Saudi Arabia tower set to become tallest in world

Erin Leeder
Dec 01, 2015, updated Dec 02, 2015

Saudi Arabia has announced the Jeddah Tower, set to be the first tower to reach a kilometre in height, will be completed in 2018.

A government press release said funding had been secured for the last phase of construction. It will cost $A3 billion to fully construct the tower, which is also known as the Kingdom Tower.

When complete it would overtake the current tallest tower, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, which is 827 metres.

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The Burj Khalifa won’t be the tallest tower for long. Photo: Getty

The Gold Coast’s Q1, the tallest building in Australia and sixth-tallest in the world at 322.5 metres, would only be one-third of the height of the new tower.

Designed by a Chicago-based architecture firm, the Jeddah Tower will have more than 200 floors, the world’s highest observation deck, a shopping mall, a hotel, and residential apartments.

It is being built as part of the 485-hectare Jeddah Economic City project.

The $A1.7 billion financing deal with Saudi Arabia’s Alinma Investment will allow the Jeddah Economic Company to complete the project.

“With this deal, we will reach new, as yet unheard of highs in real estate development, and will fulfil the company’s objective of creating a world-class urban centre that offers an advanced lifestyle, so that Jeddah may have a new iconic landmark that attracts people from all walks of society with comprehensive services and a multitude of uses,” said Mounib Hammoud, chief executive officer of Jeddah Economic Company.

However, the Jeddah Tower may not have bragging rights for long. An Iraqi province is planning a 230-floor skyscraper with a 188-metre antenna which would be 150 metres taller than the Saudi tower.