The World's Next Tallest Skyscraper Is Under Construction

Jeddah Tower, previously known as Kingdom Tower and Mile-High Tower, is a skyscraper under construction in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, at a preliminary cost of SR4.6 billion (US$1.23 billion). If completed in 2020 as planned, the Jeddah Tower will reach an unprecedented height, becoming the tallest building in the world as well as the first structure to reach the one-kilometre-high mark. A height that seemed only to exist in fantasy just years ago.

Construction started in 2013 and is estimated to be completed after 2020.

This is how the skyscraper is going to look

Boasting a gross floor area of 2.6 million square feet (243,866 square meters) over 252 stories, the tower will also feature the world's highest observation deck at 2,178 feet (664 meters) off the ground, with a 5,382 square feet (500 square meter) outdoor platform.

This is it in construction now

The design, created by American architect Adrian Smith, who also designed Burj Khalifa, incorporates many unique structural and aesthetic features. The creator and leader of the project is Saudi Arabian prince Al-Waleed bin Talal, the wealthiest man in the Middle East, a grandson of Ibn Saud, and nephew of the Kings of Saudi Arabia before him. Al-Waleed is the chairman of Kingdom Holding Company, which is a partner in the Jeddah Economic Company, which was formed in 2009 for the development of Jeddah Tower and City.

Jeddah Tower's 50-hectare (120-acre) plot with surrounding buildings will be the first of a three-phase Jeddah Economic City development. The three-phase project proposed for a large area of undeveloped waterfront land. It was originally planned to cover 23 km2 (8.9 sq mi) and cost SR100 billion. The area is located roughly 20 km (12 mi) north of the port city of Jeddah. Jeddah Economic City was designed by HOK Architects, and is estimated to cost at least SR75 billion (US$20 billion) and take around ten years to build.