Gulf Construction Online - ‘Work under way’ on world’s tallest building in Jeddah

Saudi Focus

Jeddah Tower ... to soar to a height of 3,300 ft.

‘Work under way’ on world’s tallest building in Jeddah

01 September 2024

Work is currently under way on the Jeddah Tower (previously the Kingdom Tower) in Saudi Arabia, one of the most ambitious construction projects in human history, reported Newsweek, citing new satellite imagery.

The massive skyscraper project is being developed by Jeddah Economic Company (JEC), a joint venture between Kingdom Holding Company, Abrar Holding Company, Qila’a Jeddah Company, and Saudi Binladin Group.

The building was designed by architect Adrian Smith, who also designed the current tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa, as well as the Trump Tower in Chicago.

Construction on the Jeddah Tower began in 2009, before it was paused in 2018 due to the crackdown in Saudi Arabia, which impacted contractors working on the site, said the report.

Now new satellite imagery provided to Newsweek shows that work is progressing well with parts of the tower being assembled – including the tripod-style base – at the construction site, centered about 20 km away from the Jeddah city port.

Reaching a height of about 3,300 ft, the Jeddah Tower will become the tallest building in the world, beating the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, which stands at 2,722 ft. At the top, the tower will boast the highest observation deck in the world, reached by a system of 59 elevators.

The design is so tall that no elevator is able to run from the highest occupied floor to the bottom, because the cables would be too heavy and potentially unsafe, said the Newsweek report.

Kone, a global leader in elevators and escalators, will deliver the world’s fastest and highest double-decker elevators to the skyscraper.

Functionally, Jeddah Tower will serve as a mixed-use complex, incorporating residential, commercial, and office spaces. Additionally, plans include an observation deck, set to become the world’s tallest, a Four Seasons hotel, and a sprawling outdoor balcony originally designed as a helipad.