Saudi Arabia to build tallest tower - Sky News Australia

Updated: 05:08, Friday February 22, 2013

The team behind the construction of the Shard in London has landed a contract to project-manage the $1.2bn (780m) construction of the world's tallest building.

London-based Mace will work with fellow British firm EC Harris to create the Kingdom Tower in Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, which will stand at more than 3,280ft high.

The building, overlooking the Red Sea, is expected to take over from the 2,717ft Burj Khalifa in Dubai as the world's tallest skyscraper and be more than three times the height of the 1,017ft Shard.

The Kingdom Tower will have floor space of more than 5,381,955 square feet and will be a mixed-use building featuring a five-star Four Seasons hotel, apartments, office space and an observatory.

The Jeddah Economic Company (JEC), which appointed the two firms to provide project, commercial and design management, said the vision for the building belonged to Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal.

JEC's chief executive officer, Waleed Abdul Jaleel Batterjee, said: "His vision is also that the project itself will set the world's sights on our beloved Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and particularly on Jeddah."

Mark Reynolds, chief executive of Mace, said: "Kingdom Tower is a project of international importance and immense ambition and we are delighted to be part of the joint venture team tasked with its delivery."

Keith Brooks, head of property and social infrastructure at EC Harris, said: "The Kingdom Tower is a landmark building that will clearly demonstrate Saudi Arabia's ambitions to the world."

Building work will start later this year and will be completed within 63 months.

Meanwhile, JEC is in final talks about appointing a quantity surveyor consultancy which will also be a UK-based firm.