The Spread of Gulf State Skyscrapers
From Burj Khalifa to The Shard, princely oil money is raising record buildings.
May 21, 2017
1. The Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, was completed in 2010. Located in Dubai, it stands 2,717 feet (828 meters) tall, according to the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat.
2. No skyscraper currently under construction, with the exception of Saudi Arabia’s Jeddah Tower, is expected to exceed the Burj Khalifa’s height.
3. The United Arab Emirates is also considering – but has not begun work on – another six skyscrapers within the height range of the current global top 30.
4. Middle Eastern investors are increasingly looking to make their mark on the West through financing construction in Europe and the United States.
5. The Shard, a skyscraper financed mainly by a consortium of Qatari investors, was completed in 2013 in London.
6. The 1,004-foot (306-meter) structure was briefly the tallest skyscraper in Europe.
7. Russia then completed three taller buildings between 2013 and 2015.
Source: The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat.
Takeaways
Middle Eastern investors are increasingly looking to make their mark on the West through financing construction.
Russia completed the three tallest buildings in Europe between 2013 and 2015.
The UAE is considering 6 more top 30 skyscrapers to join the world’s tallest already in Dubai.