The Middle East's Tall Towers; where are they now?

Nakheel Tower, Dubai

Nakheel Tower, previously called Al Burj, was a project that was showcased by master-developer Nakheel. Design plans supposedly showed the tower to be more than 1km tall, at 1,050 metres, which would be higher than the Burj Dubai, built by rival Emaar. The tower was first planned to be the centrepiece of the Palm Jumeirah in 2003, but its proposed location was moved several times, ultimately to a plot near Jumeirah Lake Towers. However, the project was put on hold in January 2009 due to financial problems and according to some reports was subsequently cancelled in December 2009 in the wake of the Dubai World debt standstill.

Status: On hold

Burj Mubarak al-Kabir, Kuwait

Part of the Madinat al-Hareer 'City of Silk' project in Kuwait, the Burj Mubarak al-Kabir skyscraper is planned to top out at 3,284 feet, or 1,001 metres, in order to reflect the Arabian fairy tale One Thousand and One Arabian Nights. The building will include seven vertically-stacked 30-storey 'neighbourhoods', including apartments, offices, and hotels. Linking the neighbourhoods will be several four-storey 'town squares'. Work on the tower has progressed slowly. It was originally slated to be completed in 2016.

Status: In development


Doha Convention Centre and Tower, Qatar

The Doha Convention Centre and Tower is a 105-storey, 500m glass tower designed to be built on the Corniche by Qatari Diar Real Estate Investment and Development Company. The mixed-use tower, which will reach 105 storeys, will be home to a hotel with 300 guest rooms, 80 serviced apartments, and 300 residential apartments. The Convention Centre, adjacent to the tower, will provide 100,000 square metres of convention space.

Status: On hold

Kingdom Tower, Saudi Arabia

The Kingdom Tower is a skyscraper to be built in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia which was initially proposed to reach a height of one mile (1,600m). However its final design was believed to be closer to 1,400m. The tower, which was being developed by Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal's Kingdom Holding Company, was expected to involve an investment of up to $10bn. Three architects have been shortlisted to prepare the concept design for its planned 1-kilometre-tall Kingdom Tower.

Status: Under tender

Pentominium, Dubai

The Pentominium, a residential building under construction in Dubai Marina, will be the tallest all-residential building in the world upon completion and currently has the highest projected height of any residential building under construction, according to Aedas, the project designers. The 124-storey tower aims to provide the "most luxurious apartments in the world", and its developer, Trident, has secured deals with Rolls Royce, Azimut yachts, Tiffany, Swarovski, and Bang & Olufsen to provide various design elements and amenities.

Status: In development