Jeddah Tower Pushes Ahead as Saudi Arabia Races to Build the World’s Tallest Skyscraper
Construction of Jeddah Tower, set to become the world’s tallest building, has accelerated following the resumption of work in January 2025 after a seven-year pause. The landmark project has now reached 80 floors and remains on track to become the first structure in the world to rise to a height of one kilometre, with completion targeted for 2028.
Once finished, Jeddah Tower is expected to stand more than 3,280 feet (over 1,000 metres) tall—approximately 173 metres higher than Dubai’s Burj Khalifa, currently the world’s tallest building at 828 metres. The tower will feature residential apartments, office and hotel space, retail outlets, and a public observation deck located at an elevation of 652 metres.
Originally announced in 2011 under the name Kingdom Tower, construction began in late 2013 before being halted in 2018 due to financial and logistical challenges. The project was later renamed Jeddah Tower to reflect its location and to avoid confusion with Riyadh’s Kingdom Centre.
The tower forms the centrepiece of Jeddah Economic City, a 57-million-square-foot mixed-use development designed to transform the Red Sea coastline into a major global business and tourism hub.
Construction officially restarted under a SAR7.2 billion contract awarded to the Saudi Binladin Group. Since then, progress has been swift, with engineers now adding a new floor every three to four days. Structural engineering firm Thornton Tomasetti expects the tower to reach its 100th floor by February 2026, with full completion scheduled for August 2028.
Commenting on the milestone, Talal Ibrahim Al Maiman, Chief Executive Officer of Jeddah Economic Company, said the tower represents “a beacon of innovation and a catalyst for growth,” adding that the recent progress marks the realisation of a vision years in the making.
Designed by Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture, Jeddah Tower incorporates a Y-shaped structural core and a three-petal footprint that tapers as it rises, enhancing aerodynamic performance and stability against wind and seismic forces. The building will house one of the world’s most advanced vertical transportation systems, including 59 ultra-high-speed elevators supplied by Kone, five of which are double-deck units capable of travelling at speeds of up to 10 metres per second.
A standout feature of the design is a public sky terrace located on level 157, measuring approximately 30 metres in diameter. Once open, it is expected to become the highest observation point in the world.
Estimated to cost around $1.2 billion, Jeddah Tower underscores Saudi Arabia’s ambitions to redefine global architectural benchmarks while reinforcing its broader vision for urban development and economic diversification.
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