Thursday March 28th, 2024
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Saudi Arabia vs Dubai: The 2020 Race For The World’s Tallest Tower

Move over, Burj Khalifa, as not one but two skyscrapers are looking to steal the Guinness World Record for the tallest building. Both to be completed in 2020, the question now becomes: will the new record-holder reside in Jeddah or Dubai?

Staff Writer

It seems like Dubai is bored of smashing Guinness World Records, as flagship developer Emaar Properties announces plans to construct the world’s tallest tower, surpassing the Burj Khalifa that currently holds the current world record, but will Saudi Arabia steal the title?

The race is on as property developer Emaar has announced plans to build a new tower, with an estimated cost of $1 billion, that will stand a ‘notch’ taller than 830-metre Burj Khalifa. The proposed project expects completion by 2020, which coincidentally will be the same year that Dubai will host the World Expo Trading Fair.

The announcement explained that Spanish-Swiss architect Santiago Calatrava Valls is expected to devote 20 floors that will boast an observation decks, restaurants, and a boutique hotel. The specific height of the building hasn’t actually been disclosed, as the developer explains that it will be taller than the Burj Khalifa, but will only reveal its height upon completion.

Part of this strategy may be due to the fact that Saudi Arabia announced that it is currently building a tower in Jeddah that will measure over one kilometre in height. The Kingdom Tower is also expected to be unveiled by 2020, meaning that if all goes according to plan, the world will have a new Guinness World Record for the tallest building – the only question is, will it be the skyscraper in Jeddah or Dubai?