World's new tallest building nears completion in Saudi Arabia

The future world's tallest building has reached a major construction milestone. Saudi Arabia's Jeddah Economic Company (JEC) Tower has now risen to 102 floors and is rapidly advancing towards its planned height of more than one kilometre.

In November last year, the tower had reached 69 floors. Construction has since accelerated, and the building recently surpassed the 100-floor mark, joining a select group of only around 25 skyscrapers worldwide to achieve the feat.

The JEC Tower, designed by architects Adrian Smith and Gordon Gill, is the world's next tallest skyscraper. Photo: New Atlas

Architectural firm Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture (AS+GG) has confirmed the tower will comprise at least 157 floors. Once completed, it will stand significantly taller than the current world's tallest building, Burj Khalifa, which rises 828 metres, and nearly twice the height of the United States' tallest skyscraper, One World Trade Centre.

Such extraordinary height requires an advanced structural design. Engineering firm Thornton Tomasetti said the project makes extensive use of concrete, a construction method widely adopted across the Middle East.

The JEC Tower, to be completed in 2028, will require 59 elevators and include 5.7 million sq ft of floorspace inside. Photo: Jeddah Economic Company

According to the company, the tower employs a highly efficient concrete-based structural system designed for rapid construction. All structural walls are interconnected, enabling the building to withstand both wind and gravity loads without relying on conventional columns, outriggers or transfer structures.

Beneath the tower, a massive foundation supports the structure. The foundation includes a five-metre-thick concrete raft resting on 270 bored piles, each measuring 1.8 metres in diameter and extending to depths of up to 105 metres.

Towering over the Saudi port city of Jeddah, the JEC Tower will be over three times the height of the Eiffel Tower. Photo: Jeddah Economic Company

Previously known as the Kingdom Tower and Jeddah Tower, the JEC Tower forms the centrepiece of a major urban development in the port city of Jeddah. The skyscraper will feature what is expected to be the world's highest observation deck, alongside a luxury hotel, office space and high-end residential apartments.

The megatall skyscraper is just one of several 'gigaprojects' announced for Saudi Arabia as it aims to transform into a major tourism destination. However, while others like the Line and Mukaab have seen their ambitions reduced or been cancelled altogether, JEC Tower is now firmly on track after years of delays, and Saudi authorities seem intent on realising the project's ambitious vision. 

The tower will feature the world's highest observation point. Photo: Adrian Smith & Gordon Gill Architecture

With construction gathering pace and the finishing line coming into view, the ambitious skyscraper is steadily moving closer to claiming the title of the world's tallest building.