Jeddah Tower: The World’s Tallest Skyscraper Making a Comeback

Quick Facts About the Jeddah Tower, Saudi Arabia

This tower isn't just another mega-project—it’s set to redefine global skyscraper benchmarks and bring architectural innovation to the forefront.

Design and Features of the Jeddah Tower

Designed by Jeddah Tower architect Adrian Smith, who previously designed Burj Khalifa, presents a narrow tapered design that enhances both wind load reduction and structural performance. The shapely construction features spaced-out steps, which enable outdoor spaces as they minimize the formation of wind vortices.

Key Features:

• Mega-tall Spire: An observation deck at the building’s summit aims to establish itself among the world’s highest viewing platforms.
  
  
• High-performance Façade: The building's window façade implementation with intelligent glass technology reduces heat gain from the sun in Jeddah's hot desert environment.
  
  
• Mixed-use Functions: The structure will unite residential, shopping, hospitality services, and business operations within its vertical dimension.
  
  
• Advanced Elevators: Multiple zones will feature the world’s newest advanced elevator technology in this installation.
  
  
• Smart Infrastructure: Modern operational management systems integrating power supplies with lighting and maintenance are part of the infrastructure design for efficiency purposes.

The design principles of the tower implement runtime results from high-performance building design through an integrated analysis of computational and structural approaches. High-Performance Building Design with Computational Design Techniques explains the operations of similar systems found in megastructures.

Also Read - Tower C by Zaha Hadid Architects: A Futuristic Addition to Shenzhen’s Skyline

Engineering Behind the Jeddah Tower

The engineering strategies needed to build the tower must be at the forefront of modern construction techniques. A large primary support structure exists as a bundled core system to manage gravity and horizontal forces while supported by vertical reinforcement elements.

Key engineering components include:

• Advanced Foundations: The 60-meter deep concrete foundation is an advanced foundation that effectively secures the tower in Jeddah's soil conditions.
  
  
• Wind Tunnel Testing: The testing of multiple scale models through wind tunnels allowed engineers to find the best configuration for the tapering form to reduce swaying.
  
  
• Material Optimization: Advanced software enables engineers to conduct structural load analysis, seismic resistance evaluation, and temperature response modeling.
  
  

The solutions follow the principles of sustainable development practices. Although Jeddah Tower, Saudi Arabia, does not fully conform to green building standards, it contains performance-based systems that assist in meeting environmental requirements. Green Building Standards and Certifications Systems contain comparable assessment methods.

Form optimization depended heavily on simulations as a vital element. A reader interested in simulation types in architectural performance planning should consult  7 Common Types of Architecture Building Simulations for Sustainable Design.

Jeddah Tower vs Burj Khalifa

This long-standing Jeddah Tower vs Burj Khalifa rivalry is not just about height. It’s about how superstructures are evolving—from form and functionality to sustainability and cultural impact.