Dubai recently broke ground on another ambitious project to shock and impress the world in equal measure. Dubai Creek Harbour will be the world’s tallest building upon its completion. The 928-meters-tall high-rise building will dwarf the Burj Khalifa, standing at 829.8 meters, by nearly 100 meters and take over as the tallest structure in the world.
Spain-born designer Santiago Calatrava designed the Dubai Creek Harbour. The structure will be engineered by Aure-con and the Emaar Properties and will incur a cost of nearly $1 billion.
The partnership between Aure-con and Calatrava will focus on the engineering and design aspects of the Dubai Creek Harbour tower. The tower will be the flagship of Emaar Properties’ Dubai Creek Harbour. Located in an open site next to a wildlife sanctuary, the project will flaunt a unique design by linking the major waterways of the area with the contemporary architecture.
The builders promise to erect a 928-meters-tall tower. The current tallest building in the world is the Burj Khalifa, which tops at 829.8-meter.
The new highest building will be designed using a central concrete column augmented with a network of steel support cables, to ensure safety against high winds. Adrian Jones, Aurecon’s project director, commented on the venture:
“The Calatrava team were looking to work directly with experts who have had hands-on project experience on other super-tall and similar mega-projects. The tower will test the craftsmanship of Aurecon as we play our part in making a mark on the built fabric of mankind.”
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum spoke after the groundbreaking ceremony on Monday:
“The new tower sets another challenge in the history of human architecture – a race the UAE deserves to lead. We strive for new achievements. A new heart for our city and global landmark. Humankind has no ceiling or border but our imagination.”
The construction work on the tower is expected to be complete by 2020, just in time for the World Expo 2020.