Construction International News - February 2013
UK Contracts Awarded For Tallest Tower Build
Posted by Paul Fiddian - Construction International Reporter on 22/02/2013 - 08:55:00
Two UK-based firms have won the rights to project-manage the construction of the world's tallest building in Saudi Arabia.
Located in Jeddah, the Kingdom Tower will reach one kilometre (1,000 metres: circa 3,280 feet) above ground level - taller than Dubai's Burj Khalifa and four times as high as London's Shard building.
The project management side of things will be carried out by asset consultancy firm EC Harris and construction/business services group Mace, according to a press release issued in late February 2013. Specifically, these two companies will supply project, design and commercial management services.
Kingdom Tower Construction
The Kingdom Tower construction programme is scheduled to commence in mid-late 2013 and last little over five years. The finished build will be some 500,000 square metres in size with multiple applications, providing office space and residential units.
Kingdom Tower will spearhead a new development named Kingdom City, sited north of Jeddah and with views out across the Red Sea. Here, there'll be in excess of five million square metres of new office, residential, commercial, educational and retail space created. Kingdom Tower will be constructed out of reinforced concrete and steel, with an all-glass facade.
World's Tallest Tower
The world's tallest tower's lead designer is US architect Adrian Smith - the same man responsible for the Burj Khalifa - and it's being developed by the Jeddah Economic Company.
With the project management element now announced - and a UK victory achieved - the Jeddah Economic Company is soon expected to also award a quantity surveyor consultancy contract. Again, it's anticipated that this contact will go to a UK-based firm
"Kingdom Tower is a project of international importance and immense ambition and we are delighted to be part of the joint venture team tasked with its delivery", stated Mark Reynolds - chief executive of Mace. "As the client's project manager, I am confident we will deliver a development exemplary in innovation and approach."
"We are delighted to be on the team to deliver this iconic project", added Keith Brooks - EC Harris' property and social infrastructure head. "The Kingdom Tower is a landmark building that will clearly demonstrate Saudi Arabia's ambitions to the world. We have a world class team in place and I am confident that our integrated approach to project, design and construction management will help deliver a safe and successful project."
Images copyright Jeddah Economic Company/ASGG - Courtesy EC Harris
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