The builder of The Shard skyscraper in London will be the project manager for the planned US$ 1.2 billion, 1000 meters-tall Kingdom Tower skyscraper in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Mace will manage the development in a joint venture with construction consultant EC Harris, part of Dutch group Arcadis, and the tower will be built by Saudi construction firm Bin Laden Group. The project was unveiled by American firm Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture. The tower's height is planned at almost three times the height of the Shard (at 310 meters), although by precisely how much is a secret. The structure will take over from Dubai's 828-metre Burj Khalifa as the world's tallest skyscraper. Plans were unveiled 18 months ago by Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal as the centerpiece to the Kingdom City development in Jeddah, a major Red Sea port. With a total construction area of more than 500 thousand square meters, the Kingdom tower will include a five-star hotel, luxury flats, office space and the world's highest observatory, with breathtaking views of the Red Sea and the al-Sawarat mountains to the east. The Saudi Bin Laden group will begin construction later this year and the project should be completed in winter 2018. The proposals for the 1050 meters tall Azerbaijan Tower, for the 838-meter Sky City in Changsha , and Karachi Tower have also claimed the distinction of the world's next tallest building.

UAE's Abu Dhabi Group and Pakistani real estate tycoon Malik Riaz signed a deal to invest US$ 45 billion in Pakistan including building the world's tallest building in Karachi. Under the agreement US$45 billion would be invested in Pakistan for various construction projects. Out of the total investment, US$ 10 billion would be invested in Islamabad and Lahore whereas the remaining sum would be invested in Sindh. These projects also include the construction of tallest building of the world (taller than BurjKhalifa, Dubai) in Karachi. Moreover, the project encompasses Sports city, Educational and Medical City, International City and Media City. The project also includes the construction of miniatures of Seven Wonders of the World. These projects will employ more than 2.5 million people and will boost more than 55 industries like cement, bricks, iron, steel and glass. These projects also are expected to represent all the social classes of the society and middle-class and lower-middle class will have equal representation. A distinguished feature of this project is the utilization of seawater to produce electricity. The projects will have their own grid stations. Moreover, a separate modern water treatment plant will be established to convert seawater into drinking water. The proposals for the 1000-meter Kingdom Tower in Jeddah, for the 1050 meters tall Azerbaijan Tower and for the 838-meter SkyCity in Changsha have also claimed the distinction of the world's next tallest building.

Chelsea Football Club owner Roman Abramovich is set to realize a three-year dream to renovate a historic property overlooking the Thames - including a new art studio to show off his priceless collection. The 17th century building was once home to artist James Whistler. Now the Russian billionaire, 46, promises to transform its front garden to resemble one of Whistler's paintings of the Thames embankment at night. Kensington and Chelsea council is poised to grant approval next week for a US?$ 15 million scheme to restore three linked Cheyne Walk properties into a super-home. The project, which began in November 2010, has sparked concerns from a number of neighbors who fear they will suffer a loss of light and views and have their homes put at risk by plans to excavate a two-storey basement. According to plans drawn up by architects 6a, Mr Abramovich wants to transform the Grade II-listed property into a "beautiful and meaningful contemporary home". A report by the council's executive director of planning said the basement would not harm the "special architectural and historical interest" of the two surviving houses, dating back to one built in 1521 by Sir Thomas More. The proposal would see a garage block demolished and replaced with a "bespoke" art studio "with a particular focus on the quality of light and display of artworks" for the collection of priceless modern paintings he has amassed with partner Dasha Zhukova, 31. One property would be separated from the main home to create a "secondary building for staff and guests". Grand drawing rooms overlooking the Thames would be restored in the main house, with oaks replacing the lime trees in its front garden. The main property has access via a private side road. Work is unlikely to be finished for three years.

Construction of new eco-district will begin in the center of Strasbourg this month. The new Danube project, which designed by KCAP Zurich architecture studio, features the construction of a new urban district along the waterfront bordering a former port and industrial brown field area. The first project of its kind in Strasbourg is an experiment in sustainable development. The Danube project will consist of eight buildings, supermarkets, library, commercial galleries and public spaces. All buildings will be equipped with green roofs, solar panels, data collection and re-use of rain water. The complex is expected to be heated by means of the solar panels. Many people already bought their apartments in Danube new eco-district development.

Conservation work at the crumbling ancient Roman city of Pompeii began. The whole project budget estimated US$ 142 million and the EU is contributing US$ 56 million to the project which should be completed by 2015. The new preservation campaign follows a series of structural collapses at the popular tourist site near Naples -- including at the House of Gladiators, a building used for training the arena warriors, which collapsed into a heap of rubble in 2010. The collapses have been blamed on years of mismanagement and underfunding. Buried by falling ash when nearby Mt. Vesuvius erupted in A.D. 79, buildings, streets and even curled-up corpses were found preserved when Pompeii was rediscovered in 1748. Today, the site draws 2.3 million visitors a year. Now work is beginning on two buildings, known as the Criptoportico and the Casa dei Dioscuri. The fresh funding will be used to help protect the site from heavy rains that have contributed to the collapses, and to restore frescoes and increase security. The new funds also will be put toward strengthening crumbling Roman villas, restoring damaged frescoes and improving video surveillance across the 44-hectare site.