Jeddah Tower: World's Future Tallest Building – Construction, Height and Engineering

Jeddah Tower, formerly known as the Kingdom Tower, is one of the most ambitious skyscraper projects in the world. Located in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, the tower is designed to rise to more than 1,000 metres, which would make it the world's tallest building when completed.

The project is particularly interesting from a civil and structural engineering perspective because constructing a building at this scale requires advanced solutions for foundations, concrete, wind loads, vertical transportation, construction logistics, and structural stability.

Where Is Jeddah Tower?

Jeddah Tower is being constructed in Jeddah Economic City, Saudi Arabia.

The tower forms part of a much larger development planned for the area and is intended to become a major landmark for Jeddah.

How Tall Will Jeddah Tower Be?

The planned height of Jeddah Tower is more than 1,000 metres (3,281 feet). The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat lists the tower at 1,000+ metres and 167 above-ground floors in its current project data.

For comparison:

Building	Approximate height
Jeddah Tower	1,000+ m planned
Burj Khalifa	828 m
Petronas Twin Towers	451.9 m

If completed as planned, Jeddah Tower would exceed the Burj Khalifa by a significant margin.

Latest Construction Update – August 2026

Construction has progressed rapidly during 2026.

Recent reports indicate that the tower has passed approximately 430 metres and reached around 107 floors.

The project had experienced a long construction interruption, but work resumed and has been progressing again.

The current project data from the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat lists 2030 as the expected completion year, although construction schedules can change as work progresses.

Important: Because Jeddah Tower is still under construction, its final height, floor count, completion date, and other project details should be treated as subject to change.

Who Designed Jeddah Tower?

The tower was designed by the architectural firm Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture.

The design uses a slender, aerodynamic form that rises from a broad base toward a high central peak.

The shape is not only an architectural feature. The geometry also plays an important role in dealing with the effects of wind on an extremely tall structure.

Structural Engineering Challenges

Building a structure more than one kilometre high creates engineering challenges that are very different from those encountered in conventional buildings.

1. Wind Loads

Wind becomes increasingly important as building height increases.

Engineers must consider:

Wind pressure
Building movement
Structural stability
Dynamic effects
Occupant comfort
Wind-induced vibration

The shape of the tower helps manage the effects of wind as air flows around the structure.

2. Foundation Design

A supertall building transfers enormous loads into the ground.

Foundation design therefore requires detailed investigation of:

Soil properties
Groundwater conditions
Bearing capacity
Settlement
Differential settlement
Vertical structural loads
Lateral loads

A foundation system must safely transfer these loads while keeping settlement within acceptable limits.

3. High-Strength Concrete

High-strength concrete is important in very tall buildings because structural members must carry extremely large loads.

Concrete quality control becomes critical.

Engineers must carefully control:

Mix design
Cementitious materials
Water-cement ratio
Workability
Temperature
Pumping
Placement
Curing
Strength testing

4. Construction at Extreme Height

As the tower rises, construction logistics become increasingly complicated.

Materials and equipment must be transported hundreds of metres above ground level.

Construction teams need to coordinate:

Concrete supply
Pumping
Cranes
Hoisting
Formwork
Reinforcement
MEP works
Surveying
Safety
Quality control

The construction sequence must be carefully planned to prevent delays and maintain safe working conditions.

The Importance of the Building's Shape

Jeddah Tower has a distinctive three-winged form.

The tower gradually changes as it rises, helping reduce the continuous impact of wind on the structure.

For extremely tall buildings, aerodynamic design is an important part of structural engineering.

Engineers may use wind-tunnel testing and advanced computer analysis to understand how wind interacts with the building.

Vertical Transportation

Moving people through a building of this height presents another major engineering challenge.

The tower is planned with numerous elevators, and current project data lists 59 elevator cars with a top elevator speed of 10 metres per second.

Efficient elevator planning is essential because conventional arrangements would require a very large amount of building space for elevator shafts.

Observation Deck

One of the planned highlights of Jeddah Tower is its extremely high observation facility.

The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat lists the observatory at approximately 652 metres above ground level.

This would make it an extraordinary feature of the completed building.

Mixed-Use Development

Jeddah Tower is planned as a mixed-use skyscraper.

The project is expected to include different types of spaces, including:

Offices
Hotel facilities
Serviced apartments
Residential units
Observation areas
Amenities

The different functions require careful coordination between architectural, structural, MEP, fire-safety, and building-services requirements.

What Can Civil Engineers Learn From Jeddah Tower?

Jeddah Tower provides valuable lessons for civil engineering students and young engineers.

Structural Engineering

The project demonstrates the importance of:

Load transfer
Structural stability
Wind engineering
High-strength materials

Geotechnical Engineering

The foundation design demonstrates why soil investigation and settlement analysis are essential for major structures.

Construction Engineering

A project of this size requires detailed:

Construction planning
Resource management
Logistics
Formwork planning
Concrete management
Survey control

QA/QC

Quality control becomes especially important when structural elements are carrying enormous loads.

Engineers need to maintain strict control over:

Materials
Reinforcement
Concrete
Dimensions
Surveying
Testing
Inspection records

Jeddah Tower – Quick Facts

Feature	Current information
Location	Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Former name	Kingdom Tower
Planned height	1,000+ metres
Planned floors	167 above ground
Current construction status	Under construction
Recent 2026 progress	About 430 m / 107 floors reported
Expected completion	Around 2030 in current CTBUH data
Architect	Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture
Observatory	About 652 m
Elevator cars	59
Planned use	Mixed-use

Project details can change while construction continues, so the latest project data should always be checked before publishing an updated version.

Jeddah Tower vs Burj Khalifa

The Burj Khalifa in Dubai currently holds the world's tallest-building record at 828 metres.

Jeddah Tower is designed to exceed 1,000 metres.

If the project reaches its planned height, it would become the world's tallest building.

That means Jeddah Tower would not simply be another skyscraper—it would represent a new category of kilometre-scale high-rise construction.

Conclusion

Jeddah Tower is one of the most ambitious construction projects of the modern era.

Its planned height of more than one kilometre creates major challenges involving structural engineering, geotechnical engineering, concrete technology, wind engineering, vertical transportation, construction planning, and quality control.