Ever looked at a skyline and felt like the buildings were getting just a little too ambitious? You aren't alone. For the last few years, it felt like the era of the "megatall" was over. Projects were stalling. Budgets were drying up. Cranes sat motionless over half-finished concrete shells in the desert and the smog. But honestly, 2026 has flipped the script completely.
The race is back on. It’s not just about ego anymore, though let’s be real, ego is always the foundation of a 100-story tower. Today, it’s about "pumpcrete" technology, sustainable "timber-hybrid" structures, and reclaiming ghost towers that everyone thought were dead for good.
If you’ve been following the news, you know the big one. The Jeddah Tower. For a long time, it was the world’s most famous "dead" project. It’s not dead anymore.
Jeddah Tower: What Really Happened with the Kilometre-High Dream
People kept saying the Jeddah Tower was a pipe dream. It stayed stuck at floor 63 for seven years. That’s a long time for a building that’s supposed to be the first to crack the 1,000-meter mark.
But here’s the reality: as of January 6, 2026, the tower has officially surpassed the 80-floor mark. The Saudi Binladin Group is back on site with a massive $2 billion contract. They aren't just building; they are basically sprinting. Engineers are adding a new floor every three to four days. If you do the math, they are on track to hit the 100th floor by February.
Why does this matter? Because Jeddah Tower isn’t just a tall building. It’s a $20 billion statement. Designed by Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill—the same folks who did the Burj Khalifa—it’s built to shed wind like a biological organism. The "three-petal" footprint isn't just for looks. At 1,000 meters, wind isn't just a breeze; it's a structural threat. They are using something called "pumpcrete" to blast high-performance concrete higher than it’s ever gone in human history.
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The Battle for Second Place: Burj Azizi and the Dubai Shake-up
While Saudi Arabia aims for the top spot, Dubai is busy claiming everything else. The Burj Azizi is the new kid on the block, and it is weirdly fast-tracked.
Construction started in late 2024, but it’s already the talk of Sheikh Zayed Road. At 725 meters, it’s going to be the second-tallest building in the world. It’s funny because it’s being built on a plot that used to belong to the "Entisar Tower," another project that died during a payment dispute years ago.
Azizi is throwing everything at this:
- A 7-star hotel (because 5 isn't enough anymore).
- A vertical mall.
- 133 floors of pure luxury.
They are aiming for a 2029 completion, but the foundation work is moving so fast it’s making the neighbors nervous. Honestly, it’s a bit of a flex. It’s situated just two kilometers from the Burj Khalifa. It’s like Dubai is competing with itself.
China’s "Ghost Skyscraper" is Finally Waking Up
China used to be the king of supertalls until the government stepped in and basically banned anything over 500 meters. That left a lot of projects in limbo.
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The most famous? Goldin Finance 117 in Tianjin. It has been the "World’s Tallest Unoccupied Building" for a decade. It’s a 597-meter "walking stick" that just stood there, unfinished, since 2015.
But 2026 is the year of the revival. The Chinese government is pushing to finish these "zombie" projects. On January 4, 2026, top officials in Tianjin met with state construction giants to finalize the "revitalization" of Project 117. It’s technically a dinosaur—a relic of an era of excess—but it’s coming back. Under current laws, you couldn't start a building this high in China. But because it started in 2008, it gets a pass.
The New Vertical Lifestyle: Six Senses and Beyond
Not everything under construction is about being the "tallest overall." Some are chasing specific records.
Take the Six Senses Residences in Dubai Marina. It’s aiming for a height of 517 meters. If it finishes as planned in 2028, it will be the tallest residential tower on the planet.
What’s cool here isn't the height, but the tech. They are using something called "PIPV panels" in the crown to generate energy for the building’s lighting. It’s also got a "wellness" focus. We're talking about 122 stories where every floor is infused with biophilia and "classical feng shui." It’s basically a half-kilometer-high spa.
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Meanwhile, in Kuala Lumpur, the Merdeka 118 is nearly done. The tower itself is open, but the massive 118 Mall at its base is slated for a Q3 2026 opening. At 678.9 meters, it’s currently the second-tallest completed structure, but it won’t hold that silver medal for long once the Burj Azizi catches up.
What Most People Get Wrong About These Towers
We tend to think these buildings are just stacks of floor space. They aren't. They are more like vertical cities with their own internal weather.
One of the biggest misconceptions is that these projects stop because they run out of money. Sorta true, but often it’s a "stock market crash" or a "legal dispute" that freezes them. When a building like Goldin 117 sits for 10 years, you can’t just start building again. You have to check the steel for corrosion. You have to verify the concrete hasn't degraded.
The fact that these towers are resuming in 2026 tells us that the global economy is in a very specific, aggressive growth phase. We are seeing a shift toward "hybrid" buildings—mixing timber with steel to lower carbon footprints. In Australia, the Atlassian Headquarters is set to become the world’s tallest hybrid timber building this year at 180 meters. It’s not a record-breaker in height, but it’s a record-breaker in how we build.
Tallest Skyscrapers Under Construction: A Quick Glance at the 2026 Status
| Building Name | City | Planned Height | Expected Finish | Current Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jeddah Tower | Jeddah | 1,000m+ | 2028 | Surpassed 80 floors; active |
| Burj Azizi | Dubai | 725m | 2029 | Foundation/Substructure active |
| Goldin Finance 117 | Tianjin | 597m | 2027 | Construction resumed after 10-year pause |
| Six Senses Residences | Dubai | 517m | 2028 | ~25% complete; active |
| Pinnacle One Yonge | Toronto | 351m | 2026 | Topping out soon |
Actionable Insights for the Future of Cities
If you are an investor, an architect, or just someone who likes looking up, here is what 2026 is teaching us:
- Watch the "Ghost Towers": The revival of Goldin 117 and Jeddah Tower proves that no project is truly dead if the political will is there.
- Sustainability is the New Height: The Atlassian timber tower and the Six Senses PIPV panels show that "tall" is no longer enough. If it doesn't generate some of its own power, it’s an expensive dinosaur.
- The Middle East remains the hub: Between Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 and Dubai’s relentless development, the center of gravity for supertall construction has permanently shifted away from the West.
- Engineering Limitations: We are reaching the limit of what traditional concrete can do. The "pumpcrete" used in Jeddah is the bleeding edge of material science.
Keeping an eye on these sites isn't just about watching records break. It's about seeing how humans solve the problem of living together when there's nowhere to go but up.
Check the local planning boards in cities like Austin, Texas, where the "Waterline" is currently becoming the state's first supertall. If you're in Toronto, watch the skyline for Pinnacle One Yonge—it's about to redefine Canada's height limit. The sky isn't the limit; it's just the current floor.