Work Begins On World’s Tallest Tower

Saudi Arabia will begin construction of Kingdom Tower, the world’s tallest tower and the first kilometre-high skyscraper, by April 27.

Saudi Bin Laden Group (SBG) is tasked with building the project, which has been undergoing extensive testing works before work begins, according to reports.

Earlier this year, SBG said that it had appointed consultancy Advanced Construction Technology Services (ACTS) to carry out the quality control of all materials used in the construction of the building.

Experts have said that the structure would consume around half a million cubic metres of concrete and 80,000 tonnes of steel.

Special equipment will be used to pump concrete to the building’s higher levels, similarly to methods used in the construction of the world’s current tallest building, Dubai’s Burj Khalifa.

ACTS said it will enlist around 100 staff to work on the testing of the skyscraper.

The tower, which will be developed by Jeddah Economic Company (JEC), is the centrepiece and the first construction phase of Kingdom City, a 5.2 square kilometre site in Jeddah along the coast of the Red Sea.

Kingdom Tower will have a total construction area of 530,000 square metres and will comprise of 200 floors, out of which 160 will be habitable.

Work on the tower began in 2012 after a number of construction delays and is scheduled to be completed by 2018.

Kingdom Tower will be at least 173 metres taller than the Burj Khalifa, and cost $1.23 billion to build.

The developer has not yet revealed the exact height of the structure.