Singing Pig

Atkins architects in global competition to design one of world's tallest towers
July 2008


One tower – three architects – all working for Atkins – and all competing against each other for the job of designing one of the world’s tallest structures. It’s one of the most unusual contracts Atkins, the UK’s biggest engineering and design consultancy, has ever been involved with.



The developer, Tameer Holdings, initially chose Atkins from a global field of competition, but then decided they wanted a second contest. Now Atkins is pitting its best architectural brains against each other – with the winner being judged by the client in a kind of design beauty contest. .



The three Atkins teams vying for the project are drawn from all over the world. They are; Dubai’s Shaun Killa, the innovator behind the Bahrain World Trade Center, the world’s first wind-powered megastructure; the UK’s Tom Wright, who created the world’s only seven star hotel – the Burj Al-Arab; and Hong Kong’s Ky Cheung who designed Teda Towers.



Based on current world rankings, the colossal mixed use project will be amongst the world’s tallest structures and will comprise of residential, commercial and retail configurations in addition to a 200-plus key boutique hotel and branded, serviced apartments.


Preliminary designs have been submitted to the judging panel which is a mix of Tameer’s Board of Directors and senior management with oversight by its industry partners. The winning design will be announced later in July.



Managing director of Atkins in the Middle East & India, Tim Askew, says the group’s best architectural talent has been preparing for the design competition over a number of months, with three of its major global studios engaging in healthy competitive rivalry to design the mega-structure.



“We are delighted to have been selected as lead designer for the project after the initial selection process. Whilst this is the first time we have embarked upon such a major internal competition on such an international scale, we see it as instrumental in helping us to further drive creativity and ingenuity for projects such as this, in recognition of the status it deserves as Dubai’s newest landmark” he said.



Apart from its aesthetic and functional design qualities currently under consideration, the colossal iconic skyscraper will span over 5 million square feet and will be designed in accordance with current sustainability best practice. Towering over the city skyline it will provide breathtaking views of Marsa Dubai as it lies in proximity to the most luxurious retail, dining and leisure precincts and sophisticated commercial and academic hubs.



Managing director of Tameer Dubai, Abdul Hamid Moukayed, says the project will not only offer a premium in creativity and design spurred by the global competition, but heralds a new era in sustainable development with unsurpassed eco-features which are intended to be implemented in the project.



“Apart from the prominent effort to compete on design, the project is expected to exhibit an exemplary standard of construction in accordance with unmatched sustainability-focused measures and we look forward to working with some of the world’s best creative designers to help bring this architectural masterpiece to life,” Mr. Moukayed said

Limitless ploughs ahead with Arabian Canal

Staff Report
Published: July 13, 2008, 12:47


Dubai: More than 1.5 million cubic metres of earth – enough to fill 600 Olympic-size swimming pools – has been excavated for the Arabian Canal, the 75km man-made waterway designed and managed by Limitless.

Pilot excavation work on the US$11 billion project has left a giant hole which, at 700 metres long, 200 metres wide and up to 45 metres deep, is big enough to hold nearly 20 A380 Airbuses or eight of the world’s largest cruise ships.

Excavated earth – amounting to one billion cubic metres – will be used to form new landscapes along the canal, including mountains up to 200 metres high, providing views of the waterway and creating new land on which to build hillside villages.


Limitless is using the world’s most sophisticated camera and video technology to monitor land changes throughout the excavation, which began in December and will continue for the next four years.

Its Goematics Information Systems team carries out weekly aerial mapping surveys from a helicopter up to 600 metres above ground, and will soon be tracking progress at ground level with new laser scanning equipment mounted on top of a 4-wheel drive vehicle.

Saeed Ahmed Saeed, CEO of Limitless, said: “The world is watching as the Arabian Canal takes shape. The project will bring life into the desert, creating a landmark destination for Dubai’s residents and visitors in the form of a navigable waterway and a balanced, sustainable canal-side city for more than 1.5 million people.”

‘It’s not just a canal, it’s a big idea’




Ground water seeping up from the excavation at the test

Last Updated: July 12. 2008 10:31PM UAE / July 12. 2008 6:31PM GMT

It will require an army of 10,000 construction workers, hundreds of giant drills and bulldozers, and four years of digging to get the job done. A billion cubic metres of earth will be removed from the ground and turned into hills that rise as high as the Emirates Towers Hotel.

The 75-kilometre-long Arabian Canal will join the ranks of the great civil engineering legends of the earth – like the Suez and Panama canals. Yet, unlike its predecessors, Dubai’s new US$11bn (Dh40.4bn) canal is being dug solely for its value to property development. On its banks a new city will rise with museums, hotels, apartment buildings, villas, shops – and a population of 1.5 million people.

The path of the new seawater canal will run 25km inland from Jebel Ali to an area that is now marked only by dunes and scrubby vegetation, before looping back to meet the sea again at Palm Jumeirah.

“It’s not just a canal, it’s a big idea,” says Saeed Ahmed Saeed, the chief executive of Limitless and mastermind of the project. “It’s a city built in the desert, where water is so rare. It’s a plan to create a new topography, to bring a new definition to Dubai.”

As he speaks, he rises and starts pacing his office on Al Khail Road, gesturing excitedly in the air. “Imagine waterfalls, landscaping, yachts up to 40 metres, museums, hospitals, gardens – all in a walkable environment,” he says.

The sweltering desert is no challenge, he adds. “We’ll change it.”

Dubai World, the parent company of a host of property companies including Limitless, describes Mr Saeed – formerly the managing director of projects at Nakheel – as “the moving force behind the conception of path-breaking projects such as Palm Jebel Ali, the Palm Deira, the World Islands, Jumeirah Village and Jumeirah Islands”.

He joined Limitless in 2005 with the purpose of making the company an international player and achieving its greatest challenge: actually building the giant canal. The schedule he has set for water to flow into the canal is 2012 – a pace that will require excavation of about one million cubic metres a day, the equivalent of more than 400 Olympic swimming pools.

“Good Lord!” says Roger Dobson, a former director general of the UK’s Institution of Civil Engineers, when told about the project. “That is very impressive. When we were doing a canal in Pakistan, we did about 10,000 cubic yards [9,144 cubic metres] a day – and we were rather impressed with ourselves.”

As workers dig the canal, separate teams will use the rock and sand to create hills up to 300 metres high, Mr Saeed says. That is three times higher than “Big Red”, the tallest dune at Al Nazwa on the Dubai-Hatta road.

“These will be like natural mountains,” he says. “People in Dubai will be able to live on them and see the city.”

The man charged by Mr Saeed with leading the 10,000 construction workers, co-ordinating a dozen contractors and ensuring that the canal actually works is Ian Raine, a soft-spoken Briton who moved to Dubai two years ago.

Mr Raine says that construction will probably begin in the autumn. Tenders have been put out for the first phase of the project, which will include the excavation of 200 million cubic metres and development of a total plot of about 2,500 hectares. The entire project is 14,000 hectares – which is almost half as big again as Abu Dhabi Island.

“The real challenge is essentially logistics,” Mr Raine says at the project’s test excavation site near Emirates Road. “It’s the scale of the project and the fact that you are dealing with material coming out of the ground very quickly.”

The test site hints at the giant undertaking that lies ahead for Mr Raine and his workers. Although it makes up less than one per cent of the length of the canal, it feels huge. The sea-level canal is six metres deep – enough to reach the rocks beneath the sand that will keep the waterway intact. At some places along the canal’s path, the topography rises 12 metres above sea level, all of which has to excavated.

This is not just scooping up sand, either. Two or three metres below the dune sands are repeating layers of sandstone, conglomerate rock, siltstone and calcrete pan. The solid rock walls of the test site bear the marks of the giant steel tools that have carved them out.

The test site has been dug to confirm engineers’ geological reports about what lies below the area’s surface, and to see how the walls will hold up over time. Some parts of the canal where the rock is not as solid may require additional *reinforcement.

The test excavation ran into groundwater during digging, at about 10 metres. It is salt water, which means it might be a reservoir of trapped water from the sea.

With the wind whistling and the midday desert heat beating down, Mr Raine looks towards the rectangular pit and says: “This will actually be an urban centre. It will have a marina, offices, flats. There will be 10 or 12 bridges.”

To track the progress of the excavation, Limitless has created a team of mapping and computer experts who will use regular helicopter flights and a small lorry outfitted with lasers to measure the volume of the earth removed. In a makeshift office, the team uses high-powered systems to integrate hundreds of photographs taken from different angles. The result is a 3D image that can be rendered with special glasses. Mohanad Samarah, a photogrammetry and mapping site engineer, can create interactive graphics that the managers at Limitless can use to “fly” through the project and examine the excavation in detail.

“With a project of this size we need to know where we stand all the time,” Mr Raine says. “We will be able to pay contractors when they precisely meet their targets.”

The $50bn city will begin construction simultaneously with the canal, but the pace will pick up as the canal nears completion. The entire project is expected to take between 15 and 20 years. The master plan for the first phase is still in the works, but Mr Saeed says that there will be island developments in the canal’s widest areas, bike paths and villas set around Dubai’s first “mountains”.

Water will flow the full length of the canal and back into the sea about once a week, keeping it from stagnating. The flow will be controlled by tidal gates at either end.

Since the canal is mostly about the development that will stretch along its banks, there will be little or no commercial traffic on the water. Mr Saeed says a fleet of water taxis, as well as pleasure boats and other slow-moving craft, will cruise the water at a maximum speed of about eight knots, or 15 kph.

“Sustainability is a key to this project,” he says, adding that the conceptual design of the project include a massive solar farm and plants that will help filter the water – the specifics of which are still being worked out.

“If we build something wrong today, our grandchildren will never forgive us,” he says. “These projects will last hundreds of years.”


via thenational

 

Following the opening of the reservations list for the world's first Dynamic Tower in Dubai, more than 600 requests have been submitted for residential apartments, Rotating Tower Dubai Development Ltd. announced today. The revolutionary building, designed by Italian architect David Fisher, was first announced at a press conference in New York City on June 24.

Over 140 reservation requests have arrived from the United States, followed by the UK (94) and Australia (57), as well as Italy, China, New Zealand, and other countries throughout the world. More than 50 reservations were submitted specifically for the Dynamic Tower's luxury villas, with prices starting at 20 million Euros (US $30 million). New requests continue to be submitted for all types of apartments.

In Dubai, the Dynamic Tower will have 80 floors and be 420 meters (1,380 feet) tall. Luxury apartments will range in size from 124 square meters (1,330 square feet) to Villas of 1,200 square meters (12,900 square feet). The first 20 floors will be an office building, floors 21 to 35 a six-star hotel, floors 36 through 70 will be residential apartments, and the top 10 floors will be full-floor luxury villas. Each villa will offer 360-degree views, as well as have its own swimming pool facing a continuously changing view of the sea and the city, a sauna, home theatre, and a parking space at the entrance.

The Dynamic Tower, the first building in motion, offers infinite design possibilities, as each floor rotates independently to create a building that constantly changes shape, resulting in a unique and ever evolving architectural landmark. It will be also be the first building to be completely self-powered.

Dubai Mall to set new standards



The Dubai Mall would be the sixth-largest shopping centre, according to Forbes. (IMRE SOLT)

on Friday, July 11, 2008

In a country peppered with vast shopping centres offering unique attractions and world-class brand names, The Dubai Mall is set to raise the bar – locally and internationally.

Due to open next month at Downtown Dubai, its size alone is likely to catapult it into the top flight of retail destinations around the world. And that feat is without counting the inclusion of one of the largest aquarium's yet built – complete with 30,000-plus fish and sharks – and an Olympic-size ice-skating rink.

Other attractions, alongside seemingly countless shops, will be a 22-screen cinema and a Sega Zone entertainment centre.

The Dubai Mall – in the shadow of Burj Dubai – has 3.77m sq ft of shop space, more than any in the spiritual home of mall, the United States. (By way of contrast, Mall of the Emirates has 2.4m sq ft of shop space.)

Officials at developer Emaar remain tightlipped about the brand names that will draw millions of customers to the venue – saying only that "every major name" will be represented.

World-famous London toy store Hamley's is set to open a branch in The Dubai Mall, along with Paris's Galeries Lafayette.

Other brands speculated to open – but not confirmed – are New York's Bloomingdale's, Barneys, and the US chain Macy's.

Yousif Al Ali, general manager of Emaar Malls Group, which is also building the vast Marina Mall at Dubai Marina, said: "Galeries Lafeyette is a confirmed anchor department store and is expected to open from our opening day.

"The mall is currently under negotiations to finalise the second anchor department store and also continuing negotiations with many other brands.

"The Dubai Mall will feature some key launch attractions [in August] including the world-class aquarium, the world's largest indoor gold souk and the main thoroughfares showcasing hundreds of retailers.

"The entertainment precinct will open towards the end of the year as the completion of these requires a dust-free environment." He said some 30 million shoppers were expected at The Dubai Mall in the first year.

The shopping centre has a total internal floor area of 5.9 million sq ft and will be home to more than1,200 stores.

Part of the mall, known as the The Grove, will feature a retractable roof, which will give shoppers an open-air experience in clement weather and protection from the elements in stormy or hot conditions.

Shoppers at Dubai Mall will also be able to buy tickets for the observation deck on the 124th floor of Burj Dubai.

Dubai Shopping Malls Group (DSMG) Chairman Eisa Adam Ibrahim said the opening of The Dubai Mall on August 28 was eagerly anticipated – by shoppers and other retailers.

"One of the main reasons people come to Dubai is shopping and the Dubai Mall can only help that," he said.

"The Dubai Mall is going to be a good addition. It will be a wake up call to other malls to maintain and sustain their excellence.

"Having shopping malls as entertainment centres has proved successful with Ibn Battuta and Mall of the Emirates and it will continue to do so with Dubai Mall.

"Is The Dubai Mall good for the competition? Yes. Al Ghurair is 30 years old and it is still successful despite many new malls opening."

Research by the American business magazine Forbes, shows the world's largest shopping mall, in terms of gross leasable space, is the South China Mall, in Dongguan, completed in 2005. It has a GLS of 7.1 million sq ft.

Based on Forbes' findings, The Dubai Mall would be the sixth largest, behind the West Edmonton Mall, Canada.



The Entrance

Dubai Mall will have a grand entrance, which it is hoped will see many of the projected 30 million visitors pass through in its first year. Access to the Dubai Mall will be through Downtown Dubai that has routes from Sheikh Zayed Road and Doha Street as well as a link to Dubai Metro and the area's tram system.



Fashion Avenue

Covering 440,000 sq ft with its own VIP entrance, Fashion Avenue is a custom-designed area dedicated to haute couture. It ushers in a new "avant-garde" era in retail culture to Dubai with more than 70 signature stores such as Galliano and will highlight the latest trends in their global repertoire.



Gold Souk

Billed as the world's largest indoor gold souk with 220 gold and jewellery retailers, a treasury dome and 25m x 13m atrium -- a ceiling with changing multimedia shows. The souk will also tell the story of merchants crossing the vast desert to trade gold and other commodities.



The Grove

The Grove shopping precinct will have a retractable roof to give shoppers an open-air shopping experience in good weather and protection from the elements in stormy or hot conditions. It also plays a key role in the overall safety of the mall's smoke extraction plan.



Waterfront Promenade

This area, in between the mall and Burj Dubai, will offer views of the world's tallest building with its surrounding lakes and waterfalls. It is aimed at being an area of tranquillity away from the bustle of the mall, where people can stroll and relax after a hard day shopping.



Ice Rink

An Olympic-size ice rink will offer entertainment for beginners as well as a NHL-certified facility for organised team events. The climate-controlled environment of the rink will be visible from three levels of the mall. The rink can be covered with floor panels for concerts and private functions.



Sega Indoor Theme Park

Based on Sega's flagship entertainment concept, the "Tokyo Joypolis", the Dubai Mall zone will introduce a full line up of Sega's headline ride attractions, including an indoor roller-coaster and motion ride simulators. It will form part of a two-level 76,000 sq ft of area the entertainment complex.



Aquarium

In the centre of the mall, the 50m-long aquarium will be flanked by two glass tunnels with 180-degree views for visitors. Sand tiger sharks and stingrays will be among the 30,000-plus animals on show. The aquarium will have the largest viewing panel in the world, at 32m x 8m.