Dubai: Al Burj - 1,200m (Proposed WTB)

updated 3/16/2007 jasonhouse Thanks to Shahid, Dubai-Lover, wjfox2002, abbas786_ali Waterfront tower to be world’s tallest landmark CONSTRUCTION UAE 16 Mar 2007 Al-Burj centrepiece set to dwarf Burj Dubai at 1,200 metres The Al-Burj tower being planned by local real estate developer Nakheel will be the world’s tallest, according to those close to the project. Construction will begin later this year and form the centerpiece of the Madinat al-Arab at Dubai Waterfront. The final height of the tower has not been confirmed but it will be taller than the Burj Dubai which is expected to exceed 800 metres. Companies involved in the project under pre-construction agreements last year have said the initial height was 1,600 metres but that was scaled back to 1,200 metres. “The tower’s height is confidential but I can confirm it will be taller than the Burj Dubai,” says a source close to the project. Nakheel has previously only said that Al-Burj will be one of the world’s tallest towers. The piling and excavation package is due to be tendered soon. “We expect to receive documents in a few months,” says a local piling contractor. The tower was originally conceived as the focal point of the Palm Jumeirah and known as the Pinnacle. It moved to Dubai Waterfront where it was renamed Al-Burj and received a major design overhaul (MEED 27:10:06). The consultancy team is led by the UK’s WSP and includes Australia’s Van Der Meer Consulting and US-based Leslie E Robertson Associates. A US team of Pei Partnership Architects and Axis Design Group (ADG) completed the preliminary designs. Two other kilometre-tall towers are planned in the region – the 1,001-metre Mubarak al-Kabeer in the Silk City project in Kuwait and a 1,022-metre tower in Manama, Bahrain. OLD RENDERING __________________________________________________________________________________________ Decmber 7th, 2005 this is in the news since years and it has become serious today it was announced last year with the launch of dubai waterfront, the world's second largest construction project after dubailand, also in dubai, followed by dubai marina and various other projects in dubai rumours came out nakheel plans a mile-high tower, it could be this one at least, it will be built and is min 700m tall might be taller dubai always has a surprise in the pocket and knows how to drive people crazy enjoy Burj Dubai gets a rival By Saifur Rahman, Staff Reporter Published: 12/07/2005 12:00 AM (UAE) Dubai: Burj Dubai, which is on its way to becoming the tallest tower in the world, could be dwarfed by another Dubai landmark, Al Burj, before its completion in 2008, officials told a Meed Projects conference on Tuesday. "With more than 700 metres in height and more than 160 floors, Burj Dubai will be the tallest tower in the world," Abdullah Lahej, Emaar Properties director of construction, told delegates at the second Major Project Developments in Dubai conference, organised by Meed Projects, an online projects tracker. "We are now pouring concrete for the 17th floor." Though it is unclear as to which Burj will eventually dwarf the other, one thing is pretty clear: Dubai will have the two tallest towers. Following the launch of Burj Dubai, Nakheel, a Dubai-based property developer, last year announced Al Burj, which was initially planned to be developed on the Palm Jumeirah's trunk, where the Palm Trump Hotel and Tower is being planned. Al Burj has been presented to General Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and UAE Minister of Defence. The location of Al Burj was later shifted to Dubai Waterfront the world's largest man-made waterfront development. However, its height remained a secret until yesterday as Nakheel did not want the public to speculate on it. "At the moment, I can only say that Al Burj will be at least 700 metres tall and one of the tallest towers in the world," Robert Lee, Nakheel's director for development, said, avoiding further queries on its actual height, or if it would challenge Burj Dubai. "Al Burj will be a mixed-use project with a combination of offices and residences. We are currently working on its design." Construction officials are certain that it will be higher than Burj Dubai. "I can't imagine anyone spending so much money to raise it up to 700 metres and not make it the tallest tower. It would be foolish of any developer not to stretch further to make it the tallest one in the world," said an official of a large contracting company. "I hear, Nakheel is looking to stretch Al Burj to around one kilometres in height, that is 1,000 metres," said a participant. Nakheel, owned by Dubai Government, and Emaar, a listed company, which is 32.5 per cent owned by the government, are two of the three entities mandated by the government to offer properties on a freehold basis to expatriates. Together with Dubai Holding, the government's investment arm, they are rapidly transforming the emirate.>