Upcoming iconic skyscrapers to add more glamour to UAE skyline

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Dubai, UAE,  iconic skyscrapers, Expo 2020

Dubai - Dh69b worth of landmark projects are currently underway across the UAE, with Dubai taking the lion's share.

By Waheed Abbas

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Published: Tue 13 Aug 2019, 9:41 PM

Last updated: Fri 16 Aug 2019, 9:11 AM

The UAE, especially Dubai, is home to some of the world's most-visited landmarks, attracting millions of visitors from different corners of the world. Known for its skyscrapers, the UAE is working on a number of new landmarks and skyscrapers set to open in couple of years, which would improve the country's profile and also attract more visitors to the country.
BNC Network, which tracks thousands of construction works worth trillions of dollars in the region, has estimated that $18.85 billion (Dh69 billion) of landmark projects are currently underway across the UAE, with Dubai taking the lion's share. Of that figure, $15.62 billion (Dh57.33 billion) projects are being executed in the region's commercial capital alone.
Most of these projects - from hospitality, retail and entertainment ­- are either in the construction or tender phase, which will come up between March 2020 to December 2022.
These include:
1. Dubai Exhibition City (Expo Village)
2. Meydan One Mall, Royal Atlantis Resort and Residence
3. Reem Mall, Uptown Tower
4. Maryah Plaza
5. ICD Brookfield Place
6. Dubai Creek Tower
7. Dubai Eye
8. Al Qana.

"Dubai has some of the most iconic landmarks in the world. There are very few cities, if any, that can boast of the number of modern-day globally-recognised landmarks as Dubai," Avin Gidwani, CEO of BNC Network, told Khaleej Times.
The UAE is already home to world-famous landmarks such as the Sheikh Zayed Mosque, Burj Al Arab, Burj Khalifa, Palm Atlantis, Louvre Abu Dhabi, The Dubai Mall, Cayan Tower and Dubai Frame, among countless others. An iconic tower, designed by architecture firm James Law Cybertecture and similar to the Apple iPod's design has also come up in Dubai.
Some of the other landmark designs that have been listed on the James Law website for the UAE include the 500,000 sqft du headquarters in Abu Dhabi, Skygardens Abu Dhabi, Palm Jumeirah Edges, the du Telecommunication Tower designed in a shape of foldable smartphone and Shuffle Tower. Moreover, the world's tallest hotel, Gevora, is located in Dubai; prior to Gevora, the JW Marriott Marquis was named the tallest hotel.
The Skyscraper Center's latest data showed that the UAE houses 621 buildings with a height of 150 metres and above, ranked fourth after China, the US and Japan. Similarly, Dubai is also ranked fourth - after Hong Kong, New York City and Shenzhen - with 190 buildings. Building data research firm Emporis disclosed that Dubai has around 50 skyscrapers under construction, with Creek Tower being the tallest tower under construction in the world.
However, Dubai tops globally when it comes to skyscrapers that are 300 metres or more in height with 22 of them.
Currently, there are 400 urban construction projects valued at more than $100 million each in tender or under construction stage across the UAE with a total value of over $107 billion (Dh392.7 billion), BNC Network said.
Samir Hamadeh, general manager of Alpha Destination Management, says Dubai is among the world's most-visited cities and boasts the most iconic landmarks. "From the world's tallest building to the world's largest shopping mall by total area, Dubai has to its credit more than 200 Guinness World Records," Hamadeh added.
Saleh Abdullah Lootah, CEO of Lootah Real Estate Development, believes that the UAE has bolstered its tourism through marvelous landmarks especially in Dubai.
"The emirate has achieved great progress in terms of the number of travellers visiting its famous landmarks. In fact, it is still on track to attract 20 million more visitors by 2020. Moreover, government sectors are also working hard together to reinforce this goal, beginning with making UAE one of the safest countries in the world - which contributes further to our dominance in the tourism industry," Lootah said.
- waheedabbas@khaleejtimes.com


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