Race to build world’s tallest tower restarts
11 October 2024
Commentary
Colin Foreman
Editor
The starting gun for the race to build the world’s tallest tower was fired on 2 October when the local Saudi Binladin Group was awarded a SR7.2bn ($1.9bn) contract to complete the 1,000-metre-plus tower at Jeddah Economic City on the Red Sea Coast.
The 42-month contract to complete the tower means that in early 2028, after 18 years at the top, Dubai’s 828-metre-tall Burj Khalifa will no longer be the world’s tallest tower. The question then turns to how long the tower in Jeddah will hold the record.
The project has a major head start over its rivals. Construction began in 2010, and when it stalled in 2018, the contractor had completed 63 floors out of 157. Although there is still a lot of work to do, it is several years ahead of any rival tower project starting from the ground. Riyadh-headquartered Kingdom Holding, an investor in the Jeddah Tower, is confident it will hold the title for at least a decade.
If the tower’s height is exceeded, there are two potential rivals from the region. The first is in Dubai. Back in 2016, Dubai began construction work on The Tower at Dubai Creek Harbour, which was expected to be the world’s tallest tower. Piling work and the raft foundation were completed, and since then, no progress has been made on site.
This year, reports have emerged that Dubai and Emaar Properties are planning another tower that could be the world’s tallest. Still, no detailed project information has been reported, and no official statements have been made.
Another rival scheme is a 2-kilometre-tall tower planned in Riyadh. The Public Investment Fund (PIF) project is in its early stages, and Foster & Partners, a UK-based architect, has been appointed as the architect.
These projects should ensure that even when the Burj Khalifa loses its title, the world’s tallest tower will remain in the region.
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