Designed by Chicago Architecture firm Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture, Kingdom Tower will hold the title as the world’s tallest building, overtaking Dubai’s Burj Khalifa. At over 3,280 feet, Kingdom Tower will be the centerpiece of $20 billion Kingdom City development in Jedda, Saudi Arabia, near the Red Sea.
Scheduled to begin construction in early 2012, the tower itself is expected to cost $1.2 billion. It will be a mixed-use building, hosting a luxury hotel, office space, condominiums, serviced apartments, and the world’s highest observatory.
“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.” AS+GG Architecture.
