Dubai is the most famous gallery of contemporary architecture in the world. City, where any creativity is possible.
Architects literally call Dubai an architectural sandbox because here, projects that exist only on paper are brought to life. Even the impossible from the physics point of view. Let’s take a look at the most amazing of them.
1 Burj Khalifa
Burj Khalifa is the tallest skyscraper in the world and a city symbol. Its form is dizzying, and the project figures are outstanding. 828 meters high, 160 floors for people to live, work and admire the views.
Architect: Adrian Smith of renowned Chicago architecture firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM). The company was founded in 1936 and had been designing skyscrapers since the 1950s.
The original form of the Burj Khalifa building descends from Islamic architecture and is inspired by the local desert flower.
2 Burj Al Arab
A symbol of Arabian luxury. The only 7-star hotel in the world is located on one of the artificial islands in Dubai. The building is made in the sail form and is now one of the iconic and recognizable skylines.
Architect: Tom Wright
3. The Museum of the Future
The Museum of the Future is an incredible marvel of engineering. National Geographic included it in the list of 14 most beautiful museums in the world.
The entire surface of the futuristic building is decorated with delicate carvings of Arabic calligraphy. And this is not only incredibly beautiful but also innovative: the contours perforation serves as windows for the museum.
Architect: Shaun Killa
According to the architect’s idea, the very form of the museum embodies a vision of the future. It consists of 3 main elements: the green zone, the main structure, and the elliptical void in the middle. Together they symbolize the solidity, creativity of humanity, and everything that is still unknown to us about the future.
4. Infinity Bridge
The Infinity Bridge is one of the latest architectural sensations in Dubai. It connects Deira and Bur Dubai.
This bridge is undoubtedly a new fantastic object in the gallery of the city’s contemporary architecture. Its steel arches reach a height of 42 meters and form the mathematical symbol of infinity. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, tweeted: “Our bridges go towards the future, and our ambitions are endless.”
The structure has six traffic lanes in each direction. There is also a 3-meter-wide bicycle and pedestrian path along the bridge.
Architect: BESIX Company
5. Artificial archipelago The World.
Sand miracle of engineering in the form of a world map.
There are 300 man-created islands at a 4 km distance from the coast, which form the 7 continents of the Earth. Investors can buy any island and turn it into whatever they want: a palace resort, a nature reserve, or a golf club.
Architect: The idea belongs to the Crown Prince of the emirate and Minister of Defense of the UAE, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. The leading developer of the project is Nakheel.
6. Cayan Tower
A tower with an unexpected twist. For a full 90 degrees.
And like almost everything in Dubai, it is a record-breaker. It is the tallest building in the world, twisted in this way. And one of the tallest residential skyscrapers. The house has 73 above-ground and 7 underground floors.
One of the technological features of the concept is the apartment’s protection from direct sunlight using movable perforated screens.
Architect: Studio Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM)
7. Opus Complex
Opus Complex is another futuristic object in the gallery of contemporary architecture. The complex of buildings forms a cube in which a portal to the future has opened. The unusual plasticity of the void in the center of Opus certainly gives such a feeling. But, this is just the genius of the architect speaking. Zaha Hadid connected 2 adjacent towers with an atrium and an asymmetric 3-story bridge.
Architect: Zaha Hadid
8. Dubai Frame
Dubai Frame is the largest picture frame in the world. This object could appear only in this city. As a symbol of the contemporary architecture gallery. The frame is 150 meters high and 93 meters wide. There is a breathtaking observation deck in its upper part.
Architect: Fernando Donis
9. The Green Planet greenhouse
The Green Planet is not the tallest building in Dubai (only 4 floors), but definitely an intriguing one from an architectural and engineering point of view.
A lightweight cubic design resembling an origami figure hides a glass cylinder inside, where a real tropical fairy tale takes place.
On the contrary, all the technologies for maintaining the life of the greenhouse are contained outside, in a cube. Miracle, right?
Architect: Studio Grout McTavish
10 Emirates Towers
Emirates Towers are the famous twin towers of Dubai’s skyline. One of the towers (355 m) is an office building, and the second (309 m) is a hotel.
Both buildings are crowned with peculiar equilateral triangles and a spire. And are also finished with aluminum panels with silver and copper reflective glass, creating a unique optical effect when the light plays on the facades.
By the way, in 2000, these were the tallest skyscrapers created by a woman.
Architect: Hazel Wong
