UNStudio's Wasl Tower in Dubai, designed by Ben van Berkel, nears completion as a sculptural skyscraper standing 302 meters tall, transforming Dubai's skyline with its sinuous form and advanced facade of ceramic fins.
The supertall tower draws inspiration from classical art's 'contrapposto' stance, symbolizing a figure mid-stride, and is strategically located on Sheikh Zayed Road, ensuring high visibility and connectivity within Dubai's urban landscape.
Featuring a high-performance facade of ceramic fins, the tower showcases a unique blend of tradition and modernity, optimizing shading, light diffusion, and thermal regulation for sustainability in the desert climate.
The tower introduces a 'vertical boulevard' with a cascade of outdoor balconies and green terraces, enhancing permeability in high-rise living while offering amenities like rooftop infinity pools and public engagement spaces.
With a dynamic structural system supported by massive shear walls and outriggers, the Wasl Tower's complex geometry allows flexibility in floor design to accommodate various functions like offices, apartments, and a hotel.
The tower's responsive lighting system by Arup creates a vibrant nightscape, incorporating PV panels for energy efficiency, while its vertical transport strategy with seventeen elevators enhances user experience and circulation flow.
The Wasl Tower signifies a pioneering approach to high-rise design in Dubai, embodying an environmentally responsive and culturally engaging architectural landmark that is set to become an icon in the city's skyline.
It features one of the world's tallest ceramic facades made from low-tech glazed clay, providing shading and reflecting light to optimize interior daylighting.
The tower's vertical boulevard comprises outdoor balconies running the full height of the building, offering a unique and immersive experience for residents, guests, and visitors.
Anticipated to be completed by late 2025, the Al Wasl Tower in Dubai symbolizes UNStudio's innovative design approach with a focus on sustainability, culture, and responsive infrastructure integration.
The project involves a collaborative effort with Werner Sobek, Arup, and various consultants to realize a visionary architectural concept that redefines high-rise living in the desert metropolis.