Compare the world's current and future tallest buildings: Burj Khalifa (completed) and Kingdom Tower (under construction).
Burj Khalifa (Dubai, UAE)
- Height: 828 meters (2,717 feet).
- Floors: 162 habitable floors.
- Completion: 2010 (current world record holder).
- Key Engineering: Designed as a buttressed core structure; a central core with three wings for stability against wind forces.
- Infrastructure: Features 56 high-speed elevators traveling up to 17.4 meters per second (approx. 63 km/h or 39 mph). The elevator ride from ground to the top observation deck takes approximately 47 seconds.
- Usage: Mixed-use - luxury residences, Armani Hotel, corporate offices, observation decks.
- Cost: Approximately $1.5 billion USD.
Kingdom Tower (Jeddah, Saudi Arabia)
- Planned Height: 1,007 meters (approx. 3,304 feet) - aimed to be the first kilometer-tall building.
- Floors: Aiming for approximately 275 floors.
- Status: Under construction (foundation and base levels ongoing).
- Key Engineering: Features an innovative tapering design inspired by desert plant shapes. Employs structural buttresses transitioning to a narrower profile with height to manage wind loads. Requires specialized concrete pumps capable of delivering concrete to extreme heights.
- Distinctive Feature: Will host the world's highest observation deck planned for Level 157.
- Usage: Planned mixed-use - luxury hotel, offices, exclusive apartments.
- Location Advantage: Offers views of Jeddah city and the Red Sea.
- Cost: Estimated budget of $1.2 billion to $1.5 billion USD (conflicting figures exist in sources, but mainstream consensus points to this range).
Key Differences Summary
Height: Kingdom Tower is designed to be significantly taller (+179 meters) than Burj Khalifa.
Floors: Kingdom Tower targets roughly 113 more floors.
Design Aesthetic: Burj Khalifa utilizes a spiraling, winged buttress; Kingdom Tower draws on sleek, leaf-inspired tapering forms.
Observation Deck: Kingdom Tower's deck (L157) will surpass Burj Khalifa's highest deck.
Purpose: Both are mixed-use icons, with Kingdom Tower intended as the centerpiece of a much larger planned development area.
