Jeddah Tower Set to Overtake Burj Khalifa as World’s Tallest Icon

Monday, 12 January 2026| Dubai, UAE [ Posted at 1:29 pm, updated at 2:34 pm ]

The ambitious Jeddah Tower of Saudi Arabia has crossed a construction milestone. It has moved closer to overtaking Dubai’s Burj Khalifa, the world’s current tallest building. According to reports, the project has now surpassed 80 floors. 

What Is The Latest Development?

Jeddah Tower is rising along the Red Sea coast. It has officially crossed the 80-floor mark. It reaffirms Saudi Arabia’s push to redefine global architectural limits. According to a Newsweek report, the skyscraper is on track to exceed 1,000 metres, which would make it the first human-made structure to reach a full kilometre in height.

Robert Forest, partner at Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture, told that construction activity has ramped up significantly, with teams fully committed to delivering this iconic landmark for the Kingdom.

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Recent updates also highlight visible progress and renewed confidence in the project. You can see the overview of those changes below:

• Construction resumed during 2024–2025 after a long pause
• Expected height: 1,000+ metres (3,280 feet)
• You can expect an estimated completion timeline by 2028
• It is designed by the same architects behind Burj Khalifa

Structural engineers Thorson Tomasetti said that the tower crossed this milestone in December 2025 to confirm steady progress on-site.

Why the Gulf Is Watching?

The tower is being developed in Saudi Arabia. However, its impact will extend across the Gulf region. The list of impacted people is mentioned below:

• Tourists: A future global attraction expected to rival Burj Khalifa
• UAE residents: It signals growing regional competition in tourism and real estate
• Investors & businesses: New commercial and hospitality opportunities
• Architecture and engineering sectors: It sets new global benchmarks

Jeddah Tower represents competition and regional growth for the UAE residents. Additionally, it will enhance the Middle East’s reputation for world-class megastructures. 

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Official Details

The tower is being developed as the centrepiece of Jeddah Economic City. It is also backed by prominent Saudi investors and aligned with Saudi Vision 2030, which is the national plan to diversify the economy beyond oil.

Saudi authorities and a major developer are supporting the project. Meanwhile, Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture are leading the design portion of the tower, renowned for engineering the Burj Khalifa.

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What Makes Jeddah Tower Unique?

Jeddah Tower is envisioned as a vertical city. Below are the unique features of this tower:

• Luxury hotels offering luxury amenities at the lower and mid-levels.
• Elite residential apartments are also available with Red Sea views.
• High-level corporate office spaces designed for top-level businesses.
• Retail and hospitality districts for shopping and entertainment.
• The world’s highest observation deck giving breathtaking skyline views.

The design includes an aerodynamic tapered shape, a reinforced concrete and steel core, energy-efficient façades, and advanced climate systems to manage the extreme height challenge. Additionally, the tower will feature 59 high-speed elevators, among the fastest in the world.

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Road Ahead for Jeddah Tower

Construction is expected to accelerate further through 2026 and 2027. If completed on schedule in 2028, it will officially surpass the 828-metre Burj Khalifa to redefine the global skyline.

Saudi Arabia is also planning other ultra-tall projects, including a Trump Tower in Jeddah and the proposed $5 billion Rise Tower in Riyadh, which is expected to be the first to reach 2 kilometres in height. Therefore, it highlights an ongoing race for architectural supremacy in the region.

As of now, Jeddah Tower stands as a powerful symbol of ambition. It could soon reshape how the world views iconic skyscrapers in the Middle East.

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