The Jeddah Economic Company (JEC) appointed a joint venture team to manage the construction of the Kingdom Tower; Mace, the British company that has brought us London’s Shard, less ambitious in height at a little over 300m, but just as remarkable, and EC Harris built asset consultancy firm. The Kingdom Tower will be the first building in a development project called  ‘Kingdom City’ and Prince Alwaleed hopes it will ‘send a message of strength’ in this crisis–ridden world.

The architects of the project said the future tower’s spire-like outline was inspired by the way young desert plants grow. As one of the designers, Gordon Gill (Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture) elaborates: “The way the fronds sprout upward from the ground as a single form, then start separating from each other at the top, is an analogy of new growth fused with technology.” In other words, the structure of the tower will resemble a bundle of leaves shooting up from the ground, symbolizing new life and growth. It’s three-petal footprint will serve ideally for residential units while the aerodynamic shape formed by its tapering wings will help reduce structural loading due to wind vortex effects. Notches on each of its three sides will act as shields against the sun and outdoor terraces outlooking the Red Sea and the al-Sawarat mountains.

According to the design plans the world’s next tallest building will house a Four Seasons hotel, serviced apartments, luxury flats and offices, and 59 elevators (the fastest travelling at 10m/second) taking you to the world’s highest observatory at the top. Until the Kingdom Tower is completed, the 830 meter-tall Burj Khalifa holds the record of the world’s tallest building and tallest freestanding structure since it was opened in 2010. 

mile – mérföld
kingdom – királyság
to cost – kerülni (pénzbe)
fairytale – tündérmese
to come true – valóra válni
to sign a deal – üzletet (meg)kötni/aláírni
officially – hivatalosan
to stretch – nyúlni, terülni
to appoint – kinevezni, feladattal megbízni
joint venture – közös vállalkozás
remarkable – rendkívüli, csodálatos
built asset consultancy firm – beruházási, építési és üzemeltetési tanácsadó cég
strength – erő
crisis-ridden – krízis-sújtotta
spire-like – spriál-szerű
outline – külalak, körvonal
to elaborate – részletezni, kifejteni
frond – (páfrány/pálma)levél
to sprout – kihajtani
to separate – külön/szétválasztani
analogy – hasonlat
to fuse – egyesíteni, összeolvasztani
to resemble – hasonlítani (valamire)
bundle – köteg, csomó
to shoot up – kinőni, kilőni
three-petal footprint – háromszirmú lenyomat, lábnyom, alaprajz
residential unit – lakóegység
tapering – elkeskenyedő, elvékonyodó, hegyes végű
to reduce – csökkenteni
wind vortex  – szélörvény
notch – rovátka, bemetszés, fok
shield – pajzs, védelem
to outlook – kinézni, kilátással lenni valamire
observatory – csillagvizsgáló