A skyscraper set to become the world's tallest building is fast rising above the desert sands in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
After years of delays, Jeddah Tower, set for completion in 2028, has surpassed half the height of Dubai's Burj Khalifa, which is the world's tallest building at 828 metres.
What is Jeddah Tower?
Jeddah Tower, formerly called Kingdom Tower, is Saudi Arabia's answer to the Burj Khalifa. Designed at more than a kilometre in height, the tower will be the first in the world to pass the 1,000-metre mark.
Adrian Smith, the architect who designed the Burj Khalifa, is behind Jeddah Tower. Once opened, the tower will be home to a luxury hotel, residences, office space and more.
According to AS+GG, the architecture firm behind the building, the tower will host 59 lifts and a sky terrace claiming the title of the world's highest observatory.
Timeline
Construction started in 2013 and has not been without its setbacks. In 2018, labour shortages and the mass arrests of senior officials, including Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, caused delays. From 2020 to 2025, the building stood frozen at 63 floors after the coronavirus pandemic halted construction once more.
When construction resumed in 2025, it took off at breakneck speed, with thousands of construction workers on site round the clock for most of the year. The tower rose from 63 floors in January 2025 to 100 floors in April.
Construction is planned for completion in two years' time, when the building will rise from its current 107 floors, or above 430 metres, to 167 floors. The exact final height of the building is unknown. However, it will be above 1,000 metres.
Prince Alwaleed, chairman of Kingdom Holding Company, is the Saudi businessman behind the building. He recently visited the site to mark the progress, saying on Twitter that “work is continuing, and we will complete the tallest tower in the world.”
What is next for Jeddah and the Gulf?
The tower is currently isolated and surrounded by desert, but there are big plans in place for the area. Jeddah Tower will become the centrepiece of Jeddah Economic City, a new district in the northern part of the Red Sea city. An area of 5.3 million square metres will be home to offices, residential spaces, parks and more.
In the coming years, more mega-tall skyscrapers are planned for the Arabian Gulf, with at least five slotting themselves comfortably on the list of the world's tallest buildings. Dubai's Burj Azizi is being built to a height of 725 metres, set for completion in 2028.
It remains to be seen if the UAE will try to surpass Jeddah Tower anytime soon. The proposed Dubai Creek Tower was also supposed to pass 1,000 metres, but plans have not yet been advanced. Recent reports that Emaar was planning to tender the project this year, followed by the decision to delay it due to supply chain and logistical challenges, mean that it may be a while before the race to new heights continues.
