The world is already full of incredible infrastructure projects, but many more are on the way. One of them, which is set to be completed by 2028, will become the tallest building on Earth, rising higher than Dubai’s Burj Khalifa.
The record-breaking tower is being built in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and will stand at over 1,000 metres once finished. Known as Jeddah Tower, the £20bn skyscraper will be the centrepiece of the massive Jeddah Economic City project. Construction first started in 2013 but was stopped in 2018 during a nationwide anti-corruption crackdown.
The pandemic then caused further delays and the original contractor was removed.
Work finally resumed in 2023 and according to the Jeddah Economic Company, more than 63 of the planned 157 floors have now been completed. The rest are due to be finished over the next three years.
The tower has been designed by Chicago-based architects Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill, the same team behind the Burj Khalifa.
It features a sleek, tapering shape and a three-petal base that helps it withstand strong desert winds.
Its exterior will also help reduce heat and energy use thanks to a high-performance wall system.
According to Parametric Architecture, the skyscraper has already been described as a masterpiece of design and engineering.
The final cost of the project is expected to reach $26 billion, according to estimates by Arabian Gulf Business Insight.
The building will include a hotel, luxury apartments, office space and the highest observation deck in the world, located on the 157th floor.
A large sky terrace will also be open to visitors, offering views over Jeddah and the Red Sea.
The foundation is supported by 270 concrete piles drilled 105 metres into the ground, topped with a five-metre-thick raft.
The tower is being built using Saudi-made concrete and cutting-edge construction techniques, allowing each floor to be completed in just four days.
Dozens of high-speed elevators, including double-deck lifts, will be needed to move people up and down the enormous structure.
The wider development around the tower will cover 1.7 million square metres and could eventually house up to 100,000 people.