Jeddah Economic Company (JEC) has signed an estimated SR8bn ($2.1bn) contract with the local Saudi Binladin Group (SBG). This is to resume construction work on what will soon be the world’s tallest tower – the 1,000-metre-plus Jeddah Tower in Saudi Arabia. When completed, Jeddah Tower will be more than 172 meters taller than the 828-metre-tall Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building since 2009. Additionally, it will be nearly 11 times the height of the Statue of Liberty. Its slender, subtly asymmetrical massing evokes the new growth of palm fronds shooting upward from the land. Moreover, it symbolizes new life, heralding future growth for the kingdom. At a ceremony held on the site Wednesday, the development consortium behind the project announced that the tower is now scheduled to finish in 2028.
Project Factsheet
Location: Jeddah Economic City
Country: Saudi Arabia
Significance: Soon to be the World’s Tallest Tower
Height: 1000 meters
Main Contractors: Jeddah Economic Company (JEC)
Project Duration: 4 Years
History of The World’s Tallest Tower
Jeddah Tower’s superstructure is about one-third complete with 63 floors out of a total 157. SBG (Saudi Binladin Group) was the main contractor on the project in the early and mid-2010s. Germany’s Bauer completed the tower’s piling work. Nonetheless, the world’s tallest tower has faced delays since construction was halted in January 2018. This was after the then-president of the SBG was arrested. In 2023, JEC called the performance guarantees or bonds provided by SBG. After JEC called the bonds, it launched a tender process, and bids were submitted earlier this year by a joint venture of various local and international based companies.
These include local El Seif Engineering & Contracting and Beijing-based China State Construction Engineering Corporation. Furthermore, Lebanon’s Consolidated Contractors Company (CCC) and Kuwait’s Mohammed Abdulmohsin Al-Kharafi & Sons have also shown interest. The joint venture of El-Seif and China State was later understood to be the frontrunner for the contract. Talks with the contracting joint venture ended over the summer before SBG secured the contract to complete the world’s tallest tower. The architect is US-based Adrian Smith & Gordon Gill, and the engineering consultant is Lebanon’s Dar Al-Hadassah (Shair & Partners).
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Significance of Completing the Jeddah Tower
The soon to be world’s tallest tower, is expected to be a mixed-use building, offering both residential, commercial, and office space. In addition, there will be an observation deck (currently planned to be the world’s tallest), a Four Seasons hotel, and a 98-foot-diameter outdoor balcony, which was originally designed as a helipad. The appointment of Saudi Binladin Group (SBG) on 2 October to complete the 1,000-metre-plus-tall Jeddah Tower in Saudi Arabia will cement the region’s status as the global high-rise capital. Dubai’s Burj Khalifa has been the world’s tallest tower since 2009, and the completion of Jeddah Tower will mean the region’s run as home to the world’s tallest building will continue for many more years.
Furthermore, the wolrd’s tallest tower will be the centerpiece of the Jeddah Economic City development. The project’s first phase, which includes the main tower, covers an area of 1.5 million square meters. The total value of the agreement amounts to SR7.2bn, out of which around SR1.1bn has been already paid for works previously completed on the tower with an anticipated construction period of four to five years. Jeddah Economic Company will finance remaining construction of the tower through internal funding and banking facilities.
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When will Jeddah Tower complete? The uncertain fate of the world’s tallest tower
1,000 Meters Jeddah World’s Tallest Tower Spikes Interest of Major Construction Companies
