The Saudi Royal family has unveiled plans to start construction of the world’s tallest skyscraper. The Kingdom Tower will measure 1.6km high, making it twice the height of the current world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. The mixed-use development will consist of hotels, offices, luxury apartments and a shopping centre.

The £12 billion structure will be twice the height of the world’s current tallest skyscraper, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, and take 12 minutes to reach the top by lift.

The megastructure, which will be built in the port city of Jeddah, is being financed by the Saudi Royal Family-owned Kingdom Holding Company, and shareholders include in Amazon, Apple and McDonald’s.

KHC has employed American company Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture. It is also reported that Emaar, the developer of the Burj Khalifa, has won the construction rights to the Kingdom Tower.

(Mark Dardenne, CEO Emaar Hospitality, celebrates his World Travel Awards victories)

Emaar was voted “Middle East’s Leading Tourism Property Development Company” at World Travel Awards. Meanwhile The Armani Hotel Dubai, situated inside the Burj Khalifa, will play host to World Travel Awards 2011 Middle East Ceremony on 2 May.