Meet man who designed the world’s tallest building, now breaking his own record
In 2006, he founded his own architectural partnership firm in Chicago. Among his projects, he was the senior architect for the Central Park Tower in New York City.
Most of us know the world’s tallest building, Burj Khalifa, built in Dubai. But do you know who designed it? The architect who built this giant structure is breaking his own record by building the Jeddah Tower, which is predicted to surpass the Burj Khalifa. His name is Adrian Devaun Smith. Once completed, Jeddah Tower (approximately 3,281 ft) will be the world’s tallest building, taller than the Burj Khalifa (2,722 ft).
Who is Adrian Devaun Smith?
Born in August 1944, Smith is an internationally renowned American architect. He designed the Jeddah Tower, which is the tallest structure in the world and is projected to surpass it. He has significant background, experience and involvement in the planning and design of many major landmarks around the world, including two of the world’s tallest structures, the Burj Khalifa, completed in Dubai in 2010, and the Jeddah Tower, currently under construction in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Adrian Smith’s career
Smith founded his own architectural partnership firm, Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture, in Chicago in 2006. Among his other projects, he was the senior architect for the Central Park Tower in New York City, the Trump International Hotel and Tower in Chicago, the Jin Mao Tower in Shanghai, and the Zifeng Tower in Nanjing.
Adrian Smith’s training
Smith grew up in Southern California. Smith attended Texas A&M University and studied for a Bachelor of Architecture while in the Corps of Cadets. However, he did not graduate and went to work for Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (SOM) in 1967. He completed his education at the University of Illinois Chicago College of Architecture and Art and graduated in 1969. In 2013, Smith was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Letters from Texas A&M University.
Throughout his career, Adrian has shared his architectural knowledge through lectures, panels, and keynotes. He has presented at seven AIA conventions, including New York (2018) and Washington DC (2012). He retired in 2024.
