Burj Khalifa’s Tallest Tower Crown Is Under Threat

The boldest is Riyadh’s proposed Rise Tower, a skyscraper designed to reach an extraordinary 2,000 metres. Still in the planning stage, the tower is expected to include 678 floors of luxury hotels, fine dining restaurants, high-end offices and vast observation decks. It will sit at the heart of North Pole City, a 306 square kilometre ‘city of the future’ development.

Meanwhile, work has restarted on the long-delayed Jeddah Tower, which is expected to exceed 1,000 metres and may even climb to 1.5 kilometres. So far, 63 of its 157 planned floors are complete, with the tower scheduled to open in 2028. When finished, it will feature luxury residences, commercial offices, a Four Seasons hotel and sweeping views of Jeddah and the Red Sea.

Both projects are backed by Saudi Arabia’s mega-investments and international architects – including Adrian Smith, the designer of the Burj Khalifa itself. Together, they reflect the Kingdom’s drive to reshape the global skyline and stake its claim as home to the world’s tallest towers.

For now, the Burj Khalifa remains an unrivalled engineering icon. But with Saudi Arabia doubling down on its giga-projects, its crown as the tallest tower in the world may soon slip.