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Even in an era of advanced technology like ChatGPT, which can assist in drafting various kinds of writing, it remains crucial to acquire effective communication skills. Beyond merely conveying information, the ability to speak and write well holds immense value. Knowing how to communicate effectively allows individuals to convey their thoughts, ideas, and emotions in a clear, concise, and engaging manner, fostering stronger connections and relationships in both personal and professional settings. It’s important to understand that effective communication skills are the opposite of constant, careless chatter. Speaking more doesn’t make you a better communicator. True mastery lies in message quality. Active listening One of the foremost effective communication skills involves no speaking at all: active listening. This skill involves hearing words and truly comprehending the message, empathizing with the speaker, and responding appropriately. Contrary to the belief that speaking more is th

NEWS: Saudi Arabia resumes construction on world's tallest building, jeddah tower

Following a long period of pause, construction on the world’s tallest building has officially resumed in Saudi Arabia. Beating the UAE’s Burj Khalifa by about 172 meters, the Jeddah Tower will span over 1,000 meters high and 1.5 square kilometers in its first phase of growth.


This project is described as the ‘centerpiece’ of the Jeddah Economic City (JEC) development, intended to revive Jeddah’s urban core. Chicago-based practice Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill (AS + GG) Architecture led the design, envisioning a slender form conceptually derived from the fronds of a native flower emerging from the arid desert sand. The mixed-use tower will accommodate a Four Season hotel, apartments, office space, luxury condominiums and the world’s highest observatory overlooking the adjacent Red Sea. An overall cost of $20 billion USD is estimated for the project, with approximately $1.2 billion USD assigned solely for the tower. Read designboom’s previous coverage of the tower here. 

As reported on September 13, 20203, by the Middle East Business Intelligence (MEED), a local company known as Saudi Binladin Group (SBG) initially joined the Jeddar Tower project as the leading contractor, working closely with the German firm Bauer to complete the foundations and piling works back in the early 2010s. The latest report by MEE confirms that SGB has stepped down as a contractor. Still, the AS + GG team remains onboard as the lead architecture firm, teaming up with Lebanese company Dar al-Handasah joined in as an engineering consultant. Jeddah Economic City (JEC) has issued a tender for contractors to bid on the contract to complete the over 1,000 meter-high Jeddah Tower. The deadline for bids is the end of this year.

 With the piling and foundational works already completed (constituting 1/3 of the building progress), on-site images currently reveal that construction of the super-structure in Saudi Arabia has reached level 50 out of of 157. The initial completion period was estimated at five years; the team has still yet to confirm the new numbers. 

As construction progresses for the Jeddah Economic City project, the tower’s sleek structural form will gradually emerge, boasting a synergy between the technological and the organic. Its three-petal footprint optimizes residential space, while its tapering wings create an aerodynamic shape that reduces wind loading. The result is an elegant, cost-efficient, and highly constructible design that is both grounded in tradition and forward-looking, incorporating innovative thinking about technology, building materials, life-cycle considerations, and energy conservation. The tower’s elevator system will be one of the most sophisticated in the world, with elevators traveling up to ten meters per second. At level 157, a sky terrace will be open to the public and will be the world’s highest observatory.

 While the design is contextual to Saudi Arabia, it also represents an evolution and a refinement of an architectural continuum of skyscraper design. Jeddah Tower’s design embraces its architectural pedigree, taking full advantage of the proven design strategies and technological strategies of its lineage, refining, and advancing them to achieve new heights,’ stated Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill (AS + GG) Architecture. 

The source of this hardhatNEWS article is Design Boom

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