The Jeddah Tower, under construction in Saudi Arabia, is set to become the world's tallest skyscraper, surpassing Dubai's Burj Khalifa. The tower, already more than half the height of the Burj Khalifa at 430 meters with 107 floors, is projected to exceed 1,000 meters, a world first for a manmade structure.
Progress and Inspection
Prince Al Waleed bin Talal Al Saud, billionaire owner of Kingdom Holding Company and grandson of the first Saudi king, inspected the site last month. In a social media update, he wrote: '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 in a separate post: 'The numbers clearly tell the story.'
Height and Comparison
At a projected full height of 1,000 meters (3,281 feet), the Jeddah Tower will surpass the Burj Khalifa by at least 180 meters, though it will have only four more occupied floors. The structure will also stand taller than England's highest peak, Scafell Pike, which reaches 978 meters above sea level.
Construction Timeline and Challenges
The project is on schedule for completion by August 2028, despite setbacks. Construction began in 2013 but was halted in 2017 following a corruption scandal involving senior executives. It resumed in 2023, with work picking up again in January 2025. Around 5,200 workers are currently on site. To achieve the extreme height, contractors will pump concrete one kilometer up using a single system, an unprecedented feat. The building will feature 56 elevators, seven of which will be double-decker, serving 167 occupied floors.
Mixed-Use Development
The tower is the centerpiece of the Jeddah Economic City project, a 57 million square foot development 20 kilometers from Jeddah's city center. It will house a luxury Four Seasons hotel, office space, and rental apartments. The world's highest observation deck, known as the sky terrace, will be on the 157th floor, offering views of the Red Sea. Above the highest occupied floor on the 167th level will be maintenance space in the spire. The tower also extends 105 meters below ground with three basements and foundations.
