The Jeddah Tower, currently under construction in Saudi Arabia, is poised to become the world's tallest skyscraper, surpassing the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. As of now, the tower stands at 430 meters with 107 floors, more than half the height of its Emirati rival. Upon completion, it is expected to exceed 1,000 meters, a first for any manmade structure.
Project Progress and Key Figures
The ambitious project, designed by American architect Adam Smith, who also designed the Burj Khalifa, is backed by Prince Al Waleed bin Talal Al Saud, the billionaire owner of Kingdom Holding Company. During a recent site inspection, the prince confirmed the tower's progress, stating, "I met with the work teams at Jeddah Tower and saw the progress in person. We have reached a height of 430 meters out of 1000+ m, Praise be to God, the work continues, and we will complete the tallest tower in the world." He added, "The numbers clearly tell the story."
The tower's full height of 1,000 meters (3,281 feet) will surpass the Burj Khalifa by at least 180 meters, although it will have only four more occupied floors, totaling 167. It will also exceed the height of England's highest peak, Scafell Pike, which stands at 978 meters above sea level.
Construction Timeline and Challenges
Construction on the Jeddah Tower began in 2013 but was halted indefinitely in 2017 following a corruption scandal involving senior executives. The project was revived in 2023, with construction resuming in January 2025. Currently, approximately 5,200 workers are on site, and the tower is on schedule for completion by August 2028.
To achieve such extreme height, contractors will use a single pumping system to deliver concrete one kilometer up, an unprecedented engineering feat. The building will feature 56 elevators, including seven double-decker units, to service its 167 occupied floors.
Design and Amenities
The Jeddah Tower forms the centerpiece of the Jeddah Economic City project, a 57 million square foot development located 20 kilometers from Jeddah's city center. The mixed-use tower will include a luxury Four Seasons hotel, office space, and rental apartments. It will also house the world's highest observation deck on the 157th floor, known as the sky terrace, offering views of the Red Sea. Above the highest occupied floor, the tower's spire will contain maintenance space.
The tower's foundations extend 105 meters below ground, equivalent to a small skyscraper, with three basements. Saudi Arabia has a history of ambitious infrastructure projects, some of which have faced delays or cancellations, such as The Line, a 170-kilometer 'smart city' planned as part of the Neom project.
