US$8 billion Burj Dubai District set to become the Middle East’s finest urban development

Emaar Properties today announced that Samsung Corporation, the Korean group, has been appointed the main  contractor  for  its  iconic   Burj  Dubai  tower.  The  signature concrete and steel Tower is set to become the tallest structure in the world and will be the centerpiece of Emaar’s prestigious Downtown Dubai development.

The Burj Dubai tower is part of the US$8 billion 500-acre Downtown Dubai Development, which on completion will become the Middle East’s finest urban development in terms of design and lifestyle.

The  contract  was  awarded  to  Samsung  following  an  11-month bidding process that began earlier this year and involved tender bids from major global contractors.

The  excavating,  piling  work  and  raft  foundation  for  this  global architectural landmark has been completed and construction of the Tower from ground up will now be taken up by Samsung, a huge step forward in the progress of the building. Chicago-based Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) designed the Tower and Turner Construction International is the project and construction manager.

Samsung  Corporation  has  been  involved  in  the  construction  of numerous high-rise structures around the world and Samsung Group, its parent company, is the Fortune ranked 14th largest company in the world.

Mohamed   Ali   Alabbar,   Chairman   of   Emaar   Properties,   said:
“Samsung Corporation has been awarded this contract because it matches Emaar’s global quality standards and processes which have become benchmarks for real estate developers around the world. The company has an impeccable reputation and unrivalled expertise in constructing tall towers.

“Samsung Corporation’s appointment is a defining moment and the Tower  is  set  to  rise  and  change  the  face  of  Dubai.  The  Tower represents the next stage of growth for Emaar and will be the basis for future developments and act as signpost for the ambitions of the region.”

A formal ceremony was held on the Burj Dubai site on September 20,
2004  when  the  concrete  pouring  operation  for  the  Tower’s  raft foundation   was   witnessed   by   His   Highness   General   Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and UAE Minister of Defence.

The Tower will combine residential and commercial space, and will include a boutique hotel, recreational facilities, serviced residences, apartments   and   an   observatory.   Its   unique   mix   of   functional modernist surfaces and decorative form contains abstract references to regional and cultural influences. The Tower’s base rises upward in a series of steps, providing a graceful transition as the structure ascends.

The Tower is composed of three elements arranged around a central core. As it rises from the flat desert base, each element is set back in an upward-spiraling helical pattern, decreasing the mass of the tower as it reaches toward the sky and thereby decreasing the wind effects.

A high performance exterior cladding system will be employed to withstand the extreme temperatures during Dubai’s summer months. Primary materials include reflective glazing, aluminum and textured stainless steel panels and vertical stainless tubular fins accentuating the height and slenderness of the Tower.

The Burj Dubai and The Dubai Mall are part of the Middle East region’s finest urban development, the Burj Dubai District. Located within the 500-acre development, the two awe inspiring buildings are surrounded  by  lakes  and  landscaped  gardens;  The  Boulevard,  a 3.5km long parade bordered by buildings that draw on a range of styles from around the world; The Residences’ exclusive up-market apartments; and the stylish antiquity of The Old Town.