New world's tallest building almost three Empire State Buildings high will 'redefine global skyline'
The Burj Khalifa is set to be overtaken as the world's tallest building after construction has resumed on another skyscraper that will be 180 metres (590ft) taller.
On April 1, 2013, building work commenced on a tower - named Jeddah Tower. However, in 2018, after various financial and contractor issues, work was paused.
Last year in January, construction resumed in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and the building is back on track to become the world's tallest skyscraper.
The skyscraper is planned to be the first one-kilometre-tall (3,300ft) building meaning once it's completed, it will be taller than the world's current tallest building - the Burj Khalifa, which stands at 828 metres (2,717 feet).
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And as of July 31, it's reported as having surpassed the Burj Khalifa already, standing at a staggering 108 floors.
Archhitizer reports the building is so big the architectural team behind it are 'unable to show it realistically in one rendering'.
It continues: "Only elevations and birds-eye views can contain the entire project."
Double-decker elevators and a $1.2bn price tag
Should you fancy seeing the view from the other side - or should I say height - it's planned you'll be able to admire an impressive view from the tower's 157th floor's viewing platform, as per Thornton Tomasetti's website.
The website adds: "To seamlessly navigate this massive vertical span, state-of-the-art double-decker lifts will shuttle visitors and residents up to the observation deck at breathtaking speeds exceeding 10 meters (30 feet) per second [around 22 miles per hour]."
Breaking even more records, it adds it'll be the world's highest observatory.
There are some advantages to the tower being so tall, according to engineer John Peronto, managing principal at Thornton Tomasetti and project manager for the tower.
He told Newsweek: "One of the things that's unique about Jeddah Tower is that really about a third of it is above the atmospheric boundary layer."
Most weather events take place below the boundary layer, where there are stronger winds and more powerful thunderstorms.
He added: "Once you kind of get above the atmospheric boundary layer, even though the winds are more frequently higher, the maximum loads are actually less than what you would see lower down."
The tower is designed to 'redefine the global skyline' and is expected to cost a total of an eye-watering $1.2 billion.
When will the Jeddah Tower be finished?
It's hoped the project will be completed by 2028.
And you won't just get to see it, but could be in with a chance of working - or even living - in it too.
"[It will] offer a premium mix of luxury hospitality, serviced apartments, high-end condominiums, and prestigious office spaces," Thorton Tomasetti reveals. "More than just a standalone icon, the tower will serve as the commercial anchor for Kingdom City, a visionary $20-billion multi-use urban development."
The team added: "Executing a project of this unprecedented scale required a sophisticated blend of cutting-edge innovation and human synergy.
"While advanced structural engineering software and digital integration were vital to defying extreme desert elements, technology was only half the equation. Ultimately, true catalyst for overcoming these immense logistical challenges was cross-disciplinary teamwork - the seamless collaboration between international architects, engineers, and construction specialists who breathed life into this vision."
Topics: World News, Saudi Arabia
Poppy Bilderbeck