Untitled Document

GENERAL INFORMATION

BRIEF HISTORY OF DUBAI

ARCHITECTURE IN DUBAI

COMPLETED PROJECTS

PROJECTS UND ER CONSTRUCTION

FUTURE PROJECTS

FUTURE PROJECTS

1.Nakheel Tower/ Al burj

is a supertall skyscraper proposed by developer Al Nakheel. If completed it will become one of the world's tallest skyscrapers and form the centrepiece of the Dubai Waterfront, the world's largest man-made waterfront which is also being developed by Al Nakheel. Although ground levelling and land reclamation has begun on the Dubai Waterfront, construction of the tower itself has not yet started. Tthe final height of the tower will be 1,200 meters, reduced from an initial height of 1,600 meters . This height would make the Al Burj tower considerably taller than its main rival across town, the Burj Khalifa, at a height of 828 metres. iT will cover a space of around 270 hectares, and will become home to around 55,000 people, a workplace for 45,000, and is hoped will attract millions of visitors each year.

2.Trump International Hotel & Tower

is a proposed skyscraper hotel to be built at the trunk of the The Palm Jumeirah. It will be a 62 story mixed-use 5 star hotel and residential building with an estimated cost of US$600 million. The hotel is expected to be a 300 room five-star hotel. The original design featured a circular tower surrounded by four golden petals attached to the sides.[2] However, this was rejected by Nakheel who later unveiled a new design which features a split linked tower with an innovative open core design that minimizes shadows. The tower will be constructed of stainless steel, glass and stone. Proposed amenities include exclusive access to a private beach and yacht club with tennis courts, gymnasium and fitness centre, stylized pools and gardens.

3.Dynamic Tower

(also known as Dynamic Architecture Building or the Da Vinci Tower)This is one of the most amazing building ideas being proposed at the moment. David Fisher is credited with the suggestion of dynamic architecture. Basically, the two towers planned for Moscow and Dubai will have the ability to rotate each floor individually, therefore constantly giving them a new shape. As for the Dubai version, it is supposed to have 80 floors,420-metre, yet 79 wind turbines (one in between each floor).Each floor will rotate a maximum of 6 metres (20 ft) per minute, or one full rotation in 90 minutes. The building will then truly be “green”, considering that it will provide complete power not only for itself, but for buildings around it as well.Dynamic Architecture also presents a new type of construction using prefabricated parts that will be lifted to each level being built. This speeds up construction time and reduces costs as well as workers needed. This type of building also allows residents to park their cars on the base of the tower and have them lifted up to their home.

4. Dubai City Tower/ Vertical City

is a proposed supertall skyscraper design announced on 25 August 2008. The supertall, created by an architect to display possibly future technologies, is the second tallest building ever fully envisioned after the X-Seed 4000. If ever constructed, the Dubai City Tower will be much taller than any other current man-made structure. It would be nearly three times the height of the Burj Khalifa which is currently the tallest man-made structure ever built.The professional project pitch details 400 habitable stories, topped by a 400m energy-producing spire, making it 2.4km high. The tower is proposed to be sited along the Persian Gulf where part of the building could push into the ocean creating a marina and a destination for cruise ships and tourism.

5. Dancing Towers /Signature Towers

The three towers rise above the creek and project themselves as an icon for the surrounding developments and for the gulf region. The tower’s striking design creates a new presence that punctures the skyline with a powerful recognizable silhouette. The fluid character of the towers is generated through an intrinsically dynamic composition of volumes. The towers are inter-twinned to share programmatic elements and rotate to maximize the views from the site towards the creek and neighbouring developments. The design quality of the towers to act as a symbol and icon extends beyond their scale and location. These qualities are derived from the boldness of the architectural concept, from the choreographed’ movement that combines the three towers in one overall gesture and weaves’ with a series of public spaces through the podium, the bridges and the landscape beyond. It will complete a 360degrees in a few hours giving the residents different view each time.Zaha Hadid’ Dancing Towers are planned to be located in Dubai’s business bay development area. Apart from these three towers, the project will also include a new building to house the Dubai Financial Market, a large podium containing retail space and a pedestrian bridge crossing the creek extension

6.Dubai Towers

a cluster of aesthetically designed towers that will symbolise a new phase in dubai’s architectural standards and establish path breaking definitions in structural brilliance and engineering innovation worldwide.This project is the centerpiece for the large ‘Lagoons’ development. The four towers range in size from 54 to 97 floors and were inspired by the flames and movement of candlelight. The series of towers will offer an amazing view of the waterfront, restaurants, a 6-star hotel, office space, gymnasiums, apartments, and elegant design. The four structures will range between 57 to 94 floors and is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2009.

7. Dubai Promenade

Surrounded by the sea, marina and natural beach, Dubai Promenade offers panoramic views, idyllic walkways, scenic vistas and carefully considered architecture to create a distinctly different environment. Celebrate the luxuries of watching a majestic sunset, taking an evening stroll on The Pier, window shopping on The Waterfront, or just breathing in the open sea . Rejuvenate and relax with access to the finest luxurious amenities from the iconic circular shaped hotel to fine dining or pampering spa treatments within walking distance from your private residences. Although Dubai Promenade has the feeling of a secluded, private resort, it has all the advantages of an ideal location and total accessibility. It is also conveniently connected to Dubai Marina’s “Marina Walk”. Dubai Promenade has its own exclusive 70-berth marina, with direct access to the Promenade. The community’s residences are elevated above base level and situated on a podium structure. A dedicated homeowner ramp allows for direct access to the podium, which then conveniently routes residents through and exclusive entrance to their car park spaces. Alternate transportation options will also be available, providing easy access for guests and residents.

8. The ‘0-14 Tower’

The building was designed for Dubai’s business bay and features 22 floors covered in a double skin facade that’s outermost skin is constructed from 40c, thick perforated concrete, by over 1,300 openings that create a lace-like effect on the building’s façade.The shell is not only the structure of the building, it acts as a sunscreen open to light, air, and views. .A space nearly one meter deep between the shell and the main enclosure creates a so-called “chimney effect,” a phenomenon whereby hot air has room to rise and effectively cools the surface of the glass windows behind the perforated shell. This passive solar technique essentially contributes to a natural component to the cooling system for O14, thus reducing energy consumption and costs, just one of many innovative aspects of the building’s design It comprises over 300,000 square feet of office space for the Dubai Business Bay. O-14 is located along the extension of Dubai Creek, occupying a prominent location on the waterfront esplanade.

9.The Arabian Blade

is a mixed-use tower designed by Claudio Catalano. The building was inspired by plant forms and combines several volumes into one unit. It will contain residences, a hotel and commercial space.

10.Dubai Renaissance

a single monolithic volume constructed, like an elevator core, in one continuous operation – 200 meters wide and 300 meters tall comprising of offices and business forums, hotel and residential suites, retail, art and urban spaces.It is located in the heart of cosmopolitan Dubai with easy access to the business and commercial district of Deira. The Renaissance Dubai Hotel offers both conference and leisure travelers an excellent value, comfortable guest rooms, quality food and beveage outlets and friendly guest service.

11.The Opus

is another Dubai building designed by British Architect Zaha Hadid. the 235 million GBP development was designed for the business bay for Omniyat Properties. It is located next to the towering Burj Dubai. Hadid’s concept was to havethe building open onto the city, framing the views. The Opus would appear to hover above the ground. Furthermore, The 22-storey development will consist of three separate towers designed to appear as a single cube-shaped structure. The structure will also feature an asymmetrical hole through its centre, dubbed “the void”, which will be clad in reflective curved glass.

12.The Apeiron Hotel

will be a 7-star hotel built on an island off of Dubai.The Apeiron Hotel would be the second (self-awarded) 7 star hotel to be built in Dubai. The Burj Al Arab hotel was the first 7 star hotel (also a self-awarded rating). The Apeiron will have 350 luxury apartment suites and be a jungle-themed hotel built on an island about 300-500 m off the coast of Dubai - close enough to swim to but that's not the intended mode of transport to access the island. It will be accessible by boat or helicopter only. The top two floors of the Apeiron will contain a jungle with butterflies and other insects. Other features will include an art gallery, cinemas, conference facilities, shops, underwater spa & gym, an underwater restaurant, and private lagoons & beaches for the guests.The arched 185 meter tall hotel will cost $500 million. Floor area 200,000m², hotel height 185m (the Burj Al Arab is about 320m)

13.Jebel al Jais Mountain Resort

it is a concept design made by OMA/Rem Koolhaas for a leisure center in the mountains of Ras Al Khaimah, part of the UAE. Beauty comes with convention. The project is cubic (modernist), white (modernist), has an abstract patterned skin (modernist), and has streets in the air (again modernist). In the Jebel Al Jais design though, OMA tries to stretch the modernist style back into the detached housing zone making that part of the plan immediately look a bit odd. The main asset of Ras Al Khaimah, OMA states, is its mountain-landscape. The design by OMA also features a new motif that wasn’t part of modernism: pixelation. This design by OMA makes that bridge between the Arab and Modernist screen-facades. The most beautiful feature of the design is the tremendous contrast between the white cubic forms of the buildings and the dark three-dimensional forms of the mountains.The natural landscape surrounding t is pretty outrageous. The new tourist village is set on the top and over the sides of a mountain range. The future resort will include hotels, residences, shopping, restaurants, offices, a convention center, and exhibition halls. Cable cars, and elevators will allow guests and residents to travel to various areas within the resort, while new roads will be built along the mountain tops, at times across big gaps.

14.The Infinity Tower

is designed by skidmore owings and merrill and is located directly on Dubai’s Waterfront.Construction of the 330 m, it will have 73 stories and be the world's tallest high rise building with a twist of 90˚. The tower will twist exactly like the Turning Torso in Malmö, Sweden, and will be the tallest to do so. Each floor is rotated by 1.2˚ to achieve the full 90˚ spiral, creating the shape of a helix. The Tower will have residential apartments, conference rooms, tennis courts, pools, a state of the art gymnasium, a nursery and a spa.

15.The Lighthouse

is located in the middle of Dubai’s financial center. The 400 meter tall and a 66-story office tower. The Lighthouse strives to make low carbon commercial towers a reality in Dubai by reducing the total energy consumption up to 65% and water consumption up to 40%. The height and shape of The Lighthouse play pivotal roles in its goals for low energy consumption, allowing for the instillation of three enormous 225 KV wind turbines (29 meters in diameters), and 4,000 photovoltaic panels on the south facing façade. The Lighthouse will contain over 84,000 square meters of commercial space and will also include parking, a convention center, retail, and an environmental visitor center and park connected to the DIFC central spine. Great importance has been placed on the building’s impact on local and global resources. Atkins hopes that The Lighthouse will serve as a working prototype for future low carbon towers in the region, promoting more sustainable developments.The tower rises as two separate towers, bridged from level 10, all the way up to approximately 300 meters above ground. The structure is to hold a number of skygardens

16.The palm tower

is as its name implies, inspired by the trunk of a palm tree. Dubai’s Palm Tower that’s stands 150m, located at the ‘Jumeirah Village’ goes green. The tower boasts 60,000m of usable space ranging from offices to restaurants, gardens, cinemas and luxury retail shopping. The eye catcher has some remarkable features that make it stand out. Be it the blueprint, the green concept this tower is worth a stopover for sure. The windows are triple-glazed, heat reflective and constructed from solar electric glass (BIPV-building integrated solar photovoltaics), making the edifice extremely energy efficient. The centrally located vertical circulation and services core results in completely uninterrupted floor plates, allowing great flexibility in the floor-plans and use of space. This core also encourages upward air flow, creating a natural ventilation system. The outline of the tower is made keeping in mind the extreme temperature situation.

17.Porsche towers

in the heart of dubai’s business bay at the waterfront, the project comprises of a 85,000sqm office tower and a 30,000sqm residential tower. the office building will also comprise retail, recreational spaces and a parking garage whilst the residential building will be situated above a sunken plaza with retail and cafes. oma’s designs of both towers take into account the climate conditions in dubai and are designed to allow minimal impact of the sun. the office tower is framed by side wings and an overlap to create its own shadow, thereby protecting the tower from sunlight and reducing the need for air conditioning. the centred external wall is of reflected glass as an additional feature for the dubai climate. the residential tower adjacent to the office tower will be cylinder shaped, an interior atrium following the entire height of the tower will provide natural air circulation and additional light. the façade will be made of louvers that create shadow for the interior whilst providing wide views to the outside. oma works in partnership with porsche design studio – a 100% subsidiary of the porsche design group. while oma will be responsible for the design of both buildings, the studio will have a consulting role for the outside architecture and be in charge of designing public areas such as the lobby, restaurants and passenger lifts. upon residents’ request, apartments may be equipped with furniture, lighting units and kitchens by porsche design.

18.The Eta hotel

is a small boutique business hotel with 68 rooms, a restaurant and lounge bar, health club and a roof top pool. The 75,000 sq. ft site is situated in a high-density commercial neighborhood in Dubai. As a complete deviation from the existing buildings in the surroundings, the entire hotel is evolved from the abstraction of trapezoidal planes that constitute the outer skin of the hotel. The trapezoidal planes fold out from 6.0mt high entrance lobby accentuating it, before undulating along all sides vertically upwards until it folds back creating a roof top heath club & pool area. This concrete skin is punctuated by a graphical composition of geometric openings derived from an Islamic motif thus relating it to the city heritage while creating a unique sculptural form. The openings on the exterior allow diffused light to enter the rooms through balcony spaces thus creating a cooling effect and making air conditioning more effective since temperatures in Dubai for most of the year are as high 40 degrees. The balcony areas to each room thus are provided with increased privacy since the adjacent buildings are extremely close.

19.Dubai grand pyramid

The pyramid of the Falconcity emulates the Egyptian architectural wonder in a modern day context. The Grand Pyramid will be a multi functional complex housing residences, offices and other recreational avenues. It is the biggest pyramid in the world. Of the two smaller pyramids, one will host exclusively Falconcity management facility, while the other is a commercial premise in the theme park. With ultra modern facilities of luxury and convenience, the pyramids will attract all enthusiasts of fine living, shopping and fun.

20.The wave tower

The Wave Tower is a proposed 92 floor supertall skyscraper for the Madinat Al Arab district of Dubai Waterfront.It is planned to be 370 meters tall and is designed to be a green energy building.It is planned to begin construction in late 2009. It tries to create a dynamic way while a geometric shape rises and twists, like a wave, like the use in the bottom of the form of the pointed arch that extends as evoking waves of the sea, hence its name. It is covered with a double glass skin to control sunlight and with a white silkscreened glass facade. the tall tower, which appears to float in the sea, is connected to land by a gently curved bridge which mimics the waves ofthe gulf sea. The base has the form of a pointed arch with smooth bends, imitating the shape of the waves in the Gulf Sea. The structure is solved with “V” form unions between the different parts in the plan view. The installations and elevators are located in the central core. Interior gardens are present in all the common zones, improving the air quality and working as natural temperature regulators.

21.The pixel tower

Inspired by the effervescent bubbles in a glass, Pixel Tower has been designed as a Generation X tower for young achievers. Perfectly situated near the waters edge at Dubai Waterfront, the residential building consists of 18 floors, and is a unique design created to enhance your quality of life utilising technology and futuristic aesthetics. The elevation of Pixel Tower is designed to be a sustainable facade where the geometry of the openings minimize in the southern direction of the sun to minimize heat gain, and maximize in the northern direction of the sun to maximize views to the sea. With the theme of young and lifestyle living, each apartment would incorporate the latest Cybertecture technology enabling residents to customize and control the appliances within the unit. The building encompasses its own customised high speed wireless internet communication system, residents are able to monitor and control their apartments even outside Pixel Tower through remote monitoring cameras that can be read from mobile phones and PDAs. Equipped with Cybertecture to allow customization, the Pixel Tower is definitely the forerunner of building towards future living that embodies great design, efficiency, style and technology.

22.The Al Sharq Tower

was supposed to be a 100-floor residential tower in the Sheikh Zayed Road area. The tower would have a total structural height of 360 m, and would have 268 apartments. The tower is to be a slender design with a height-width ratio of 10:1 and comprises 6 tube like designs, each tube is to be approximately 12 meters in diameter. The architects Skidmore, Owings and Merrill used the tubular design, which is similarly used in the Willis Tower in Chicago, to reduce the horizontal movement of the building due to the strong winds that can "shake" the building. The central tube serves to take the gravity load that the strong winds produce, along with housing the main elevators that service the building.

23.The Emaar Towers

stand at the gateway into the Burj Dubai development. The importance of the site is accentuated even more by being located immediately across the street from the future tallest tower in the world - Burj Dubai Tower. The design strives to fit appropriately into this development as a respectful icon to the community. The relationship of the forms and their articulation derive from both its contextual response and as a symbol representing modern Islamic architecture set appropriately within the most modern Islamic city in the world - Dubai. Both towers, as figures, focus toward the main entry to greet the visitors. As one continues into the site the towers rotate their orientation as a gesture of respect to its towering neighbor across the street. The two towers of 42 and 34 floors contain grade A+ office space, looking out to take advantage of the views toward and around the Burj Dubai. The towers are clothed with an articulated skin recalling the veils and layers of traditional Islamic architecture. As the figures rise, they bend inwards forming two deep shadowed arches up to the sky and beyond - toward the top of the Burj Dubai.

24.Tiara United

is a pair of two 61-floor office towers located near the financial district.Each tower is to have a total structural height of 225 m (738 ft). An Artist's Impression of Tiara Towers Tiara United Towers will feature a coloration technique, which will have the building appear in multiple colors as the building ascends. The exterior of the building will also feature veins; like those on a leaf, spreading across the surface from the corners and embracing the building. The scheme of the façade follows the color spectrum, and as such is the definition of visible light.The two buildings are joined at the base with a glass atrium.

25.Pal Jebel Ali

royal haskoning architects were invited by nakeel development to create a masterplan design for pal jebel ali, off the coast of dubai. their winning design includes sports facilities, housing, retail and office space. the design also features an iconic bridge connecting to the main towers.

26.The Empire Tower

is located in the heart of Dubai. It uses an array of splayed vertical layers which are unified at the bottom and rise up into the sky with gentle curves. It measures 230 meters overlooking the sea and nearby parks.

27.P-17

will be located on Dubai's main artery, Sheikh Zayed Road. P-17 is the latest in a long-line of Dubai creations by Atkins. P-17 gives the illusion of an ever changing appearance due to the reflective nature of the facade. It gives the illusion of constantly changing its appearance with the movement of people and the sun.The tower’s darker front elevation rises from the ground and twists slightly in a striking glass and steel design. Behind this form, increasingly taller blades gently splay outwards, conveying the appearance of layered planes which dynamically move sideways to produce a challenging, gravity-defying form. At the mid-building level of the 77-plus storey tower, an angled atrium cuts straight through the tower filling a void over several storeys. This atrium serves the five-star business hotel above, and hosts a group of supporting amenities for the 18 floors of offices underneath. Seventy-five serviced apartments will be operated by the hotel to cater for the varied clientele. The top 19 floors of the tower are all residential apartments with views across the city.

28.Synergy

Sanjay Puri Architects' designs Synergy, a twenty-storey structure in Dubai Synergy soon to be built in Business Bay, Dubai is a twenty level structure that will have offices with terraces. The structure is designed to appear as a stack of cuboids that fluidly merge on the sides emanating from a single volume while separating sculpturally towards the front and rear creating open terrace areas accessible to the office spaces. The front overlooks the main access road while the rear overlooks a promenade and a lake. A screen wall punctuated by a motif derived from Islamic Art would provide privacy from the adjacent buildings planned on either sides, while reducing the heat gain to the interior spaces and rendering the building more energy efficient. The contemporary use of a traditional element alludes to the architecture of the region and makes the building more responsive to the harsh summers endured in its location by creating cooler internal spaces. The sixteen office levels sit on three level parking podium that is landscaped and provides for a terrace pool and gymnasium. The ground floor is designed as a retail space. The design thus creates a building responsive to its location and climate while being sculptural in its rendition of form. Area of project – 12944 Sq. m or 139, 328 Sq.

29.Vision tower

is being built at the entrance of Business Bay, the freehold commercial and residential district in Dubai located on Sheikh Zayed Road between interchanges 1 and 2. The 51-storey skyscraper will be a freehold office tower with office spaces from 5,000 to 12,000 square feet, built on an area of 592,000 square feet (55,000 square meters). Vision Tower will rise 260 meters (853 feet) The 51 story building offers commanding views to Sheik Zayed Road and the Business Bay Creek along with parking for 1220 cars and related amenities. The graceful glass forms of the tower are envisioned to reflect the elegance of Dubai and salute its success as one of the top developing regions in the world. The bent glass facade is the signature element of the project and will be internally lit to create a lasting image for the project. Amenities at the Vision Tower include modern business centers, parking space for 1,420 cars, and an exclusive passage to the Bay Avenue, health club, restaurants, and other amenities.

30.Atrium City Towers

is a cluster of three supertowers - rising above 100 floors, to be connected at base with an atrium and with skybridges. a mixed-use project, it will have a built-up area of 800,000 to 900,000 square metres and parking facilities for more than 6,000 people. The highest tower among the three celebrates the height of 600 meters comprising 100 floors while connected by three triangular skybridges and one atop. Building is reserved for mix-used: hotel and residential, commercial, retail and entertainment, offices. At the bottom of the building is the colossal-semi-circle arch that almost inscribe in the diameter of the building acts as tunnel momentarily not to mention the building's bottom is a body of water. Skybridgres at intervals have quite ironic feat, cable-stays are attached underneath the bridges.

31.Burj Al Alam (English: "World Tower")

The Burj Al Alam is a 108-story, 510 m hyperboloid skyscraper under construction in the Business Bay. It is designed to resemble a crystal flower. It is to become one of the world's tallest buildings. The tower is being built by the Fortune Group which also has a number of other projects in Dubai such as the Fortune Bay (Dubai) and Fortune Tower. It will contain 74 floors of office space, a retail area at the base, and a high-end hotel and serviced apartments in the top 27 floors. A luxury 5-star hotel section is to contain the highest hotel rooms in the world. The building will also feature a 6-storey crown that will contain a Turkish bath, sky garden, and other club facilities. Ground breaking occurred on 12 November 2006. The structure is expected to be completed in 2012, after much delay in payments from investors. The tower was under going piling works as the tower's foundations are being constructed. However it went on hold again shortly after. A total of 30 elevators will be installed, out of which 19 will be double decker.

32.The Oval Tower

is the latest piece of architectural whimsy to come out of Dubai. As you might guess, it is shaped like an oval. The tower in the Business Bay area will be home to 19 floors of office space and a leisure deck with a gymnasium with a sauna, shower and lockers. .The Tower is designed with its many utilities to cater to the needs of ambitious and quality seeking business entities. Occupants of Oval Tower will be able to enjoy efficiently-designed and comfortable office spaces. Oval Tower will include a fully equipped gymnasium housing a sauna, shower and locker facilities. The tower's podium includes easy access to luxury dining, as the dining area will feature a dedicated entrance with a panoramic lift and staircase. In addition to the podium parking, the tower also features a basement parking area, designed to provide sufficient parking spaces and smooth traffic flow for both occupants and visitors. There will be parking in both the podium and the basement for 651 cars. By the time it is completed Oval Tower will be known as a symbol of the utmost architectural elegance and modernity. "Our aim was to conceptualize and implement a design that enriches an already architecturally diversified and elegant business area with a structure that is distinguishable and unique. We are proud to announce that we have achieved this task, Oval Tower is a true marvel, externally as well as internally," said Mark Boothway, Senior Design Architect, Atkins.