Kuwait to build world’s tallest tower

Kuwait is planning to construct the tallest tower in the world, it has been reported. The Burj Mubarak Al-Kabir will be higher than the world’s current tallest building, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai.

The skyscraper is set to be 1001 metres tall (3,284 feet) and the project is to be part of a new city. It draws inspiration from the Arabian Nights folk tales, also known as 1001 Nights. By way of contrast, the Burj Khalifa is 828 metres. The expected cost of the tower is around $82 billion.

#Kuwait will soon be home to the “world’s tallest #tower” – the Burj Mubarak.

The 1,001 meter #skyscraper will be the main attraction of Kuwait’s Madinat Al Hareer ("The #SilkCity"), and will be constructed at the centre of the city. pic.twitter.com/kfD8ISD21s

— Kuwait Inside 🇰🇼 | داخل الكويت (@kuwaitinside) April 10, 2023

Designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, the Burj Mubarak will be located in the planned Madinat Al-Hareer, or Silk City, and will be completed in around 25 years. According to Arabian Business, three interlocking and twisting structures will ensure that the tower is protected against vibrations from wind speeds of up to 241.402 kilometres per hour.

The Silk City project will reportedly cover 250 square kilometres and consist of four distinct quarters, accommodating around 700,000 people and creating 430,000 jobs, as the Gulf state looks to diversify its economy away from reliance on oil exports.

Saudi Arabia has ambitions of its own to construct the world’s tallest tower, with plans for a two-kilometre high building, more than twice the height of Dubai’s Burj Khalifa. The proposed “megascraper” will cost around $5 billion and will be located in Riyadh.

WATCH: Kuwait debuts 1st AI-generated news presenter