In a scene that is no longer foreign to a country that writes its present in the language of the future, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is getting ready to unveil an architectural project. ‘Rise’ redefines the elevation, height, and urban planning. This will set new benchmarks for bravery and leadership.
North of the capital, Riyadh, where the desert still has its golden footprint, Saudi Arabia is quietly but steadily constructing the tallest skyscraper in modern history. The unit of measurement will be kilometres instead of metres.
The specifics of “Rise” are what we’re discussing!
Rise: Engineering the Future Starts Now
The Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) has begun a new phase of work on the “Rise Tower Project,” which includes the construction of a massive tower with a proposed height of two kilometres. This incredible height is more than double that of Dubai’s Burj Khalifa, which stands at 828 metres and is currently the world’s tallest building.
The project is a component of the “North Pole” urban development plan, which lies north of Riyadh in a key location. It seeks to establish a leading business and commercial environment, increasing the capital’s appeal to global investors.
Advisory Bids from Elite Companies
As a crucial first step, the fund has started assessing bids from foreign businesses for the project’s management consulting services contract, which includes the tower and the commercial district around it. Prominent American firms like AECOM, Jacobs, Parsons, and Turner, as well as the British firm Mace, which has considerable experience with major construction projects, have been invited.
Foster + Partners: Signing the Design from the Heart of London
In late 2022, an international competition was held, and the project’s engineering designs were awarded to the renowned British firm Foster + Partners. According to the project’s extraordinary ambition, the firm’s designs should have a trailblazing vision combining functional efficiency and artistic boldness.
Although precise numbers are still pending, initial projections suggest that building this enormous tower might cost up to $5 billion. Only after the completion of the final designs and implementation plans will the entire cost become clear.
However, this cost might not seem shocking for a project trying to break all records, considering the superstructure and infrastructure needed for such a structure, as well as the technical and architectural innovation required.
Read more: Saudi Projects 2025: Sustainable Construction Exhibition
Beyond Height: A Holistic Setting for Investment
The Rise project intends to develop into a new, lively centre of the Saudi capital, not just a competition for height. Its goal is to create an integrated central business district that blends shopping malls, upscale hotels, entertainment venues, and smart offices in an environmentally friendly urban setting. As a result, this project aims to become as important to the economy and investment as its architectural value.
It’s interesting to note that the Kingdom is currently constructing a massive tower project in Jeddah that will likely reach a height of over 1,000 metres. This indicates that Saudi Arabia is now engaging in an internal competition to become the “tallest,” a distinction that was previously reserved for other nations.
Ultimately, Saudi Arabia demonstrates through this project that it has the guts, resources, and infrastructure to carry out its dreams rather than merely putting them on paper. The Public Investment Fund has once again shown itself to be a key component of the National Transformation Strategy, assisting in turning ambitious concepts into concrete achievements. This places the Kingdom among the top nations in the world for real estate investment and urban innovation.

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