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Construction of a new Saudi Arabian tower, aiming to surpass the iconic Burj Khalifa in height, has recently picked up pace after years of delays. This reflects renewed progress on a project long plagued by setbacks.
### Why It Matters
The world’s next tallest skyscraper in Jeddah, located on the Red Sea, is another example of Saudi Arabia’s massive projects designed to help diversify its economy. Notable among these are plans for a luxury resort called Neom.
These projects often encompass neo-futuristic cities, Trump towers, and luxury developments intended to attract investment, tourism, and international attention.
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Orange Business Services has signed a smart city consulting agreement with Jeddah Economic Company, the master developer of the world’s tallest tower.
### What to Know
Designed by Adrian Smith and Gordon Gill, founders of the Chicago-based firm Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture (AS+GG), the Jeddah Tower is set to reach unprecedented heights. The firm told Newsweek that it will have more than 130 floors and rise beyond 3,281 feet—far surpassing the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, which stands at 2,722 feet.
The tower will include a hotel, offices, residences, and a sky terrace on its 157th floor—the world’s highest observation deck. It will also feature 59 elevators, including five double-deck lifts, plus 12 escalators.
Construction began in 2013 but was halted in 2018 after the Binladin Group—project’s main contractor—was removed following the arrest of its president, Bakr bin Laden, during a Saudi anti-corruption crackdown led by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The project faced additional delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Experts noted that countries which previously dominated skyscraper construction, like China, have imposed strict height restrictions and limited new super-tall projects, creating an opportunity for the Middle East, where capital and fewer regulatory limits allow record-breaking towers, according to the Arabian Gulf Business Insight (AGBI) platform in 2024.
### What People Are Saying
**Architect Robert Forest, partner at AS+GG:** “The tower has been constructed to Core Level 69, which will be reached this week. The wings follow about five to ten floors behind. Fifty percent of the concrete has been placed.”
**Architect Gordon Gill, a partner at AS+GG:** “As it developed, the overall ethos of ‘new growth’ for KSA was defined by the symbolic palm fronds. Today, the building is very consistent with the palm-frond concept.”
### What Happens Next
The Jeddah Tower is expected to be completed by August 2028.
