Rotating Tower design will begin construction in next few weeks

On Tuesday 24th June, press were treated to an introduction to the world’s first ‘building in motion’. Rotating Tower, designed by Italian architect David Fisher, is expected to move from design to reality in less than two years.

The design, in collaboration with British firm Dynamic Architecture Group, will be premiered in two locations: Moscow and Dubai which were chosen for very different reasons. Dubai was Fisher’s first choice for the tower. He said: “Dubai is a city of the future and I think that the building of the future should be in the city of the future.” He took inspiration from UAE Vice President and Dubai ruler, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who told him: “Don’t wait for the future, face the future.” Moscow got involved by approaching Fisher who accepted the Russians proposal knowing that they would be ‘fast at putting things together’.

Dubai’s building will reach 80 floors: The top 10 floors will be used for luxury ‘Villa’ style apartments, below which a further 35 floors of accommodation, then the 15 floors below will comprise an extravagant hotel and the lowest 20 floors used as retail space.

The segmented tower design will allow each floor to turn independently using voice recognition technology and giving those inside an ever-changing view over the space of 1 to 3 hours. In the Dubai building the voice recognition will be able to interpret such instructions as ‘left’ or ‘right’ in English, Arabic or Italian but any language could be programmed in for further buildings.

Rotating Tower is the Italian architect’s first skyscraper design but he is confident that he will be able to pull off the concept, first listing his experience in the architecture world and then by stating: “I did not design skyscrapers but I feel completely ready to do so.”

The Rotating Tower design uses photovoltaic cells and wind turbine technology to collect enough energy to power itself and Fisher says they ‘will have some so we can sell to the neighbours’. The cells which will be placed on the top surface of each floor will be 15% open to the sun’s rays on all 80 floors for the full day helping to power the building.

It is hoped that the tower’s design could be adaptable worldwide with the same power generation capabilities. Fisher said: “Most cities in the world have enough wind to power these turbines – we have used German technology and are testing in Italy and it seems we have enough power” (for the current buildings).

The towers will also be the first skyscrapers to be entirely constructed from prefabricated parts put together in a factory in Southern Italy by a team of 600 in the facility and 80 on-site. Moscow and Dubai’s towers will begin construction in the next few weeks in Italy where the bathrooms, the most complicated part of the design according to Fisher, will be created and it is hoped they will be able to break ground in the next couple of months. While there has been interest from several countries throughout the world Fisher hopes that New York will be the next to pick up on the concept.

Architecture studio A-cero presents a new project for a residential tower in Dubai.

In Dubai’s Madinat Al Arab district, a sector designated to become the new downtown and business district of this vibrant city. The new 20 floor tower is located on the coastline, in a zone called Dubai Waterfront, in front of the bigger of the famous artificial islands known as The Palms, that have been created on the emirates’ coast.The building is made of concrete, glass and steel, and have the broken aspect of surrounding desert’s crystals, like the one known as the desert rose; a sculptural idea taken as starting point for the design, something common to all the firm’s works.The project’s program includes two underground parking floors, a commercial centre occupying the atrium and 18 floors reserved to residential use: 10 duplex, two of them with a surface of 500 m2, and 96 apartments with distributions of one, two and three bedrooms. All the apartments have terraces with spectacular views over the coast and share common zones with gym, solarium, swimming pool and leisure areas.

Gensler design the new Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Dubai

Gensler was commissioned to design a new Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Dubai, to be located in the heart of the Dubai International Financial Center (DIFC). Given the importance of the site, it was essential the design had a strong sense of identity, reflected the Ritz’s longstanding tradition and complemented the DIFC urban design, also by Gensler. The building will be adjacent to the DIFC Gate building and connected to it by a retail arcade.

The five star, 340 key hotel also includes 124 executive serviced apartments and 323 luxury branded apartments. The 14 story building is linked to the apartment building by a full-height atrium. Underground is an extensive three-story car park. The traditional stone facade will be complemented by lush landscaped gardens including a sunken garden overlooked by the restaurants and bars, water features and shaded terrace areas. Amenities include business centers and ballrooms, two restaurants and two bars, a health suite and spa and retail accommodation. Tennis courts, a gymnasium, swimming pool and sun decks complete the recreational facilities. Completion is scheduled for late 2008.

An unusual and striking icon located in Dubai’s prime business district

Work has recently commenced on the construction of the Iris Bay, a 170m high, 32- story commercial tower situated on the Sheikh Zayed Road at the south west corner of Dubai’s prestigious Business Bay. The innovative Atkins design commissioned by developer Sheth Estate International Ltd is in the form of an ovoid and adds yet a further dimension to the distinctive urban development taking place in this burgeoning CBD. The design comprises two identical double curved pixelated shells which are rotated and cantilevered over the podium. The rear elevation is a continuous vertical curve punctuated by balconies while the front elevation is made up of seven zones of rotated glass. The tower, which will incorporate both passive and active environmental features, sits on a four-story perforated podium that floats over a double height arcade and houses retail and commercial space totaling 36,000 m2.

Infinity Tower

International firm Dos Architects have been selected to design this 93 floor tower which provide 632 flats. The architects have aimed to create an aesthetic appearance and functionality which are the product of a direct relationship with the surrounding natural environment. Solar panels will provide up to 25% of the total energy consumed within the tower. Its mass and thickness give inertia to the building, as well as thermal resistance to temperature fluctuations in Dubai. Other passive strategies have been adopted to minimise the use of air conditioning and other active devices with great advantages for the occupants’ health, as well as reduced running costs and overall impact of the tower on the environment. Its geometry makes the building almost self-shading to all the glazed elements, whilst still allowing openings to enjoy the external panoramic view. The building’s colour has been inspired by the sand of the dunes.

The Megawave residential building

Megawave is designed by James Law Cybertecture International with the intention of bringing the rhythm of a wave onto land. The 9-story residential building is situated next to the beach of Dubai Waterfront in a combined site consisting of six connected plots. Within the podium, it weaves through a parking level, low-rise retail and dining spaces on large floor plates defined by street frontages and punctuated by courtyards.Regarded as a mega scale building, 80% of Megawave units provide inhabitants with sea view by adopting the special form of building design. More than that, the wavy balconies bring residents maximum lighting and magnificent views to enjoy. Technologies include web-based image enhancing cameras are integrated onto the façade to allow the building to view panoramically along the beach, affording a broader view from balconies than conventional buildings. The project is scheduled for completion in 2010.

Meraas Development taps Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill for megaproject

Despite the global credit crunch, construction is booming in Dubai. The Dubai based development company, Meraas announced this week that it has commissioned Chicago architect Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture to design four new projects worth approximately $15 billion. The projects – 1 Dubai, 1 Park Avenue, Park Gate and Meraas tower- are part of the Jumeirah Garden master plan which is under construction and expected to be completed over the next 12 years.

“We’re incredibly excited to be collaborating with Meraas Development on these fantastic projects,” Adrian Smith said. “Any one of these projects is a dream commission for an architect. We’re deeply gratified by the confidence that Meraas has placed in us, and look forward to playing a role in realizing its vision of Dubai as one of the most important and architecturally spectacular cities of the 21st century.”

1 Dubai, which at 2,000 ft high will be one of the tallest and largest towers in the world, is the centerpiece of the development. It consists of a trio of towers connected at their base and by skybridges. A true vertical city, 1 Dubai will house two world-class hotels, office and retail space and some of the world’s highest condominiums and luxury facilities, for a total area of 13 million sq ft.

1 Park Avenue is a 116 story tower with three podium buildings at its base. The tower’s undulating sculptural form celebrates Dubai’s historic relationship to water and the city’s pearl trading heritage. The tower will incorporate 4 million-sq-ft of mixed-use space including houses, premium offices, condominiums and service apartments, along with the world’s highest luxury hotel.

The third project in the development is Park Gate. It will cover 4.7 million sq ft in six mid-rise towers linked together by soaring vaulted canopies.

All three projects are designed to the highest environmental standards.

Skidmore, Owings and Merrill’s update for the Burj Dubai

The Burj Dubai, planned as the world’s tallest building, will be the centerpiece of a large scale, mixed-use development comprised of residential, commercial, hotel, entertainment, shopping and leisure outlets with open green spaces, water features, pedestrian boulevards, a shopping mall and a tourist-oriented old town. The design of the tower is derived from the geometries of a regional desert flower and the patterning systems embodied in Islamic architecture. It combines historical and cultural influences with cutting-edge technology to achieve a high-performance building. Its massing is manipulated in the vertical dimension to induce maximum vortex shedding and minimize the impact of wind on the tower’s movement. The tower is composed of three elements arranged around a central core. As the tower rises from the flat desert base, setbacks occur at each element in an upward spiraling pattern, decreasing the mass of the tower as it reaches toward the sky. At the top, the central core emerges and is sculpted to form a spire. A Y-shaped floor plan maximizes views of the Persian Gulf. Construction started in January 2004 and the building is currently around level 82, building should be completed by mid-2009.

Major projects launched in Dubai including tallest tower on SZR

Dubai-based property developer, Al Sharq Investment, has announced today that they are launching six major projects in Dubai with a combined value of US$ 1.2 billion. One of their residential development projects is Al Sharq Tower, which once completed will be the tallest tower on Dubai’s Sheikh Zayed Road. Positioned in the center of Dubai’s business district, the 100 storey, 360 meter Al Sharq Tower consists of 268 luxury apartments. Designed by the internationally renowned Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), the iconic vertical resort has eight cylinders defined by a spiraling filigree structure, which will create a unique marker on Dubai’s main highway. Construction is due to commence in April 2007. The package also includes the Rawasi and Nadra Towers in Business Bay. The 35 storey commercial Rawasi Tower offers 590,000 square feet of freehold office space and 58,000 square feet of retail space, in a prime location at the gateway to Business Bay. The project will be finished by September 2009 at a cost of US$ 140 million. The Nadra Tower consists of 30 stories and will be ready for occupancy a full 12 months before its sister property Rawasi Tower. Aqua Dunya Resort, a water themed family entertainment destination spread across more than 60 hectares.

Atkins’ 2CDE development in Dubai takes shape.

Work has started on site for the new Atkins-designed residential ‘2CDE’ development.When complete, this will form a prominent landmark at the Dubai Marina, the city’s major new cosmopolitan waterfront development. The 27-story116 meter-tall tower involves a mix of one, two and three bedroom serviced apartments, two penthouses and eight duplex townhouses. The 33,642 sq m development, which embraces sustainable principles, also contains a pool deck and health spa. Atkins worked closely with the British University in Dubai (BUiD) to weave sustainability into 2CDE’s design. The exterior of the buildings comprises clear glazing, which incorporates electro-coating (or ‘e-coating’), and will withstand the thermal impact of high summer temperatures and allow for maximum natural light thereby reducing the requirement for electricity. Shading technology, including a ‘sun screen wall’, will also counter solar gain while enhancing design aesthetics. Commissioned by Ahmed Ramadhan Juma Establishment, 2CDE is due for completion in early 2008.