concrete facades and balconies fronted by glazing, as well as a gym, a swimming pool and a spa.

The information for the countdown was sourced from the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitats, the world's leading authority on skyscraper construction.