World's Tallest Skyscraper

Saudi Arabia is set to build the world's tallest skyscraper which will soar to a massive height of one kilometre.

18:10 08 December 2015

Saudi Arabia has raised more than £1.3 billion to build the world's tallest skyscraper. It will soar to a massive height of one kilometre which is roughly then times higher than Big Ben. The 200-floor Kingdom Tower will be finished by 2020 and will replace Dubai's Burj Khalifa as the tallest building on the planet.

 

Prince Alwaleed, a billionaire Saudi business mogul, said: "Our cooperation with the banking sector is a manifestation of just how strongly we believe in this ambitious project, which is set to become the pride and joy of every Saudi, especially those who reside in Jeddah, and will become an iconic urban center that will take the city to the next level, both regionally and globally.”

 

However, British Architect Eric Parry is not convinced that building skyscrapers in the Middle East is ideal.

 

He said: "Personally, I think there are problems with the towers built in the Middle East."

 

"They tend to be glazed, which is liked existing behind a sheet of the glass in the desert. There’s a reason why nomadic tents were black and protective.

 

"When it comes to the Kingdom Tower and projects like it, we need to ask is it the right environment to proceed in this way?"