The Jeddah Tower in Saudi Arabia, set to become the world’s tallest building upon completion, achieved a key construction milestone recently. Designed by Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture (AS+GG) and built by Saudi Binladin Group (SBG), the skyscraper has reached 454 meters (1,489 feet) at 113 floors. This was confirmed by SBG’s Ian Norman Miller, who shared the update on LinkedIn.
The Jeddah Tower’s current height surpasses the Petronas Towers in Malaysia, which measured 452 meters (1,483 feet) when it was the world’s tallest in 1998, before being overtaken by Taipei 101 in Taiwan, as reported by the Skyscraper Museum. AS+GG partner Bob Forest expressed humility at surpassing previous records, considering the effort required to reach this milestone, particularly given Jeddah’s extreme summer heat.
Once completed, the Jeddah Tower will rise over 1,000 meters (3,281 feet), surpassing Dubai’s Burj Khalifa, the current tallest building at 2,717 feet. Adrian Smith, one of the tower’s designers, also designed the Burj Khalifa while at SOM (Skidmore, Owings & Merrill) before founding AS+GG.
The Jeddah Tower’s progress aligns with other high-profile projects, such as the Bevel tower in the U.S., planned to be the tallest mass timber office building, and China’s Tianjin 117 Tower, a long-empty skyscraper nearing completion with plans to house the world’s tallest elevator.
“454 METERS. LEVEL 113.” Miller stated, referencing the Jeddah Tower’s achievement. He noted familial pride as his father helped construct the Petronas Towers, and now he celebrates surpassing them with his SBG team.
Forest reflected on appreciating the Petronas Towers’ record during his earlier career, and now takes pride in contributing to the Jeddah Tower’s development.
Challenges and Future Plans
Forest acknowledges ongoing challenges, including the need for engineering solutions at unprecedented heights. Construction is subject to weather, with high winds halting work at times. However, climate modeling helps predict problematic conditions, though daily uncertainties remain. The team continuously refines techniques to enhance productivity and speed.
Despite these challenges, the project remains on track for completion by August 2028, as confirmed by Forest. He congratulates the team for their dedication and progress.
Upcoming milestones for Jeddah Tower include reaching 500 meters (1,640 feet), marking the halfway point, followed by surpassing Taipei 101, signaling just one more record before completion. Forest emphasizes the commitment required to exceed 1 km in height, highlighting the significance of each milestone.
For architecture or design stories, contact [email protected]. Editors involved: Sirena Bergman and Sam Wilson.