{"id":863888,"date":"2026-06-13T05:52:21","date_gmt":"2026-06-13T05:52:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/863888\/"},"modified":"2026-06-13T05:52:21","modified_gmt":"2026-06-13T05:52:21","slug":"architect-created-worlds-tallest-building-now-he-has-an-important-message","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/863888\/","title":{"rendered":"Architect created world\u2019s tallest building\u2014Now he has an important message"},"content":{"rendered":"

Gordon Gill, the architect behind the Jeddah Tower in Saudi Arabia, which will be the world\u2019s tallest building upon completion, has a message that may seem counterintuitive in an age of record-breaking skyscrapers\u2014the future of architecture lies not in building higher, but in rethinking what already exists.<\/p>\n

Gill, co-founder of the Chicago-based firm Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture (AS+GG), told Newsweek that \u201cthe greatest opportunity in the U.S. for innovation is in the programming of cities,\u201d pointing out that new construction<\/a> represents only a small fraction of the country\u2019s built environment. In his view, the real challenge\u2014and opportunity\u2014sits within existing buildings.<\/p>\n

Despite his role in designing the world\u2019s tallest building<\/a>, Gill says height is no longer the primary goal. Asked about the next benchmark he hopes to achieve, he replied: \u201cSustainability is what matters to me the most\u2026to get to the point where we\u2019re contributing with buildings and turn them into assets, versus looking at them as deficits.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

A rendering showing the top portion of the Jeddah Tower, which will be the world\u2019s tallest building upon its scheduled completion in August 2028.<\/p>\n

Gill\u2019s comments come amid a growing shift in the U.S. toward adaptive reuse and preservation-led development<\/a>. Nearly half of America\u2019s 125 million buildings are more than 50 years old, according to the American Institute of Architects (AIA), highlighting the scale of existing structures that could be reimagined.<\/p>\n

At the same time, demand for conversions is rising rapidly\u2014nearly 25,000 apartments were created from repurposed buildings in 2024 alone, a 50 percent increase year-on-year, according to RentCafe.<\/p>\n

The environmental case is just as strong. The AIA has found that reusing buildings can avoid 50 to 75 percent of the carbon emissions associated with new construction by eliminating the need for new materials and the embodied carbon tied to their production and transport.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

A view of the Flatiron Building in New York City, which is being converted into private residences, pictured here with scaffolding in April 2026.<\/p>\n

Keep Your Eye on Existing Building Stock<\/p>\n

For Gill, the importance of existing buildings is not just about preservation, but about long-term relevance.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s the existing building stock you have to keep your eye on\u2026refreshing that stock and keeping them relevant, part of the sustainability legacy,\u201d the architect said, warning that maintaining the \u201clongevity of your stock\u201d is important to \u201cavoid obsolescence.\u201d<\/p>\n

He suggested that innovation in the U.S.<\/a> will increasingly revolve around adapting older buildings, as well as rethinking public space.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe programming of existing building stock\u201d as well as its renovation, and \u201cthe creativity of public open space through technology\u2026is going to be a fascinating opportunity in the United States,\u201d Gill said.<\/p>\n

Gill believes architects often overlook opportunities already in front of them. \u201cWe have to turn inward, as much as we do have to look at what it is that we\u2019re building,\u201d he said. \u201cI think we often seek opportunity when, in fact, it might be present\u2014we just don\u2019t recognize it.\u201d<\/p>\n

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At a Glance: Key Trends for the Future of Architecture<\/strong><\/p>\n

Service URL: https:\/\/public.flourish.studio\/visualisation\/29355546\/embed <\/p>\n

Learning From Projects Like Willis Tower<\/p>\n

Gill points to renovations like the Willis Tower in Chicago\u2014once the tallest building in the world\u2014as an example of what is possible. The building\u2019s transformation focused on sustainability upgrades, reducing energy and water use. The tower earned LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum designation, the highest environmental standard for the certification program developed by the U.S. Green Building Council.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve proven that we can renovate an existing building and actually help the building next door, or help more buildings next door,\u201d Gill said, suggesting that retrofits can have a ripple effect across entire urban areas. \u201cThis is where I think the opportunity rests, not just to help yourself, but to help everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

A view of the Chicago skyline at night in the city\u2019s downtown area.<\/p>\n

Technology, Density, and Cities of the Future<\/p>\n

Looking ahead, Gill sees innovation emerging not just from architecture itself, but from intersecting technologies.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re seeing the impact of unmanned drones\u2026air vehicles\u2026people now creating drone traffic models for cities,\u201d he said, noting that such systems are already influencing design in parts of the Middle East.<\/p>\n

As cities become denser, he expects changes in how people move through space. \u201cI think you will see vertical and horizontal movement in cities at heights that we had not necessarily seen before,\u201d he said, adding humanity\u2019s shift from ground-based living to vertical environments is still evolving.<\/p>\n

Ultimately, Gill says that architecture must respond to the people and environments it serves.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have to listen very closely to the environment you\u2019re in\u2026hopefully offer something that is helping them move forward,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

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Five of the Tallest U.S. Skyscrapers With LEED Certification<\/strong><\/p>\n

Service URL: https:\/\/public.flourish.studio\/visualisation\/29355314\/embed <\/p>\n

Do you have an architecture or design-related story to share? Let us know via s.kim@newsweek.com, and your story could be featured by Newsweek.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Related Articles<\/strong><\/p>\n

Start your unlimited Newsweek trial<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Gordon Gill, the architect behind the Jeddah Tower in Saudi Arabia, which will be the world\u2019s tallest building…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":863889,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[32],"tags":[2513,648,1032,1033,171,352169,352167,99466,7484,32006,67,132,68,352168],"class_list":["post-863888","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-arts-and-design","tag-architecture","tag-arts","tag-arts-and-design","tag-design","tag-entertainment","tag-existing-building","tag-gordon-gill","tag-jeddah-tower","tag-opportunity","tag-skyscrapers","tag-united-states","tag-unitedstates","tag-us","tag-worlds-tallest-building"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/116741246151440257","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/863888","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=863888"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/863888\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/863889"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=863888"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=863888"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=863888"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}