Riyadh: The iconic Burj Khalifa, long celebrated as the tallest structure on Earth, may soon be overtaken as ambitious skyscraper projects in Saudi Arabia move closer to reality. Two massive developments one planned for Riyadh and another rising slowly in Jeddah are poised to redefine global records in vertical architecture.
At the forefront is the proposed Rise Tower in Riyadh, an extraordinary project that aims to soar to an unprecedented two kilometres in height. If completed as envisioned, the tower would more than double the height of Dubai’s Burj Khalifa, which stands at 828 metres, firmly ending its long-held dominance of the skyline.
Design concepts for the Rise Tower were recently unveiled by global architecture firm HKS, with the project backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF). Though discussions around the tower have been ongoing since 2023, the development remains in the design stage, with construction timelines yet to be finalized.
Plans indicate that the Rise Tower will feature an astonishing 678 floors, housing luxury hotels, premium office spaces, fine-dining venues, and multiple observation decks. The tower is envisioned as the centerpiece of a futuristic 306-square-kilometre master-planned development, known as the North Pole project, which aims to transform a vast section of Riyadh into a next-generation urban hub.
Alongside Riyadh’s bold proposal, Saudi Arabia is also pushing forward with the long-delayed Jeddah Economic Company Tower, often referred to as Jeddah Tower. Planned to rise beyond 1,000 metres, the structure has experienced years of construction delays since work first began over a decade ago.
Momentum returned in 2025, when Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal announced the resumption of construction, declaring “we’re back” in a social media post accompanied by updated renderings. This was later confirmed by Kingdom Holding Company, which officially stated that work had fully restarted.
By December 2025, the tower had reportedly climbed past the 80th floor, with installation of the glass façade now underway. Once completed, the building will include luxury residences, commercial offices, a Four Seasons hotel, and a public observation deck offering sweeping views of Jeddah and the Red Sea.
While the official height is expected to exceed one kilometre, reports suggest that the tower’s main structural elements could ultimately rise beyond 1.5 kilometres. Completion is currently targeted for 2028.
Funding for the remaining Dh6 billion required for the project will be secured through a combination of internal resources and banking facilities, according to the Jeddah Economic Company. The tower will anchor the first phase of a vast urban development covering 1.3 million square metres, with full infrastructure including power, water, sewage systems, flood management, and high-speed internet already in place.
Meanwhile, Dubai may not be ready to relinquish its architectural crown without a fight. A 2024 report indicated that Emaar Properties, the developer behind Burj Khalifa, is exploring the possibility of constructing a new “super tower” designed to rival or surpass existing global height records. However, no official announcement or design has yet been confirmed.
Adding a symbolic twist to the unfolding rivalry, both the Burj Khalifa and the Jeddah Tower share the same architect Adrian Smith, the American designer renowned for shaping some of the world’s most ambitious skyscrapers.
For now, the Burj Khalifa remains the tallest building on the planet. But with Saudi Arabia accelerating its push toward record-breaking structures, Dubai’s landmark may soon be remembered not as the final word in height, but as the beginning of an even taller era.