Saudi Arabia plans record-breaking new skyscrapers
Jeddah Tower is set to claim the title of the world's tallest in two years' time, but Saudi Arabia isn't stopping there.
A proposed skyscraper near Riyadh's airport, designed by British firm Foster + Partners, could be double that height — soaring to 2 kilometers and dwarfing Dubai's 828-meter Burj Khalifa.
Jeddah Tower, backed by billionaire Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, is back under construction after a seven-year pause. There's no start date for the Riyadh building, but it is reportedly backed by the Public Investment Fund.
While some (mainly Semafor's Editor-in-Chief Ben Smith) dream of New York reclaiming the title, the ambition to build high now firmly belongs to the Gulf.
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