THE Burj Khalifa Crown is Under Threat

The Burj Khalifa has stood for years as the epitome of architectural dominance, a crown jewel in Dubai’s skyline and the height of engineering around the world. A new era of “megatall” construction is beginning, and Saudi Arabia is leading the charge to claim the title of the world’s tallest tower. And, with two iconic projects in development, the kingdom is not merely looking to break records; it is looking to create entire cities based on these towering structures.

A New Contender, The Rise Tower in Riyadh

The most ambitious of the proposals is the proposed Rise Tower in Riyadh. The Burj Khalifa boasts an impressive height of 828 metres, but we have just seen a design for the proposed Rise Tower project, from architectural firm HKS, that revealed a height of 2,000 metres (2 kilometres), under the auspices of the Saudi Public Investment Fund.

The projected Rise Tower will be a “city in the sky” with 678 levels. The mixed-use building will have luxury hotels, restaurants, and offices, and will be the focal point of the North Pole development, a futuristic, sustainable city on 306 square kilometers.

The Jeddah Tower, A Legacy in the Making

While the Rise Tower will become a reality, another Saudi skyscraper is already under construction. Designed by Adrian Smith, the same visionary architect of the Burj Khalifa, the Jeddah Economic Company Tower is going to be the first of its kind to be over one kilometre high.

After significant financial and logistical complications, construction is now back on track for the Jeddah Economic Company Tower. The project led by the Jeddah Economic Company has an anticipated completion date of 2028. Following the completion of this luxury development, residents will occupy residential units plus a Four Seasons Hotel, along with an observation deck that boasts views of the city and the Red Sea.

A Race for the Sky, The Broader Context

These monumental structures will also serve as a step in a larger overall process of institutional change that is outlined in the Vision 2030 of Saudi Arabia. Vision 2030 is a comprehensive national plan that aims to change the economy’s heavy dependence on oil by providing an alternative with a new identity.

Saudi Arabia is constructing massive towers to project national identity and power as an international destination. These mega-projects, such as the proposed Rise Tower and the Jeddah Economic Company Tower, contribute to Saudi Vision 2030’s initiative to transform the country into a global center for business and tourism. The competition to construct the world’s tallest structure is a symbolic expression of the kingdom’s future goals.