New tallest skyscraper – Jeddah Tower and the race for a kilometer

In April 2026, Jeddah Tower surpassed the 100th floor, reaching approximately 400 meters in height. The goal? At least 1,008 m, which is almost 200 meters more than Burj Khalifa (828 m from 2010). It sounds ambitious, but this is no longer just a vision—it’s a construction in progress.

The project is a megatall in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, part of the larger Jeddah Economic City plan covering about 5.2–5.3 km². Functions? Mixed-use: apartments, offices, hotel, observation decks. The classic formula of a 21st-century skyscraper, only on a scale that no one has achieved before.

Why is the topic resurfacing right now?

Because after years of delays and changes of plans, work has finally begun in earnest. The key dates are as follows:

• 20-26.04.2026: exceeding the level of 100 floors (~400 m)
• 08.06.2026: more than 103 floors
• Plan: completion in 2028

This pace shows that the Saudis are serious. The question is: where did this project even come from, how are they building it, and what could it change in the global race for the skies? More on that in a moment.

Jeddah Tower

Jeddah Tower has already been on paper for almost twenty years, although in reality, nothing happened there for half of that time. It all began with a vision in 2008, but actual construction work only started on 01.04.2013. Then came a long hiatus in 2017-2018, related to issues with Kingdom Holding Group and a broader anti-corruption purge in Saudi Arabia. The resumption in 2023/2024 went almost unnoticed, but real acceleration only occurred in 01. 2025.

Where are we today?

Currently, the pace is truly impressive: 1 floor every 3-4 days. This is much faster than anyone expected after such a long break. The target height is at least 1,008 m, although the exact number has been kept secret. For comparison, Burj Khalifa, the current record holder since 2010, stands at 828 m. The plan is to complete construction in 2028, though realistic forecasts suggest 2028-2029, or even 2030.

Design, construction, and functions of the tower

The entire concept of the tower was born from a single vision: to reach a kilometer into the sky and create a vertical city. The “Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture” team designed a silhouette inspired by palm leaves, combining a neofuturistic style with engineering pragmatism. The structure was engineered by “Thornton Tomasetti”, who devised the “buttressed core” system—a hexagonal core supported by three wings arranged in a “Y” shape. It’s not just about aesthetics. The geometry tapering upwards and the wing configuration underwent dozens of wind tunnel tests to withstand winds at extreme heights.

A shape that withstands the wind

The core itself is the heart of the entire structure. The foundation slab is 5 m thick (~7,500 m²) and rests on ~270 piles driven 110 m deep into limestone and coral. The hybrid piled raft foundation distributes the enormous vertical and horizontal loads. Inside: 57 elevators (including 5-7 double-deck), speed >10 m/s; KONE – supplier. This is the longest elevator journey in the world. The glass façade covers about 80,000 tons of steel.

Technical data and features

Utility program: Four Seasons hotel (levels approx. 20-26/27, ~182 units), above apartments and offices. The observatory on levels approx. 157-159 (630-638 m) and the sky terrace ~30 m in diameter (level 157) are intended to be public landmarks. In other words, living, working, and a view from the clouds all in one structure.

A horizon that pushes boundaries

Jeddah Tower is not just a record; it is also a promise that the one-kilometer mark is no longer science fiction. The very ambition to reach such heights changes the way we think about cities. Not as flat organisms, but as vertical structures where the sky is no longer the limit. Skyscrapers like Jeddah will become icons of their locations for decades, just as Burj Khalifa has defined Dubai.

Maybe that’s why the title of this section mentions the horizon. Because what was once a ceiling is now becoming the starting point for new projects that will reach even higher.

Mia SW.

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