The 5 Most Shocking Facts About Saudi Arabia's Jeddah Tower Construction Restart: 1KM High And 80 Floors Reached

The Jeddah Tower, formerly known as the Kingdom Tower, is back in the global spotlight. As of December 21, 2025, the colossal project in Saudi Arabia has seen a dramatic resurgence, with construction accelerating rapidly after a prolonged pause. This ambitious skyscraper, set to be the world's first structure to reach one kilometer in height, is no longer a distant dream but a tangible reality, with crews adding new floors at an unprecedented pace. The latest reports confirm that construction officially resumed in January 2025, marking a critical milestone for the Jeddah Economic City project. The tower's core has already soared past the 75-floor mark and is now reported to be nearing 80 floors in height, a clear signal that the race to dethrone Dubai's Burj Khalifa is back on. This is the definitive, up-to-the-minute breakdown of the project that will redefine the global skyline.

Jeddah Tower: A Biographical Profile of the Next World's Tallest Building

The Jeddah Tower is not just a building; it is a monumental symbol of Saudi Arabia's future ambitions and a centerpiece of its national transformation strategy. It is designed to be the focal point of the massive Jeddah Economic City development, a $20 billion project spanning 5.3 million square meters. Here is a complete profile of the structure set to become the world's tallest:

• Official Name: Jeddah Tower (formerly Kingdom Tower).
• Location: Jeddah Economic City, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
• Architect: Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture (AS+GG).
• Key Designer: Adrian Smith (who also designed the current record-holder, the Burj Khalifa).
• Planned Height: Over 1,000 meters (1 km) or approximately 3,281 feet.
• Planned Floors: 157 floors (habitable).
• Estimated Cost (Tower): Approximately $1.2 billion to $1.23 billion.
• Current Status (Late 2025): Construction resumed in January 2025, with the core reaching approximately 80 floors.
• Projected Completion: As early as 2028.
• Developer: Jeddah Economic Company.
• Primary Function: Mixed-use (Luxury hotel, office space, serviced apartments, luxury condominiums, and the world's highest observatory).

The tower's design is a striking, tripartite (three-sided) structure, which is both aesthetically pleasing and structurally essential. This shape helps to mitigate the immense wind loads at such extreme heights, a crucial engineering challenge.

The Engineering Marvel: Breaking the 1-Kilometer Barrier

Building a structure that pierces the atmosphere at a full kilometer requires revolutionary engineering and materials science. The Jeddah Tower is a testament to human ingenuity, pushing the boundaries of what is physically possible in supertall construction. The tower’s height will exceed the Burj Khalifa by at least 173 meters (568 feet), securing its place as the undisputed world's tallest building. The sheer scale necessitates innovative solutions for everything from concrete mix to elevator technology.

Overcoming the Challenges of Extreme Height

One of the most significant hurdles is the vertical transportation system. The Jeddah Tower will feature some of the world's fastest and highest elevators, designed to move residents and visitors efficiently without causing discomfort. The final design includes a three-sided, tapered form that strategically "confuses" the wind. This design choice prevents the formation of vortex shedding—a phenomenon that can cause dangerous oscillations in supertall structures. The foundation itself is an engineering feat. The tower rests on a massive concrete raft supported by deep piles, designed to handle the colossal weight and ensure stability in Jeddah’s coastal environment. The complex logistics of moving materials, including concrete and steel, to the upper floors of a 1km structure requires a sophisticated network of cranes and pumping systems, a process that has been meticulously re-established since the 2025 construction restart.

Jeddah Tower and Saudi Vision 2030: More Than Just a Skyscraper

The resurgence of the Jeddah Tower project is intrinsically linked to Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030—the strategic framework to reduce the kingdom's dependence on oil, diversify its economy, and develop public service sectors. The tower is a flagship project intended to boost tourism, attract foreign investment, and create a dynamic new urban center.

A New Economic and Cultural Hub

The Jeddah Economic City surrounding the tower is designed to be a self-sustaining urban area. It will feature residential units, shopping malls, cultural centers, and educational facilities, transforming the northern suburb of Jeddah into a vibrant global destination. The World's Highest Observatory, set to be a key feature of the tower, will serve as a major tourist draw, offering unparalleled views of the Red Sea and the surrounding landscape. This mixed-use approach—combining luxury residences, high-end offices, and hospitality—is central to the Vision 2030 goal of creating a thriving, diversified economy. The decision to accelerate construction in 2025 demonstrates a renewed commitment from the Saudi government and the Jeddah Economic Company to see this landmark project through to its 2028 completion target. The tower represents not just a new height record, but the literal and figurative rise of a new era for Saudi Arabia on the global stage.

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