Burj Khalifa has been regarded as the world’s tallest building since 2010. But some bad news for this Dubai megastructure: it will not be holding the record anymore in 2019, once the kilometer-tall skyscraper in Saudi Arabia will finish construction.
Called the Jeddah Tower, which was previously named Kingdom Tower, it will be the first building in the world to reach the one-kilometer-high mark. The original design of the tower was a mile high, or 1.6 kilometers, but the geology of the area did not permit such height.
Source: Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture
Construction began in April 2014 and set to be finished in 2018. But it was delayed, with reports saying it will open at the end of 2019. This was confirmed by Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, chairman of Kingdom Holding Co.
The project, which is part of a larger development known to be Jeddah Economic City, is designed by an interdisciplinary team led by Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture (AS+GG). According to the company’s website, tower’s design was inspired by the “folded fronds of young desert plant growth.”
“The way the fronds sprout upward from the ground as a single form, then start separating from each other at the top, is an analogy of new growth fused with technology,” it said.
The Saudi Binladin Group was designated as the contractor, while a team comprising Arcadis and Mace was tasked to be the project manager.
The Jeddah Tower is secured with foundation piles as large as 10 feet in diameter and as long as 360 feet. Meanwhile, its shape, which is a three-sided shard, is designed to be aerodynamic, meaning it could stand well with the wind.
In all, the structure will contain 80,000 tons of steel.
Source: Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture
This tall, mixed-use building will have 245,000 square meters of gross floor area, set to accommodate offices, a 200-room Four Seasons Hotel, 121 serviced apartments and 360 residential apartments.
Source: Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture
There will be 59 elevators and 12 escalators inside the building, with 5 of the elevators a double decker. Three sky lobbies will prevent any one elevator from having to go all the way to the top.
Taking advantage of its height, the tower will be home to the world’s highest observatory. Other than that, there will be patios along its three sides, offering fantastic views of Jeddah and the Red Sea.
Sources: Architizer | Global Construction Review
