The Riyadh-based Kingdom Holding Company will launch, in the first half of the year, tenders for the major construction packages on its project to build the world’s tallest tower in Jeddah.

The tenders will follow a final investment decision on the project, which MEED understands is imminent.

The tower in Jeddah, also known as the Mile High tower, could reach 1,600 metres, or one mile, in height, making it twice the height of the current tallest building in the world, Burj Dubai, which is under construction.

“It is generally understood that the project is going forward,” says a source close to the project.

“It has not stopped and we don’t think it is going to be stopped. The prince [Kingdom chairman Prince Alwaleed bin Talal al-Saud] has indicated he is ready.”

While the final height and number of storeys are yet to be finalised, the budget is expected to be up to $10bn.

There is still secrecy over which companies are involved with the project. However, MEED understands that the UK’s Hyder Consulting is working in a joint venture with Arup, also of the UK, as engineer on the project.

Saudi firm Omrania, in collaboration with the US' Pickard Chilton worked on the design of the tower and the US’ Bechtel is the construction manager.

In mid-February, Andrew Davids, director of structures at Hyder, confirmed his company was working on a tower in the region that would be twice as tall as the Burj Dubai, but declined to name it (MEED 13:2:08).

According to Rukn Eldeen, project manager with Omrania, the tower plot will be 170,000 square metres.

The tower’s projected height means wind will be a major factor in the design, and Eldeen says the company has spoken to wind consultants and lift manufacturers to deal with the logistical challenge of transporting elevator passengers to such a height.

The tower is part of a wider real estate project planned by Kingdom Holding.

The development covers 5.3 sq km and is located in the north of the city near the creek.

The investment value of the project is estimated at SR50bn ($13.6bn) on completion.

It will be split into a residential area of 1.5 million sq m, a business zone of 800,000 sq m, and a 470,000 sq m commercial area. There will also be an education area of 150,000 sq m, along with leisure and tourism facilities and hotels.

Omrania has worked on several Kingdom Holding projects. It designed the Kingdom Centre in Riyadh, in joint venture with Ellerbe Becket of the US, which was completed in 2002. At 302 metres, it is currently the kingdom’s tallest building.

Hyder has been working on Emaar Properties’ Burj Dubai, in Dubai, which is due to be completed at the end of 2009.

Burj Dubai had reached 605 metres and 159 floors by early February, more than 90 metres higher than the world’s tallest completed building, Taiwan’s Taipei 101, and more than 40 metres higher than the world’s tallest free-standing structure, Toronto’s CN Tower. Its final height is expected to be 818 metres.

Other super-tall buildings planned in the Gulf include Burj Mubarak al-Kabir in Kuwait’s City of Silk, which is expected to hit 1,001 metres, and Al-Burj in Dubai, which is planned to reach 1,200 metres.

Construction of super-tall towers creates immense construction and design challenges.

The effect of wind on the structure and the logistics of carrying out construction at such a height make such projects not only financially punishing but also technically demanding.