New Observation Tower
Dubai adds yet another architectural gem to its existing cityscape, known to feature some of the world’s most eye-catching architectural treasures.
Spanish neo-futurist architect and sculptor Santiago Calatrava has been shortlisted to design a new landmark observation tower in the Dubai Creek Harbor, which will be the country’s next iconic building after the futurist skyscraper Burj Khalifa.
The design will take on Burj Khalifa’s amalgamation of the vernacular spiral minaret trope with the neo-futurist love for linearity and simplicity, reducing the structure to a minimalist rocket-like marvel. The tower will smoothly rise and vehemently culminate in a sharp needle-like pinnacle. The observation pod will be placed on very top of the tower and the whole construction will glow during the night.
“We feel extremely thankful and honored to have been selected for such an important project,” said Santiago Calatrava. “Dubai is where innovative and revolutionary architecture is making incredible strides. In our proposed design, we have united local traditional architecture with that of the 21st century.”
The height of the tower has not been revealed but it will be directly connected to the central island district of Dubai Creek Harbour, a six million square meter mixed-use development. This is a megaproject that will house 3,664 office units, 9,000 residential units, 22 hotels with 4,400 rooms and offer eight million square feet retail space. The ‘Dubai Twin Towers is the architectural climax in this grandiose project, as they will be the world’s next tallest twin towers.
Developers Emaar announce that the Dubai Creek Harbor, a joint initiative of Emaar properties and Dubai Holding, will expand the city’s heart and reconnect it to its roots. It will be both a financially viable and ecologically responsible city, built with the care of future generations and using every innovation to minimize the environmental impact.
The Dubai Creek Harbor is a proof of Dubai’s recovery from the financial crisis that hit the UAE in the beginning of the decade and put many ambitious architectural projects on hold.
By: Sabina Karleva