Hmm... Is this definitely on prep stage?
If so, there isn't alot of conversation for the future tallest building on earth

it's not, status should be on hold at this stage.

it's not, status should be on hold at this stage.

On hold... Wouldn't it still be on approved if they haven't started anything yet

On hold... Wouldn't it still be on approved if they haven't started anything yet

actually as far as i know, they started preparing but got problems, like soil testing gave them problems and since then its on hold. :ohno:

actually as far as i know, they started preparing but got problems, like soil testing gave them problems and since then its on hold. :ohno:

Ok
I remember Seeing a post on this forum a while back regarding soil instability and problems of that matter. Wasn't sure if that really counted as prep but I guess you learn something new every day.

if mine is bigger then yours then they will build it, otherwise give it another 20 to 30 years before anything happen on this one.

This tower would be hardly profitable in London or NYC... The investors are not stupid, I think that this tower will not see a light of a day :down:

^^ you are nothing but a troll on this forum.

this tower won't be profitable. it won't fill up. it isn't built based on demand for space in the city. does it mean it isn't cool as fuck? HELL NO!

^^ you are nothing but a troll on this forum.

I just have my opinion, so go fcuk yourself. You are just one biased Arabian so I´m not surprises that you dont respect my opinion. :bash:

Anyways, it would be an architectural marvel if it gets built.

Burj Khalifa isn't profitable, there were doubts about its profitability even during design phase but they still built it :)

I honestly don't care if it makes money or not, I just want to see it built. They've got enough oil money to throw around, and when they run out of oil and society collapses, maybe it will be a ghost town with a single intimidating, imposing spire :lol: I think it would look very cool in such a scenario

^^ you are nothing but a troll on this forum.
and you are in idiot to deny that this project wont be profitable. this project is nothing but a waste of resources and money that could be much better applied to a number of other things. i think that sooner or later the investors in this project will realise this (if they havent already) and this project will become nothing but a cancelled vision. this is not trolling, it is realism. humanity just doesnt need a kilometer-tall building yet.

The fact that it doesn't need it does't mean it won't get it. I'm sure you have many things you could live without. And don't forget the company which will build this is also ran by a man. A man with an ego.

A man with an ego.

NEVER underestimate the power of a man with an ego

Look at Trump...went bankrupt 4 times, still building skyscrapers.

The fact that it doesn't it does't mean it won't get it. I'm sure you have many things you could live without. And don't forget the company which will build this is also ran by a man. A man with an ego.

A man worth more than $20 billion!

wowowww....

If i remembered correctly i herd that the engineer crew tested soil samples of the ground and came up with the conclusion that no such building could be made that could support a building of that size.

Deleted all the offtopic stuff going on at this page.

People, this ain't a place to "discuss" politics or troll about other countries and people!
Only the project of Kingdom Tower itself is a matter to be discussed here. For everything else, use the skybars or Urban Issues forums.

Further posts in this direction will be deleted, so don't make an effort.
If necessary, we'll ban people. Cordial thanks for your attention & understanding.

Regards,
Erbse

Hi all.

Hi Erbse.

You went a little far ...

I'll repost.

Hi Yankee.

I also heard about a soil test failure but nothing else. The fail may have had an impact on some initial foundation plan perhaps.

IMO a foundation can be designed for the next WTS in almost any soil conditions.

I am a bit perplexed by the reported failed test. Normally there is not a pass / fail scenario. They do the soil tests early and then design the foundation with that info in hand.

:cheers:
Ray.

isnt the ground Burj Khalifa stands on a difficult area to build a building like it has been either. i have to agree that today most things are possible, but if the budget increases and increases it may not be profitable. especially for this region i never understood the need for that building and the whole new CBD they plan to rise up. on the good site it may get them more works outside the oil business, but then again they cant even raise the tourism that much anyway. its probably just another prestige project, which i am ok with. we just can wait and see.

Hi all.

Hi Killer.

Yes the bedrock is too deep under the BK so it uses skin friction piles. The geology under Shanghai is another example of challenging conditions.

I believe the next WTS can be built almost anywhere (in regards to the foundation).

I do question the failed soil test report for the reasons I stated above but with that info they can design a foundation strategy, perhaps using barretts like the Nakheel Tower had started installing before the big axe fell.

As you said - nothing we can do but wait for some actual, credible news.

:cheers:
Ray.

As you said - nothing we can do but wait for some actual, credible news.

:cheers:
Ray.

well we can share a drink however :cheers: cheers!

Hey guys apparently KT was approved in april!!

And your point being here? :dunno:

Hey guys apparently KT was approved in april!!

yes we know, but that doesnt necessarily mean that construction is about to start very soon

ok cool, haha it was news to me.

ok cool, haha it was news to me.

it was approved and they even had ground testing, but after there were problems nothing was heard from it again

Been going to Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture website still no announcement about this project.

http://www.22dakika.org/imaj/dkamoy/883239-pm.jpg

Google Translate

Jeddah: creating the world's tallest tower by $ 4.6 billion riyals

:banana::banana::banana::banana::banana::banana::banana::banana:

"Economic" from Riyadh
Kingdom holding company announced the signing of the company his grandfather (a sister companies) on Monday 01/09/1431 e, 01/08/2011 m for the implementation of the world's highest Tower in Jeddah Kingdom Tower project with a bin Laden with $ 4.6 billion riyals.



Note that the construction of the Tower, which increases the height of 1000 meters and contains a hotel and apartments, apartments and offices with a total area of 500,000 square metres will be among the first phase of the project Kingdom city in Jeddah, which lies north of the city of Jeddah and occupies 5.3 million square meters overlooking the Red Sea and Gulf sailed.



As a partnership agreement was signed in the Saudi binladin group as a partner in the company of Jeddah economic share 16.63%. The entry bin Laden group shares have become partners in Jeddah economic company: Kingdom holding company 33.35% global holding company righteous 33.35% Mr. Abdulrahman sharbatly 16.67%


So main contractor is chosen, the only think now left is revelation of the desing which hopefully will be soon :cheers:

Great news! :banana::banana: All over the media! So we can see the next world tallest building rising!

I have found the constructions site on Google Earth and wrote in my Blog:
http://www.mister-foley.com/blog/en/31

Great Day! :banana:

Lol I hate when these things take YEARS, I can't wait. 3,280 feet is incomprehensibly obnoxious and tall and I like it.

That made my day!!!!

I get a sense of dévà ju here.

In which sense?

Haven't we heard news about them choosing a contractor before? I'm pretty sure this isn't the first time this was reported in this thread.

From AS+GG website:

http://smithgill.com/#/news/kingdom_tower_announcement/

As far as I remember they have never chosen any contractor for the tower. It was always like "in next month we will chose the contractor" and this way on and on, but they never actually did.

I could easily be wrong, I just have this nagging gut feeling that I've heard this before.

Dear forummers ! :banana: :banana: :banana:

Its all over the media now !!! :cheers:


Kingdom Holding Co signs $1.2 billion deal with Saudi Binladen Group to build world's tallest tower.

link: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/et-cetera/kingdom-holding-co-signs-12-billion-deal-with-saudi-binladen-group-to-build-worlds-tallest-tower/articleshow/9456039.cms

link: http://www.tradenewswire.net/2011/binladen-group-awarded-1-2bn-contract-awarded-to-build-worlds-tallest-tower/

Kingdom Holding to build world’s tallest tower in Jeddah.

link: http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article481836.ece


:dance::dance::dance:

Reuters reports...

Alwaleed's Kingdom in contract to build world's tallest tower !

link: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/08/02/kingdom-tower-idUSL6E7J208320110802

I could easily be wrong, I just have this nagging gut feeling that I've heard this before.

Well it does look pretty serious now:

http://img3.imageshack.us/img3/584/clipboard01rr.jpg

http://img812.imageshack.us/img812/1919/clipboard02it.jpg

http://img811.imageshack.us/img811/1756/clipboard03c.jpg

http://img845.imageshack.us/img845/1701/clipboard04n.jpg

http://img819.imageshack.us/img819/3003/clipboard05l.jpg

http://img832.imageshack.us/img832/9181/clipboard06h.jpg

http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/8079/clipboard07b.jpg

http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/9628/clipboard08p.jpg

http://img546.imageshack.us/img546/9467/clipboard09d.jpg

http://img31.imageshack.us/img31/9697/clipboard10t.jpg

The only think now I would like to see are some pics from the location of the tower...

^^^^

Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture, an American company, will be overseeing the design and development of the Kingdom Tower.


link: http://burj-khalifa.eu/featured/saudi-royal-family-building-a-mile-high-tower-literally

Here is the architects source: http://smithgill.com/#/news/kingdom_tower_announcement/

So, let's update first post in this thread?: )

^^^^

Much thanks Jan :).

With that prove, there is no doubt enymore, this tower (see renders above) will be build ! :banana: :cheers:

Holy Shit! :D What a great design!!

Yeah, the design is pretty neat, with the exception of that horribly out of place platform that's attached to it. I hope they do away with it.

Soon Burj Khalifa will loose his world record to JEDDAH MILE TOWER :cheers: :banana:

Truly impressive visualizations. I like the scifi look of the Kingdom Tower better than that of Burj Dubai. But that helipad looks indeed ridiculous, I say screw it.


I updated the first post of this thread with the fresh renderings. I didn't expect this would come along.
But I'll only believe it if they start piling, pouring concrete etc. for it.

This is my favorite tower from now on,no questions asked :)

so it's official now ... hurray :banana: !

But I'll only believe it if they start piling, pouring concrete etc. for it.
That's exactly my thought. People in this thread have gotten their hopes up so many times in the past, only to be disappointed when once again nothing happened, I'm going to remain sceptical until I see actual work being done on the tower.

del

1600 :D its called mile high tower

That's exactly my thought. People in this thread have gotten their hopes up so many times in the past, only to be disappointed when once again nothing happened, I'm going to remain sceptical until I see actual work being done on the tower.

From the information we have got trough all these years and based on the investors who was to put money on it somehow I always was prety sure this will be build some day. Why wouldn't they if they really want? It's not another fake project to rise land prices. It's prety obvious to me. While it may have delays because of many reasons it finally will be build. And since they engaged worlds top class architect to the project desing I'm sure they are not going to waste allready spent money. The contract with binladin, builders of mecca clock tower, just sums it all up.

Speechless....

Love the design, especially the horizontal grille-like indentations. The base is beautiful. I even like the heliport. The design for it is kick-ass.

It looks more like an observation deck than a helipad. See the close-up in the third render.

DAMN!!
...is that even possible to build?? :D

does anyone know, how hight the observation deck / helipad will be?

so i was browsing SSC and wondering why so many bumped this thread again and i thought nah let's go in there and tell these guys not to have so much false hope and then those renders jumped right into my face. wow. that just made my day. Also the renders are amazing, great to see they keep the design they had before.

also: wasnt Burj Khalifa's cost at about a billion already, how can this building cost not much more at all?

Soon Burj Khalifa will loose his world record to JEDDAH MILE TOWER :cheers: :banana:

soon = how many years ? :lol:

...quote from http://burj-khalifa.eu/featured/saudi-royal-family-building-a-mile-high-tower-literally:

"The Kingdom Tower will be twice the size of this tower, the Burj Khalifa..." i mean, WTF??? :D

this is megalomaniac..

Love the design, especially the horizontal grille-like indentations. The base is beautiful. I even like the heliport. The design for it is kick-ass.

That is not only a heliport but an outstanding observation deck.

i think the height will be between 1000m and 1200m. i dont think it is in fact becoming one mile high.

i think fayzoon jizzed in his pants today :D

That is not only a heliport but an outstanding observation deck.

on floor 157!

i think the height will be between 1000m and 1200m. i dont think it is in fact becoming one mile high.

i think fayzoon jizzed in his pants today :D

:lol: don't tell fayzoon!

:lol: don't tell fayzoon!

haha he saw this thread already xD. but damn this stuff is amazing, so soon they will even start?

soon = how many years ? :lol:

his soon is 65 months starting from now...or 63 months from the time the constructions start ;)

his soon is 65 months starting from now...or 63 months from the time the constructions start ;)

so the construction is supposed to start in two months, wow

so when it really would be topped out at the end of 2016 we would have a 6 year new title holder since 1998 :D

Wow! I love the design. I guess we'll have a new sticky on the supertall U/C forum. "New World's Tallest", man that's got an awesome ring to it. :banana:

If anybody happens to read Inhabitat you might have spotted an article on this published today...
http://inhabitat.com/adrian-smith-gordon-gill-announces-it-will-design-the-mile-high-kingdom-tower-in-dubai/

See how many errors you can spot, beginning with the bloody headline.

extra information:


Five contractors were invited to offer proposals for the Kingdom Tower and a short list of three firms submitted final offers for the tower construction. The Saudi Bin Laden Group (SBG) whose offer was the most attractive in terms of price, quality and schedule was chosen for the project.
With a total construction area of over 500,000 square meters, the soaring Kingdom Tower will be a mixed-use building featuring a Four Seasons hotel, Four Seasons serviced apartments, first class office space, luxury condominiums and an observatory that will be higher than the world’s current highest observation deck. The overall construction cost of the tower is SR4.6 billion ($1.2 billion) and the overall estimated cost of the entire Kingdom City project is anticipated to be SR75 billion ($20 billion).

If anybody happens to read Inhabitat you might have spotted an article on this published today...
http://inhabitat.com/adrian-smith-gordon-gill-announces-it-will-design-the-mile-high-kingdom-tower-in-dubai/

See how many errors you can spot, beginning with the bloody headline.

http://inhabitat.com/insane-mile-high-kingdom-tower-given-green-light-by-saudi-arabia/

another article that has renders of the old Dubai proposal but it clearly says Jeddah, Saudi Arabia xD

^^

500.000 square meters isnt that less than burj khalifa, lotte tower and shanghai tower? werent some of these even by 600.000, not to talk about the mecca thing that is even bigger in terms of width and stuff

^^ i guess its more spire than "tower"

An outdoor observation deck at that height? And with party glass floor? Sweet. But as said, observation deck looks a bit out of place.

With out the observation deck this would be one great tower now it's just a good one with a subtle reminiscene to Wright's The Illinois.

Holy fuck is all I can say.

From the information we have got trough all these years and based on the investors who was to put money on it somehow I always was prety sure this will be build some day. Why wouldn't they if they really want? It's not another fake project to rise land prices. It's prety obvious to me. While it may have delays because of many reasons it finally will be build. And since they engaged worlds top class architect to the project desing I'm sure they are not going to waste allready spent money. The contract with binladin, builders of mecca clock tower, just sums it all up.

Actually, I suspect raising land prices is what this tower is really about.
He could build his vanity tower anywhere in Jeddah: the corniche, downtown etc..
But he isn't, he's building it in Obhur. Obhur is a beach community just north of Jeddah. There, beachfront land is extremely expensive, whilst plots inland are largely worthless.

Can anyone make a diagram showing the Burj next to the jeddah tower? i really want to see the height difference.

According to the renders it looks like we saw the final design months ago in the hands of Adrian Smith. I cannot find the photos but someone posted the photos with Adrian Smith in spring this year. Anybody know about the photos?

Amazing renderings btw.

woooow, just readed about this in a spanish newspaper: http://www.elpais.com/articulo/cultura/futuro/edificio/alto/mundo/elpten/20110802elpepucul_6/Tes
But I can't believe it, are there any recent pics of the plot?, if they have announced it I guess they have already started excavations or foundations works in secret, because these works could last 2 years and they use to begin with it even when there's not a final design.

nevermind found one. http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/4/2011/08/building-comparison-gizmodo.jpg

OMG, this tower is enormous :eek2: I just hope it doesn't end like most of such mega ambitious projects ........ in a trash bin :dunno:

i'm totally speechless :). Fantastic News!

and the new design is simply great, much better than the original design i think :)

Can't wait to see it rising into the sky...and reaching the 1000m mark :)

Thank you for the diagram, it looks awesome :banana2:

IT HAS BEEN APPROVED TODAY! LOOK AT THE NEWS!!!

cant wait for someone drawing a new skyscraperpage diagram :)

Nice diagram comparing a 1000m Kingdom Tower to some others:

http://i56.tinypic.com/2a9tvg3.jpg
Source: Gizmodo, http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/4/2011/08/building-comparison-gizmodo.jpg


With out the observation deck this would be one great tower now it's just a good one with a subtle reminiscene to Wright's The Illinois.

Exactly my thoughts. Frank Lloyd Wright proposed "The Illinois" in 1956 already.
This concept was miles ahead of its time (being the first proposed mile-high tower) - and absolutely unrealistic for the 50s of course.
But it looks like the architects of Kingdom Tower got "a little" inspiration here:

http://i54.tinypic.com/2whmlv5.jpg
Source and more info about this decades old pipe dream: http://www.johncoulthart.com/feuilleton/2006/03/26/enormous-structures-%E2%80%93-i/

I really DON'T like the design, but the height sure is awesome.

Can't believe it will cost only $1.2bn to build it....imagine this in NYC, it would be several times more.

1,2 billion ?!?!?!?!? :eek2: 1WTC is 417m tall and it costs 3,1 billion :eek2: Out of what will this tower be built? Out of paper or tin foil? :doh:

building in new york and building in jeddah is of course different from the price. new york labor is more expensive, the safety regulations are more extreme and the materials are more expensive too i suppose

What's up with that helipad-tumor thingy. Burj-al-Arab much?

building in new york and building in jeddah is of course different from the price. new york labor is more expensive, the safety regulations are more extreme and the materials are more expensive too i suppose

Skyscrapers in NYC using steel. Thats expensive (and in the current resource market). In the middle east they using very much ("cheap") concrete. And you are right - indian and pakistani workers are cheaper than workers from new york and in the middle of the desert you can build a skyscraper easier than in an city with high density.

building in new york and building in jeddah is of course different from the price. new york labor is more expensive, the safety regulations are more extreme and the materials are more expensive too i suppose

By safety regulations you mean both work safety regulations and building safety regulations, right?

In my opinion it would be a critical mistake if they would underestimate the need for building a redundant building. 9/11 has taught us that a building must be redundant more than anything else. I just hope they will keep that in mind. I'd hate to see such a beautiful building in danger of being destroyed :dunno:

What's up with that helipad-tumor thingy. Burj-al-Arab much?

its an observation deck

Well, I guess I'm kind of glad that The Illinois is getting built in one form or another.

They begin in two months???

Well, if the Wall St. Journal says it's true then it has to be true! ;)

WSJ (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111903341404576483540742054836.html?mod=WSJ_RealEstate_LeftTopNews)


COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATEAUGUST 2, 2011
Saudi Set for World's Tallest Tower
By SUMMER SAID


RIYADH—Saudi Arabia's Kingdom Holding Co., run by billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, said its associate firm, Jeddah Economic Co., had signed a 4.6 billion Saudi riyal ($1.23 billion) deal with Bin Laden Group to build the world's tallest tower in Jeddah.

The planned tower, which will soar to more than 1,000 meters (3,281 feet), will include a hotel, serviced apartments, luxury condominiums and offices and will occupy an area of 500,000 square meters (5.38 million square feet), Kingdom Holding said in a statement on the Saudi bourse website.

"This project will provide sustainable profits to Kingdom Holding shareholders," Prince Alwaleed said at a news conference in Riyadh. It "has been in discussion since four years because of our emphasis to have it very economically viable ... this project is very feasible for the shareholders, and everybody is satisfied with the potential returns."

Construction on the Kingdom Tower, which will take 63 months to complete, is expected to start soon, Prince Alwaleed said. (:banana:) He said finances for the tower are in place, without giving any further details.

The tower would top Dubai's 828-meter (2,717-foot) Burj Khalifa, which currently is the world's tallest building. Kingdom's project will be part of the more than 5.3-million-square-meter (57-million-square-foot) Kingdom City, north of Jeddah, which overlooks the Red Sea and Obhur Creek andis expected to cost $20 billion.

"It's ambitious and in planning phase for a while. The critics will say it's unnecessary when resources may be deployed for other much needed development and infrastructure," said Saud Masud, financial analyst at regional investment bank Rasmala. "However, as a symbolic undertaking, this project may carry merit. Saudi is the largest economy in the Middle East with a need for socioeconomic advancement and development. The tower may reflect inspiration to that effect."

Kingdom Holding said it had signed a shareholder agreement under which Bin Laden Group would take a 16.63% stake in Jeddah Economic Co., which will build the tower. Kingdom will own 33.35% in Jeddah Economic, while 33.35% will be held by Abrar International Holding Co. and 16.67% by investor Abdurrahman Sharbatly.

Bin Laden Group is the largest construction firm in Saudi Arabia and is owned by the Bin Laden family, which in the 1990s distanced itself from Osama Bin Laden.

Chicago-based Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture led an interdisciplinary team that designed the tower.

http://si.wsj.net/public/resources/images/OB-OZ874_saudto_DV_20110802090207.jpg
Agence France-Presse/Getty Images
Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal speaks next to a model of the world's tallest tower, to be built in Jeddah.

"Building this tower in Jeddah sends a financial and economic message that should not be ignored. It has a political depth to it to tell the world that we Saudis invest in our country," Prince Alwaleed said.

Prince Alwaleed, who owns 95% of Kingdom Holding, has focused his investments on banks, hotels and media companies, building sizable stakes in firms such as Citigroup Inc., News Corp., Apple Inc. and Time Warner Inc. News Corp. owns Dow Jones & Co., publisher of The Wall Street Journal.

Over the past couple of years, the prince, who has been the Middle East's wealthiest businessman over the past 20 years, has again started seeking investors and acquisitions around the world after keeping a low profile in the aftermath of the global financial crisis.

In April, Kingdom and Bahrain Telecommunication Co., or Batelco, signed a nonbinding term sheet to buy a 25% stake of the Saudi unit of Kuwait-based Mobile Telecommunications Co., better known as Zain, for about $1.2 billion. The two companies have until the end of August to conduct due diligence for the deal.

In May, Kingdom said it and its chairman invested $400 million in Swiss commodities trader Glencore International PLC's initial public offering. The transaction represented 3.6% of the value of Glencore's subscriptions.

---


What fun! :cheers:

Somebody wake me up. I must be dreaming :eek2: I thought the Burj Khalifa would rule the world for as long as the ESB did.

Sorry not sure if it's a repost but wanted to jump on and say it's also one of the sub-headlines on MSN now.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43988244/ns/world_news-mideast_n_africa/t/worlds-tallest-building-coming-saudi-arabia/?GT1=43001

^^^ from the above link :
http://msnbcmedia1.msn.com/j/reuters/2011-08-02t140745z_01_btre771139700_rtroptp_3_kingdom-tower.grid-4x2.jpg

While the helipad / observation level is a bit to ruin the smooth lines, I'll admit it's a heck of an awesome, open, and see-through tourist area! Too bad they didn't put one on each side to keep it somewhat symetrical.

I have a hunch that this will not get built.

I hope it'll get built but without the horrible helipad :doh:

But we have to take into consideration that Saudi Arabia is experiencing it's golden age right now with the civil war in Libya. With it's only true rival in oil export gone the whole world is dependent on Saudi Arabia :dunno:

del

http://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?compare=82759

:nuts::nuts::nuts:

yeah we know, but its an old diagram ;) the maker of the diagram is a user on here though, so maybe he will also make one for the new design x)

I hope it'll get built but without the horrible helipad :doh:

Once again - its not a helipad! It was planned as a helipad but it was redesigned to the outdoor observation deck!

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/02/kingdom-tower-tallest-building_n_916207.html (Adrian Smith Talks Designing World's Tallest Building)

At six feet, Adrian Smith is fairly tall for an architect.

But now, with the announcement that his Kingdom Tower in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, will begin construction this year, he may qualify as the world's tallest architect. After all, the Kingdom Tower, which will be at least 3,280 feet tall, is eclipsing another of Smith's designs, Dubai's Burj Khalifa, for the honor of being the world's tallest building.

Smith planned the Burj Khalifa while he was with Skidmore, Owings & Merrill; he's now at Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture. He took a few minutes to speak with The Huffington Post by phone from Saudi Arabia, where it was 115 degrees Tuesday when Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, King Abdullah's nephew and the chairman of the Kingdom Holding Company, announced that the construction will begin soon.

The tower, which will cost $1.2 billion and take 63 months to build, will include a Four Seasons hotel, apartments and condominiums, office space and the world's highest observatory. It will be at least 568 feet taller than the Burj Khalifa.

How was the process of designing the Kingdom Tower different from Burj Khalifa?

They both started with a competition. On Burj Khalifa, that competition was very short, really a competition of ideas only. We were selected for that project after just three or four weeks. On the Kingdom Tower, the competition process was about eight or nine months long. They started with nine entries and one was taken away each month. In the end it was just us and SOM and we won out.

Why does the world need a new tallest building? Why the focus on this distinction?

There's something very special about being the world's tallest building. Everyone wants to be able to do one. I think in this situation there is a development going around the tower -- a $29 billion development -- and this tower acts as a catalyst for that development. Putting such a tall tower in first actually increases the land value around the tower, so even if you don't make a lot of money on the tower itself you'll make money on the land.

On the cost of the tower itself, $1.2 billion, how does that compare with what you might find in the U.S.?

Well, New York is a very expensive place to build. In the Middle East you have very inexpensive labor and they work three shifts, so they keep going all around the clock. That helps keep the cost of construction low here. But it's comparable to Chicago, and other parts of the U.S.


Was the sky terrace a demand from the owner, or is it something you're happy with having on the building?

The idea started out as a helipad, and we came up with the projected, cantilevered dish. And then we started talking to pilots and they said, 'Well, up at that height it's going to be pretty difficult to land.' But the owner and we liked it so much that we thought we'd keep it as a sky terrace. It'll have a little garden; don't forget, six months of the year here it's a beautiful climate. The winter here, temperature wise, is a lot like living in California.

On a building like this, where it's by definition entirely new, what are the precedents and influences?

What struck us is that Saudi Arabia is trying to open itself up to more business and more opportunity. So we thought about the fact that this is a new vision for Saudi Arabia, and the idea of newness struck us. We thought about how the palm tree, when it's just starting out as a plant, it will grow to a point and then the prongs will separate. The building is not a replication of that but the idea influenced us.

sourse (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/02/kingdom-tower-tallest-building_n_916207.html)

Oh my god. those renders look amazing. I dont mind the platform but it could do without. Im now remided why Adrian Smith is my favorite architect

so what is it now? proposed? approved? preparation?

I wonder how high the highset usable floor will be. maybe 700m?

So when the aliens come, and they naturally decide to make contact at the site of the world's tallest building, it'll be... in the middle of the desert. And then they'll leave, saying to themselves, "well, nothing here worth seeing." Sounds like a perfect defensive strategy for the Earth. I like it.

Seriously, though, I like it. Total waste of money. But if I had more money than God, I'd probably build myself a tower too. On that note, I think I'll go for a drive around the block and make my financial contribution to the project.

not suprise, this country spend a lot of money, this is really sad!

That doesn't really matter at all, what matters is that this is finally getting the motion it deserves. Fuck all those fancy visionary towers from Kuwait, Dubai, and else, this behemoth is materialising fast.

So when the aliens come, and they naturally decide to make contact at the site of the world's tallest building, it'll be... in the middle of the desert. And then they'll leave, saying to themselves, "well, nothing here worth seeing." Sounds like a perfect defensive strategy for the Earth. I like it.

Seriously, though, I like it. Total waste of money. But if I had more money than God, I'd probably build myself a tower too. On that note, I think I'll go for a drive around the block and make my financial contribution to the project.

jeddah has over 3 million inhabitants and mecca isnt that far either. i dont say its as busy as Shanghai or Mumbai or New York or whatever, but i wouldnt call 3 million people the middle of the desert, also its a harbour so its more like the edge of the desert if you will

awesome
http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/7356/kingdomtowerfromthewate.jpg

^^
culwulla, we expect an awesome diagram when this project gets under construction at the end of the year :lol:

So when the aliens come, and they naturally decide to make contact at the site of the world's tallest building, it'll be... in the middle of the desert. And then they'll leave, saying to themselves, "well, nothing here worth seeing." Sounds like a perfect defensive strategy for the Earth. I like it.

Seriously, though, I like it. Total waste of money. But if I had more money than God, I'd probably build myself a tower too. On that note, I think I'll go for a drive around the block and make my financial contribution to the project.

since when the red see coast is " in the middle of the desert " ??
jeddah's population is about 4 million
and when the aliens come ,, they will find this tower in the meddle of the meddle east ,, the home of some of the oldest human structures and civilizations ,,
seriously people ,, stop depending on Fox news and George Clooney movies for information ..

anyway ,, please explain to me why would "Chicago" be a better alternative for the aliens ;)

http://b.imagehost.org/0446/DSCN3339.jpg

quoting old post of the same design model.

So what is the expected final height and a start date?

^its 1000m (1km) and will start before xmas
ive worked out some heights
height of observation ring=approx 640m
height of 2nd highest pinnacle =828m
awesome
http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/7356/kingdomtowerfromthewate.jpg

^its 1000m (1km) and will start before xmas
ive worked out some heights
height of observation ring=approx 640m
height of 2nd highest pinnacle =828m

it's said that it is at least 1000m tall. i wouldnt be surprised if they keep the real height a secret like they did it for Burj Khalifa and that the final height will be around 1000m to 1200m.

A 640 m sky garden will feel the effects of altitude. How much cooler is it up there than on the ground?

A 640 m sky garden will feel the effects of altitude. How much cooler is it up there than on the ground?

average is 6.49°C/1,000 m. that means it will be slithly over 4°C colder than on ground

Does anyone know about the parking facilities?

Where are they going to fit all the cars? And will there be valet parking?

Does anyone know about the parking facilities?

Where are they going to fit all the cars? And will there be valet parking?

we only have the few renders still, so no word about it yet as far as i know

average is 6.49°C/1,000 m. that means it will be slithly over 4°C colder than on ground

Hm. 4 Celcius difference = 7 Farenheit difference. That's not too big of a difference.

it's said that it is at least 1000m tall. i wouldnt be surprised if they keep the real height a secret like they did it for Burj Khalifa and that the final height will be around 1000m to 1200m.

Jacking the height up in secresy? I can see that happening. What was the Burj Khalifa's original intended height again?

Jacking the height up in secresy? I can see that happening. What was the Burj Khalifa's original intended height again?

While Burj Khalifa was under construction it was said between 800m and 850m i think, but noone knew the exact height until it was rising and rising nearly topping out

jeddah has over 3 million inhabitants and mecca isnt that far either. i dont say its as busy as Shanghai or Mumbai or New York or whatever, but i wouldnt call 3 million people the middle of the desert, also its a harbour so its more like the edge of the desert if you will

the populations of Jeddah was 3.7 million in 2010.however, they're expecting that number to jump to 10 million in 2020 source (http://www.aawsat.com/details.asp?section=43&article=511377&issueno=11068).on the other hand, the city was visited by more than 4 million this summer (until the end of July) which is 15% more than summer 2010 for the same period.

While Burj Khalifa was under construction it was said between 800m and 850m i think, but noone knew the exact height until it was rising and rising nearly topping out

it was originally 705m and that was height it was quoted for years.
then speculation of 800m+ and then someone founds plans which quoted 818m.
then on opening day it was 828m.
i think this will stay at the magic 1000m mark.

it was originally 705m and that was height it was quoted for years.
then speculation of 800m+ and then someone founds plans which quoted 818m.
then on opening day it was 828m.
i think this will stay at the magic 1000m mark.

if they said they will make it 1000m i would have thought the same, but the ASGG side says itself "At over 1,000 meters" and "The tower's height will be at least 173 meters (568 feet) taller than the world's current tallest building, Dubai's 828-meter-tall Burj Khalifa". so it is not a fixed date, but maybe it will also just be a few meters higher than that

WOW, I thought the project died, great news to hear it's still alive! I remember this plan first coming out when I used to live in Jeddah, I hope my visa lasts until it is completed so I can go and visit :cheers:

I love the design too.


But I'll only believe it if they start piling, pouring concrete etc. for it.

+1 A family friend of ours is the chief engineer for the Makkah clock tower and he said this project will never work out :dunno:

1,2 billion ?!?!?!?!? :eek2: 1WTC is 417m tall and it costs 3,1 billion :eek2: Out of what will this tower be built? Out of paper or tin foil? :doh:

Why are you surprised? Slave labour is tolerated in one place, and in the other, there are safety regulations and they have to treat the construction workers as human beings :lol:

I AM SO EXCITE

I AM SO EXCITE

I AM SO EXCITE

For the next 8 hours, I will be bouncing off the walls of my room to a sped up version of Caramelldansen played at max volume :lol:



1,2 billion ?!?!?!?!? :eek2: 1WTC is 417m tall and it costs 3,1 billion :eek2: Out of what will this tower be built? Out of paper or tin foil? :doh:

Unions vs. Slavery
For an extra $1B, I'm pretty sure that Kingdom Tower could be built round the clock, 24h building using nighttime construction, spotlights and shifts

Anyways, I hope this tower gets off the ground FAST and doesn't disappoint! A 1km self-sustaining man-made superstructure is definitely a major milestone in human progress!

Well, if the Wall St. Journal says it's true then it has to be true! ;)
WSJ (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111903341404576483540742054836.html?mod=WSJ_RealEstate_LeftTopNews)


Reported in Nikkei (Japanese "Financial Times") too. Must be real this time!!:banana::banana:
http://www.nikkei.com/news/headline/article/g=96958A9C9381959FE2E1E2E29B8DE2E1E2EAE0E2E3E3E2E2E2E2E2E2

Btw, there's been ongoing discussion on how to name over-km towers but did anything come out of it? "Megatall"?

this was posted here before, but here it is in a better quality/size
http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/2497/96958a9c9381959fe2e1e2e.jpg

@ 2co2co

We should call this a "Megatall," and create a subforum exclusively for megatalls, there would be just one thread (this one) and it would be chilling there all by itself looking pretty boss.

Nah but I am serious about the naming thing...I think SSC should have an official name for buildings over 1000m :)

;82492263']@ 2co2co

We should call this a "Megatall," and create a subforum exclusively for megatalls, there would be just one thread (this one) and it would be chilling there all by itself looking pretty boss.

Nah but I am serious about the naming thing...I think SSC should have an official name for buildings over 1000m :)

if there is a new category it should be for buildings over 500m.

you can't be serious :bash:

No, I'm really serious. They need to give serious consideration to parking. Multiple garages, multiple access points, gateless entry and exit.

I know this might be too soon, but given (a) how long it will take to build this tower, (b) current developments in human rights in KSA and (c) the fact that Jeddah is somewhat less conservative than the rest of the country, there is a good possibility that there will be an exponential increase in the number of drivers in the coming years. I hope the planners take this into consideration.

if there is a new category it should be for buildings over 500m.

I don't think so, because then there's only a 200m difference between a "supertall" and a "megatall" or whatever.

Hypothetically, the definitions could be revised - skyscraper could be expanded to denote anything up to 500m, supertall could include everything from 500m - 999m, and megatall anything 1000m+ (until 2000m...then we'd need an ultratall or hypertall category)

Wow, even talking about inventing and redefining words shows how important this building will be!

Coruscant-esque tower....:okay:

quick comparison diagram
http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/2183/worldtallaug.jpg

;82492804']I don't think so, because then there's only a 200m difference between a "supertall" and a "megatall" or whatever.

Hypothetically, the definitions could be revised - skyscraper could be expanded to denote anything up to 500m, supertall could include everything from 500m - 999m, and megatall anything 1000m+ (until 2000m...then we'd need an ultratall or hypertall category)

Wow, even talking about inventing and redefining words shows how important this building will be!

Supertall should be over 300m, and Megatall should be over 600m. There are 8 buildings over 600m being constructed so it wouldnt be an empty forum

since when the red see coast is " in the middle of the desert " ??
jeddah's population is about 4 million
and when the aliens come ,, they will find this tower in the meddle of the meddle east ,, the home of some of the oldest human structures and civilizations ,,
seriously people ,, stop depending on Fox news and George Clooney movies for information ..

anyway ,, please explain to me why would "Chicago" be a better alternative for the aliens ;)


Boy some of you people can't see a joke even when it smacks you in the face. This might explain all the problems in the Middle East. It seems no one knows how to make/take a joke around there. :ohno: Lighten up. Life is better with a smile. :)

Dubai to lose world’s tallest tower record

A Saudi tycoon plans to build a tower that will surpass Burj Khalifa’s iconic status

Saudi royal in contract to build world's tallest tower


Aug 02, 2011 at 03:59

http://i54.tinypic.com/2cdob7.jpg

By Reuters

DUBAI, Aug 2 (Reuters) - Kingdom Holding , owned by Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, said on Tuesday an associate firm signed a contract worth 4.6 billion riyals ($1.23 billion) with Bin Laden Group to build the world's tallest tower in Jeddah.

The proposed tower will stretch a kilometre high and include a hotel, serviced apartments, luxury condominiums and offices, Kingdom said in a statement.

If completed, the tower will replace Dubai's Burj Khalifa, standing 828 metres tall, as the tallest tower in the world. The Burj Khalifa was built by Emaar Properties for a total cost of $1.5 billion.

The tower is part of the first phase of Kingdom City, which is being built north of the Red Sea port city.

Kingdom said the associate firm, Jeddah Economic Co., will be 16.63 percent-owned by the Bin Laden Group while Kingdom will hold a 33.35 percent stake in the venture.

http://en.news.maktoob.com/20090000933828/Saudi_royal_in_contract_to_build_world_s_tallest_tower/Article.htm

Kingdom Tower to top reigning champ Burj Khalifa by 173m

Construction of the 1km-high building in Jeddah to start soon

http://cdn-wac.emirates247.com/polopoly_fs/1.411065.1312300910!/image/174940358.jpg

By Sona NambiarPublished Tuesday, August 02, 2011

The US-headquartered architectural practice Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture (AS+GG) has revealed the design for the Kingdom Tower, which is to be the world’s tallest building at 1 kilometre height.

It will be built in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The tower’s height will be at least 173 meters (568 feet) taller than the world’s current tallest building, Dubai’s 828-meter-tall Burj Khalifa, which was designed by Adrian Smith while at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM).

At over 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) and a total construction area of 530,000 square meters (5.7 million square feet), Kingdom Tower will be the centerpiece and first construction phase of the Kingdom City development on a 5.3 million-square-meter site in north Jeddah.

http://www.emirates247.com/news/region/kingdom-tower-to-top-reigning-champ-burj-khalifa-by-173m-2011-08-02-1.411064

Impressive tower - this could only be built in a country like Saudi Arabia (limitless money, great ambition and slavery)...

Anyhoos - Jeddah and Mecca are only 30 miles away. Would someone at the top of the Kingdom Tower be able to see the Abraj Al Bait?

Sweet diagram Culwulla, keep it up! :okay:

@Tallbox: Unless there are mountains over 1km high in between, you should be able to. I know that on a clear day, you can see about 80 miles from the top of the Empire State Building, less than half the planned height of Kingdom Tower...

So when the aliens come, and they naturally decide to make contact at the site of the world's tallest building, it'll be... in the middle of the desert. And then they'll leave, saying to themselves, "well, nothing here worth seeing." Sounds like a perfect defensive strategy for the Earth. I like it.

Seriously, though, I like it. Total waste of money. But if I had more money than God, I'd probably build myself a tower too. On that note, I think I'll go for a drive around the block and make my financial contribution to the project.

LMAO!!:lol::lol:

Impressive tower - this could only be built in a country like Saudi Arabia (limitless money, great ambition and slavery)...

Anyhoos - Jeddah and Mecca are only 30 miles away. Would someone at the top of the Kingdom Tower be able to see the Abraj Al Bait?


^^ the distance between the two towers is 85 Km..

by applying that in this formula :
(x+e)^2 - (x)^2 = "the distance to the horizon" ^2

while;
( x ) is the radius of the Earth = 6378150
( e ) your height (assume 1000 m)

(6378150+1000)^2 - (6378150)^2= "the distance to the horizon" ^2
40693554722500 - 40680797422500 = 12757300000

the distance to the horizon = 112948 m = almost 113 Km
therefore; you can "theoretically' see 113 Km until you can only see the horizon from the top of a 1000 m tower.
and if we take in consideration the elevation of Abraj Al Bait (601m) the chances would be much better, specially on a clear day.

ps: I have got some reservations about the slavery bit :)

Thanks :)

Any pics of the site preparation available yet?

I'm sure it'll take at least two years before this megatall starts to go vertical. The foundation alone will most likely be 40-50m+ deep just to anchor that kind of height.

Hi all.

Awesome news. :banana:

1 - So the models I posted ages ago were of this design. Adrian Smith must have been presenting the design even though he denied any involvement months later.

http://img856.imageshack.us/img856/2599/model4u.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/856/model4u.jpg/)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

2 - Not sure what is with the absurdly lowball cost estimates of the next WTS's. The BK number was/is 1.5 b. During construction the cost was up to 3.78 b. and by completion the grand total will surely be 4.5 to 5 b.
1.23 b. for this project is out to lunch.

Great to get some concrete news. :)

:cheers:
Ray.

^^ What I would do for that model.. :cheers:

what is this crap, its not even good looking :ohno:

This building may need to be added to the Construction Cup :D

Can someone tell me what is this round thing in the middle of the tower.. its quite bad looking form my angel. idk. i still love this.

Can someone tell me what is this round thing in the middle of the tower.. its quite bad looking form my angel. idk. i still love this.
It's the observation platform at approximately 640m.

http://img819.imageshack.us/img819/3003/clipboard05l.jpg

http://img845.imageshack.us/img845/1701/clipboard04n.jpg

http://img811.imageshack.us/img811/1756/clipboard03c.jpg

Source: Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture - http://smithgill.com/#/news/kingdom_tower_announcement/

:omg::shocked::uh::runaway::eek2::eek::banana2::cucumber::pepper::carrot::banana:

Yeah ! Go Jeddah !

I'm sorry, but for some reason, I just can't see this happening. I know everyone said the exact same thing about Burj Khalifa, but this? This is just... Pointlessly tall. Trying for nothing else but to be WTB. At least Dubai had other skyscrapers to help the look of Khalifa. This thing would just completely fuck up any skyline in any city.

Well, that's the same that people said about the Eiffel Tower in Paris. It still looks pretty lonesome in the cityscape, yet everybody adores it.
The same might go for Kingdom Tower.

I think they shouldn't even try to create some sort of artificial skyline around it, like Dubai does.
It'd rather look ridiculous and destroy the ultimate dominating impression this giant behemoth leaves. They could build more skyscrapers in some distance.

Soon Burj Khalifa will loose his world record to JEDDAH MILE TOWER :cheers: :banana:

not queit soon maybe in 7-10years

Well, that's the same that people said about the Eiffel Tower in Paris. It still looks pretty lonesome in the cityscape, yet everybody adores it.
The same might go for Kingdom Tower.

I think they shouldn't even try to create some sort of artificial skyline around it, like Dubai does.
It'd rather look ridiculous and destroy the ultimate dominating impression this giant behemoth leaves. They could build more skyscrapers in some distance.

You make a good point, with the letting it dominate thing. But I still stand by what I say :/

Well, that's the same that people said about the Eiffel Tower in Paris. It still looks pretty lonesome in the cityscape, yet everybody adores it.
The same might go for Kingdom Tower.

AW, come on, the Eiffel tower is a masterpiece no other tower looks as beautiful as the Eiffel tower.. you can go taller but neither classier nor better looking than the Eiffel tower..
I'm sorry man but while kingdom is gonna look good, its not going to look nearly as good as the Eiffel tower.

eiffil tower is iconic..but the most beautiful?nooooo

It's the observation platform at approximately 640m.

Reminds me of star wars. :cheers: :popcorn:

watch once the tower is finished UFO's are gonna land there.. lololol. :P

I have to share this news to taiwan-city forum.

eiffil tower is iconic..but the most beautiful?nooooo

examples of what's better looking, STANDING ALONE, than the Eiffel tower.

this kingdom tower is the best building design!

;82492804']I don't think so, because then there's only a 200m difference between a "supertall" and a "megatall" or whatever.

Hypothetically, the definitions could be revised - skyscraper could be expanded to denote anything up to 500m, supertall could include everything from 500m - 999m, and megatall anything 1000m+ (until 2000m...then we'd need an ultratall or hypertall category)

Wow, even talking about inventing and redefining words shows how important this building will be!

how about sexytall :naughty:

examples of what's better looking, STANDING ALONE, than the Eiffel tower.
edit

^ Please stop it. :| Eiffel Tower is out of competition here. Its proportions are unrivaled, especially by kitsch like Abraj Al-Bait. This is not the thread for such comparisons.

AW, come on, the Eiffel tower is a masterpiece no other tower looks as beautiful as the Eiffel tower.. you can go taller but neither classier nor better looking than the Eiffel tower..
I'm sorry man but while kingdom is gonna look good, its not going to look nearly as good as the Eiffel tower.
I didn't say the Kingdom Tower rivals Eiffel Tower or would be better, not in any way.
Please read carefully. I only compared the effect Kingdom Tower has on the cityscape, like Eiffel Tower has. It's dominating. That's all.

Where in Obhur is this thing? Obhur has been mostly urbanized.

What are they going to do with all the villas and beach clubs along the coast? I mean, it would be quite stupid to have the highest building next to the sea but the access to the sea itself blocked with private properties (as it is now).

http://smithgill.com/media/pdfs/Kingdom_for_web4.pdf

Well, in my opinion it should be like this:

100m-199m=highrise
200m-299m=skyscraper
300m-599m=supertall
600m-999m=ultratall
1000m and 1000m+=megatall

^ 600m-999m=megatall and 1000m and 1000m+=gigatall would be more favourable.


By the by, just read this 2007 post from the 1st page:
frank loyd wrights design for a mile high tower was much better !

Looks like someone heard your prayers :smug:

^^1000 & 1000+= The hell I broke my neck. XD

Wow!We might get another one in few years' time?RIP Burj Khalifa for the title.:lol:

How high ist the chance that it will realy built?

Quite high ;), almost 100% i would say :).

I wonder how many usable floors the tower will have :)

^^ great great tower :banana::banana:

I almost feel sorry for the poor Burj Khalifa. It was made with the sole purpose of being world's tallest and now it is about to be beaten by the Kingdom Tower. I bet that many people in Dubai will need psychological help to learn to live with this :cry:

The Burj Khalifa wasn't build to be the World's Tallest forever ^^.

I assume sailors in this part of the Red Sea do not need to own a GPS XD seriously Saudi media must make a daily coverage for the construction, Abraj albait updates were done mostly by individual photographers!

The Burj Khalifa wasn't build to be the World's Tallest forever ^^.

Yeah but I expected it to be the tallest for a few decades and I bet it's creators did as well. This Kingdom Tower will make all other skyscrapers look like ants :uh:

I love this design! It appears to be a combination of 1) India tower 2) Burj Kahlifa and 3) The Shard

Three great designs in the tallest on Earth! Awesome

Yes! Dreams came true!! This Tower is pure awesomness, it's dreamlike!! I so so like it and believe it will be built. Applaud to architects. Thread about this building will be soon most visited on whole Skyscrapercity.

^^ I 1000% agree with you. It will be a pleasure to watch history being made :banana2:

Please leave the Eiffel Tower alone! Gustave Eiffel's masterpiece was built in 1889 at a time where Jeddah didn't even exist!It was at the time the World's tallest tower in the world, but now we're in 2011, a different era where technology & materials have improved so much. The Eiffel Tower 122 years later is more than ever the World's most iconic tower & will probably be forever because of its History...Height is not everything...! I wish for you guys that Kingdom Tower gets as famous as the Eiffel Tower, for some reasons, I'm not quite sure (cf Burj Khalifa, it does not seem to passionate people anymore...), only time will tell.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Kingdom Tower is an amazing project, as a architecture lover, I can't wait to see it taking shape, but I feel like saying: " what a megalomaniac scheme..."
Such a gigantic project might take much longer than expected, who knows what the economic market will be like in the years to come...

I found a french article today, here it is:

Le prince saoudien Alwaleed bin Talal vient de valider le projet de construction de la plus haute tour du monde, selon Reuters. Surnommée Kingdom Tower, elle sera située à Djeddah, en Arabie Saoudite, et mesurera plus d’un kilomètre de hauteur.

http://yahoo.lavieimmo.com/picture/actualite/big-la-kingdom-tower-depassera-1-kilometre-de-hauteur-29421.jpg

http://yahoo.lavieimmo.com/insolite/la-plus-haute-tour-du-monde-mesurera-plus-de-1-km-de-haut-12477.html

:omg::omg::eek2::eek2:

this is amazing, just amazing, a fix for concrete junkies, thats for sure

good luck to Jeddah

It's the observation platform at approximately 640m.

http://img819.imageshack.us/img819/3003/clipboard05l.jpg

http://img845.imageshack.us/img845/1701/clipboard04n.jpg

http://img811.imageshack.us/img811/1756/clipboard03c.jpg

Source: Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture - http://smithgill.com/#/news/kingdom_tower_announcement/

Really insane pics !!!!!!!!!!

Soooo beautiful :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:

some more info :)


"Encased in the new spire’s glimmering façade will be a Four Seasons hotel, Four Seasons serviced apartments, Class A office Space, luxury condominiums and the world’s highest observatory.

59 elevators using the world’s most high-tech systems will be installed to provide ease of access, with 54 single-deck and 5 double-deck systems.

The residential aspect has influenced the three-petal footprint of the design with tapering wings introducing an aerodynamic shape to reduce structural loading due to wind vortex shedding.

All three sides of the Kingdom Tower sport a series of notches which form specifically engineered areas of shadow designed to fall on the outdoor terraces facing the city and Red Sea."


more... http://www.worldarchitecturenews.com/index.php?fuseaction=wanappln.projectview&upload_id=17218

I couldn't believe Burj Khalifa would be built. And now it's the same with Kingdom tower ;) Where's the limit? For me, it seems with present technology and materials it'll be world tallest building for a long long time. But I hope it's not the last stage of this race ;)

Quite high ;), almost 100% i would say :).

I wonder how many usable floors the tower will have :)

To me it looks like a large portion of the top will not be usable.

So the question is really how much: 200, 250 or 300 m ?

Gustave Eiffel's masterpiece was built in 1889 at a time where Jeddah didn't even exist


Jeddah is quite an ancient city (we're talking BC here ) :)

I found a french article today, here it is:



http://yahoo.lavieimmo.com/picture/actualite/big-la-kingdom-tower-depassera-1-kilometre-de-hauteur-29421.jpg

http://yahoo.lavieimmo.com/insolite/la-plus-haute-tour-du-monde-mesurera-plus-de-1-km-de-haut-12477.html

lol, they took the same poster that I scanned some years ago . you can see my name along with "SkyscraperCity" written on it :lol:

quick comparison diagram
http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/2183/worldtallaug.jpg

this pretty much shows for me that it is possible and now i understand why its floor size isnt that big. it litterally has not a bigger base then burg khalifa its just taller but that doesnt give that much more space. also seeing in this diagram makes me realize that it is of course a challenge but it just has to be possible.

At first i was unimpressed, but then i took a closer look at the bigger renders and now i'm truly fascinated - this could become breathtaking. The podium is gorgeous too! I just hope it won't stand in such a desert like environment as the BK, but something closer to a real urban cityscape. Renders often cheat in this regard.

At first i was unimpressed, but then i took a closer look at the bigger renders and now i'm truly fascinated - this could become breathtaking. The podium is gorgeous too! I just hope it won't stand in such a desert like environment as the BK, but something closer to a real urban cityscape. Renders often cheat in this regard.

http://skyscraperpage.com/cities/maps/?cityID=751&lat=21.7256168216&lng=39.0907287598&t=k

this is the location. keep in mind that around Kingdom Tower are other skyscrapers planned for the same project. zoom out to see the surroundings

i just realised this building will be like next to the airport, how is that possible? no height regulation?

Sure it's an impressive building, but what attracts me about skyscrapers is an urban skyline. One pinnacle in the desert is not urban, and therefore I'm much more fascinated by the Empire State Building or the London Shard than by these phallic super symbols.

Just read about this online tonight. Bloody magnificent! :bow:

if the advertisement was in cityscape jeddah (2 months ago) it would be more awesome
but anyway, it's going to start soon :)

I guess this tripodlike footprint will be the best type of footprint for the generation of such tall towers, since its very effective with views/window surface and a centre core for elevators. It also reduces the effect of wind quiet well. But the pyramidtype of shape makes it less economy friendly.

I think i like this design so far, have to think abt it a bit and let it grow on me or not. But im somehow sure that i sense that this tower has all the character and style that the Burj Dubai lacks, and Smith n Gills have learned from their mistakes they did.

So far, this will be the ESB/Chrysler of the Sci Fi tower generation in my books. While the Burj is kinda a 40 wall street type. It looks good, but lacks something.

So far, this will be the ESB/Chrysler of the Sci Fi tower generation in my books. While the Burj is kinda a 40 wall street type. It looks good, but lacks something.
Really well put, I somehow had the same feeling, but couldn't express it in such a metaphorical way.

I guess Kingdom Tower will be remembered a lot more than Burj Khalifa, since it'll be the first to break the 1000m (or even the mile?) limit. Despite its more iconic design, resembling the first ever proposed 1km+ tower being "The Illinois". This for now almost incomprehensible height could become quite "standard" in the decades to come. Not even thinking about settlements throughout the Solar System and beyond...

This is an awesome tower and I don't discriminate based on where towers are built, so rock on!

it's said that it is at least 1000m tall. i wouldnt be surprised if they keep the real height a secret like they did it for Burj Khalifa and that the final height will be around 1000m to 1200m.

I'm betting on 1001 m.

;82492263']@ 2co2co

We should call this a "Megatall," and create a subforum exclusively for megatalls, there would be just one thread (this one) and it would be chilling there all by itself looking pretty boss.

Nah but I am serious about the naming thing...I think SSC should have an official name for buildings over 1000m :)

My suggestion is: Megatall 600 - 999
Gigatall 1000 and taller

Gustave Eiffel's masterpiece was built in 1889 at a time where Jeddah didn't even exist!I

Sorry to disappoint, but Jeddah's been continuously inhabited for over a millennia

This was at the journal in the netherlands they say building this. Would only cost 850 million. Sounds cheap when you see 200m+ buildings in europe cost 200m+.

I approve the creation of a new thread for "Megatalls". I don't like the idea for Gigatalls, it sounds too much childish! Nevertheless, Kingdom Tower is going to be the best tower ever built! We should say...we are not on planet earth anymore! :) Well done architects!

My suggestion is: Megatall 600 - 999
Gigatall 1000 and taller

Hmmm, gotta leave some room for more classifications. How about Megatall: 600m-999m; Hypertall: 1000m-1499m; and Gigatall: 1500m+ ?

Hmmm, gotta leave some room for more classifications. How about Megatall: 600m-999m; Hypertall: 1000m-1499m; and Gigatall: 1500m+ ?

Hypertall sounds good also. If we were to go to the next level, it should be 1600+, since that is almost a mile high.

I think that all 1km+ towers should be in one class. After all, it's not like we're gonna see many 1 of such buildings any time soon :dunno:

I say 600m+ should be Megatalls. There arent enough 1000m+ buildings to create a category for them just yet.

Highrises: 100-199m
Skyscrapers: 200-299m
Supertalls: 300m-599m
Megatalls: 600m+

This sounds like a good idea, there are enough 600+ buildings

isnt this thread supposed to talk abt the Kingdom tower and not height nicknames?

^^ That might be but this building made us completely reevaluate our classifications. Just another thing increasing the impact of this uber building :master:

Hehe "Jeddih"?

http://img560.imageshack.us/img560/444/jeddih.jpg

Congratulations from Poland :)

isnt this thread supposed to talk abt the Kingdom tower and not height nicknames?

What more is there to say about Kingdom Tower? There have been 10 new pages on this thread since 24 hours ago, so im pretty sure everything has been covered.

Hehe "Jeddih"?

http://img560.imageshack.us/img560/444/jeddih.jpg

Congratulations from Poland :)

This made my day :banana2: Greetings from your southern neighbour :cheers:

^^ Slovakia or Czech?

I have unfortunate doubts this will ever be constructed, or if ANY buildings ever thoguht of, proposed, or visioned that are taller than the burj khalifa are going to ever be built. Im sorry, I just dont think other people have the gut to build takker than the burj khalifa and that by 2050 we will be stuck with a building only a bit less than a mile high.

I almost feel sorry for the poor Burj Khalifa. It was made with the sole purpose of being world's tallest and now it is about to be beaten by the Kingdom Tower. I bet that many people in Dubai will need psychological help to learn to live with this :cry:

Dont worry, the burj khalifa may hold the record for at least 30 years.

I say 600m+ should be Megatalls. There arent enough 1000m+ buildings to create a category for them just yet.

Highrises: 100-199m
Skyscrapers: 200-299m
Supertalls: 300m-599m
Megatalls: 600m+

This sounds like a good idea, there are enough 600+ buildings


Übertalls ou Ultratalls for 1000m+ :okay::lol:

Sorry to disappoint, but Jeddah's been continuously inhabited for over a millennia

I meant 'architecturally speaking' of course...:bash:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the article I posted earlier in the afternoon, the latter said that works would not start before 5 years...do you guys confirm this information?

In other respects, wasn't China planning to build a 'hypertall' as well (over 1km tall)? I'm fairly sure to have read that somewhere...

examples of what's better looking, STANDING ALONE, than the Eiffel tower.
http://www.uimages.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/taipei101.jpg

:naughty:

Yeah, Taipei 101 does look pretty good by itself from that angle. But this thing, will be twice as tall as T101. I think that's just too damn tall :/

I know as a skyscraper enthusiast, I should be excited for this, but I just can't :/

Yeah, Taipei 101 does look pretty good by itself from that angle. But this thing, will be twice as tall as T101. I think that's just too damn tall :/

I know as a skyscraper enthusiast, I should be excited for this, but I just can't :/

You are complaining it is too tall? :ohno: It's too short :nuts:

its made aussie news
sydneys paper today
i really hate the burjK they have used. they always stuff up the top section.
there isnt any building above 650m let alone 750m. top is 200m spire.
anyway puts things into perspective. sydney tower is dwarfed.
http://img847.imageshack.us/img847/2707/p1000120j.jpg

I think it´s an amazing tower :), one kilometre is just incredible! But i also think it would look better among more supertalls no in the middle of nothing :/

Wow. I visited a building in Sweden that is 100m tall and I thought that was something... but 10 TIMES more :ohno:

funny how location always says a country name exept for UAE

funny how location always says a country name exept for UAE
Is Sydney a country too? :lol:

Also, Completed: 2016 (expected) :nuts:

from business insider by Jeffrey Towson, Global Gold Rush Report


Waleed's Saudi Mega Tower is Even Cooler Than You Think



As reported in Financial Times today, Prince Waleed is building the world’s tallest building in Saudi Arabia. As he was my boss for quite a long time, and I was pretty involved in this project, I thought I would highlight some of its really cool aspects.

And make no mistake. Waleed’s “super awesome mega tower” is the greatest real estate project ever attempted.

Cool Factoid #1: The tower could reach one mile.

That would be 1,600 meters, almost double the height of Dubai’s 828m Burj Khalifa. The exact height for Waleed's tower has been analyzed internally for years. It was recently reported as above 1,000m but the discussions have also included the one mile scenario. This would be an interesting move as the natural next step for an ultra-tall skyscraper would something at around 1,000 meters. But with a mile tower, Waleed could effectively jump a generation (and create a truly one-of-a-kind structure).

A quick note: Everything that is written here (or anywhere else by me) about Waleed / KHC is strictly limited to information that is already widely known. I am a loyal guy. There are no personal or inside stories here.

Cool Factoid #2: It’s not a tower. It’s a city in the sky.

Everyone knows what a building is. You come in, go up the elevators and then leave. And a skyscraper is just a really tall version of this. Offices. Retail in the podium. A hotel. Maybe some apartments.

But when you start building to 1,000 meters and above, it becomes something different. Vertical transportation is a big factor. You can’t just go down and leave for lunch. A mega tower is not just two (or three) 500 meter towers stuck together. It is something new.

A structure of this height most resembles a city in the sky. You live and work in it. And it’s so big you can put city-like things in it – such as museums and shopping centers. You can create parks up in the clouds. Very cool.

Cool Factoid #3: The tower is just one part of an entire city Waleed is building.

The development covers an entire peninsula and creates an entire new city on the north side of Jeddah. Early models have shown Park Avenue-like thoroughfares, waterfront apartment high-rises, harbors, intersecting waterways, and maybe even a university. It is effectively a new city with the mega tower as its symbol.

Cool Factoid #4: The tower sits at the front of a new Sydney-like harbor.

Iconic structures always look better on the water. But the tower is in the center of the new city and there aren’t a lot of lakes in Saudi Arabia. So Waleed is building a new harbor into the center of the development and connecting it by waterways to the Red Sea. This will allow the tower to sit at the front of a Sydney-like harbor. It is really spectacular and you can find published pictures of it online.

Cool Factoid #5: The fire escape plan may require parachutes

Building such a tall structure creates lots of interesting questions. What do you do about the swaying? (It moves a lot) Does it poke into the nearby airspace? (Yes) And what do you do for a fire escape given the vertical transportation problems? Parachutes? It's a fascinating project.

---

The Middle East has gotten a lot of flak about some of its mega-real estate projects. Many were petrodollar fueled extravaganzas. Many were short-term speculation. And true, Dubai got way out of control for a while.

But Waleed, like Buffett, is a value investor (mostly). If he’s moving forward with a project of this scale, he is not speculating. It’s not government money doing something stupid. He’s operating as a businessman in the private markets - and he’s making his returns by creating (and capturing) real economic value. It’s the real thing.

To do a project like this is pretty great. But to do it based on solid economics (and a healthy ROI) is particularly impressive.

Is Sydney a country too? :lol:

Also, Completed: 2016 (expected) :nuts:

haha i didnt realise :D it's still fucked up xD

^^

the city inside a buiding thing is kinda awesome, but the floor space tells me different. the floor area is big, but not bigger than other skyscrapers that are under construction. if it in fact would be like a mile high the floor area would also have to increase or this is unrealistic. and the floor area seems pretty much planned out because its everywhere the same so i doubt its far over 1000m

this is almost 3 times the size of 1wtc.... how is the floor space small, or even normal?

Kingdom Tower: 540,000 m2

Shanghai Tower: 380,000 m²
Burj Khalifa: 309,473 m²
willis tower: 424,000 m²
one world trade center: 241,548 m²
Keangnam Hanoi: 579,000 m²
Taipei 101: 412,500 m²

after rethinking it is a big area considering it has a different overall form to Burj Khalifa. but its not like it could be 1600m in size with that area unless its very very thin.

Partay finnaly it is happening

its not gonna stop now :D

:banana: Coruscant here we come :banana:

I say 600m+ should be Megatalls. There arent enough 1000m+ buildings to create a category for them just yet.

Highrises: 100-199m
Skyscrapers: 200-299m
Supertalls: 300m-599m
Megatalls: 600m+

This sounds like a good idea, there are enough 600+ buildings

Here is the final plan:

Highrises: 100-199m
Skyscrapers: 200-299m
Supertalls: 300m-599m
Ultratalls: 600m-999m
Mastertalls: 1000m+ (These towers catch any type of Pokemon without fail)

Lol, just do Highrises (100-199), Skyscrapers (200-299), Supertalls (300-599), and Ultratalls/Megatalls/whatever (600+). Maybe in 50 years we can have Gigatall/Hypertall/whatever (1000+) as a category, but right now, one building having a category to itself is just stupid.

woooow :o

http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/8079/clipboard07b.jpg

http://img31.imageshack.us/img31/9697/clipboard10t.jpg


Kingdom Tower Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
http://smithgill.com/media/pdfs/Kingdom_for_web4.pdf

At over 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) and a total construction area of 530,000 square meters (5.7 million square feet), Kingdom Tower will be the centerpiece and first construction phase of the $20 billion Kingdom City development in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, near the Red Sea.
Expectedtocost$1.2billiontoconstruct,KingdomTowerwillbeamixed-usebuildingfeaturingaluxuryhotel,office space, serviced apartments, luxury condominiums and the world’s highest observatory. Kingdom Tower’s height will be at least 173 meters (568 feet) taller than Burj Khalifa, which was designed by Adrian Smith while at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill.
AS+GG’s design for Kingdom Tower is both highly technological and distinctly organic. With its slender, subtly asymmetrical massing, the tower evokes a bundle of leaves shooting up from the ground—a burst of new life that heralds more growth all around it. This symbolizes the tower as a catalyst for increased development around it.
The sleek, streamlined form of the tower 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. While the design is contextual to Saudi Arabia, it also represents an evolution and a refinement of an architectural continuum of skyscraper design. The three-petal footprint is ideal for residential units, and the tapering wings produce an aerodynamic shape that helps reduce structural loading due to wind vortex shedding. The Kingdom Tower design embraces its architectural pedigree, taking full advantage of the proven design strategies and technological strategies of its lineage, refining and advancing them to achieve new heights.
The result is an elegant, cost-efficient and highly constructible design that is at once grounded in built tradition and aggressively forward-looking, taking advantage of new and innovative thinking about technology, building materials, life-cycle considerations and energy conservation. For example, the project will feature a high-performance exterior wall system that will minimize energy consumption by reducing thermal loads. In addition, each of Kingdom Tower’s three sides features a series of notches that create pockets of shadow that shield areas of the building from the sun and provide outdoor terraces with stunning views of Jeddah and the Red Sea.
The great height of Kingdom Tower necessitates one of the world’s most sophisticated elevator systems. The Kingdom Tower complex will contain 59 elevators, including 54 single-deck and five double-deck elevators, along with 12 escalators. Elevators serving the observatory will travel at a rate of 10 meters per second in both directions. Another unique feature of the design is a sky terrace, roughly 30 meters (98 feet) in diameter, at level 157. It is an outdoor amenity space intended for use by the penthouse floor.
The area surrounding Kingdom Tower is known as the Kingdom Tower Waterfront District. Designed by AS+GG, the 23-hectare Waterfront District provides a cohesive and pedestrian-friendly setting for the magnificent KingdomTowerwhilecreatingapleasantneighborhoodexperiencenestledalongtheKingdomCitylakefront.The Kingdom Tower Waterfront District encompasses a high-end shopping mall and additional development parcels that accommodate commercial and high-density residential uses, offices, two luxury hotels and high-quality open spaces, including the central Tower Plaza. A serene waterfront promenade connects Kingdom Tower, the various development parcels, the open space areas and the mall together. The result is an exciting mixed-use area that offers a concentrated and comprehensive experience including vibrant shopping, entertainment and open-space amenities. The Waterfront District also provides an array of connections to other areas within Kingdom City’s overall master plan, designed by HOK Architects.
The Waterfront District is subdivided into 13 development parcels, the largest of which are the Kingdom Tower parcel of about 90,000 square meters and the mall parcel of about 65,000 sm. Smaller mixed-use parcels of between 5,000 sm and 10,000 sm are arranged in two development precincts, North and South, each with its own unifying palette of materials. The parcel sizes vary depending on the density of each site; the larger sites are farther away from Kingdom Tower, with the smaller sites stepping closer to the tower, creating the effect of an architectural amphitheater around the structure. Views of Kingdom Tower from throughout the District—including the sensitively designed 20- to 60-story buildings around the tower—are spectacular. The buildings closest to the tower are of lower heights, ensuring that the outer buildings also have access to views of Kingdom Tower.

alwaleed : "it will be higher than 1000 meters"


qMq7HDSvjDA

Hi all.

Kingdom Tower: 540,000 m2

Shanghai Tower: 380,000 m²
Burj Khalifa: 309,473 m²
willis tower: 424,000 m²
one world trade center: 241,548 m²
Keangnam Hanoi: 579,000 m²
Taipei 101: 412,500 m²

after rethinking it is a big area considering it has a different overall form to Burj Khalifa. but its not like it could be 1600m in size with that area unless its very very thin.

Hi Killer.

The BK is 465,000 sq. m. total by what I have.
I agree with some here the KT will be 1,001 meters high, so 540,000 sq. m. sounds reasonable.

I like that the majority of the responses to this news are positive.

As for the BK being somehow less because of this project - I disagree. I have always said the BK will be the structure that opened the floodgates of all the taller projects to come - still the greatest structure of our time IMO.

I think this project is great news and a km. high is the natural progression of supertalls. Definitely on my watched project list - I hope the update coverage will be good. :)

:cheers:
Ray.

^ Please stop it. :| Eiffel Tower is out of competition here. Its proportions are unrivaled, especially by kitsch like Abraj Al-Bait. This is not the thread for such comparisons.


I didn't say the Kingdom Tower rivals Eiffel Tower or would be better, not in any way.
Please read carefully. I only compared the effect Kingdom Tower has on the cityscape, like Eiffel Tower has. It's dominating. That's all.

I agree it is out of the competition.. Idk, I was astonished by it, i think its the most beautiful building in the world.. but its a choice to be made after it has been seen anyways, i am excited.. so can we talk about completion date anytime soon???

I still have a hard time thinking that this will be completed, but the design team is top notch, Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture.

That said if it is built I wonder how much construction material will be imported esp from the USA. Will massive infrastructure requirements be enough to give a boost to the global economy or is it just a fraction of what China is building en mass and it will have no major impact? I wonder.

Could someone kindly translate that video into English please? Maybe not the whole 3 minutes but perhaps the main points. Thanks ;)

http://img847.imageshack.us/img847/2707/p1000120j.jpg

Well, to be honest, the only difference between Burj Khalifa & Kingdom tower is the spire's lengh...otherwise both towers have pretty much the same height! Burj Khalifa's spire is very short compared to the tower while Kingdom's is oversized. Therefore, saying that Kingdom Tower is way taller than Burj is false imo. We should compare them from the roof level.

That diagram shows the dimensions in a better light anyway:
http://i56.tinypic.com/2a9tvg3.jpg
Source: Gizmodo, http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/4/2011/08/building-comparison-gizmodo.jpg


We've got no final approved height yet, so it's possible Kingdom Tower reaches way farther in the sky. Though I doubt it'll go across the 1200m mark.

I could imagine they make it a 1001m tower after all, just for the LULz.

These images are always compiled by badly informed 'journalists', if they deserve that title. And look at SWFC, jeez.

Number of floors?

It's literally like something from Coruscant. Amazing!

saying that Kingdom Tower is way taller than Burj is false imo. We should compare them from the roof level.

you are so wrong man...u need to realize that this tower is 1001.this is a masterpiece,pyramid-flatiron building-empire state building-burjkhalifa-kingdom tower..

Number of floors?

No Information until now.

I personally hope this tower wil break the mark of 200 floors :).
But when i see this quite long spire i would say 180-190 floors are more realistic.