UNITED ARAB EMIRATES HIGH-RISE BUILDINGS
DUBAI'S MODERN ARCHITECTURE
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HIGH-RISE •
The Riviera Hotel at Baniyas Road in Deira was built 1962
and is one of the few buildings with balconies - back then
Deira was a booming business district and the center of the
oil support industries, the base for offshore manufacturing
companies like J. Ray McDermott and supply boat operations.
Dubai's Airport Terminal building opened in 1971 and was designed
by architects Page & Broughton. The modern roof construction, made
of white glass-reinforced plastic umbrellas, is supported by steel frames
Dubai's Plaza Cinema opened 1972 across Shindagha bus
terminal (public transportation hub) with more than 1600 seats.
Construction of Dubai's World Trade Centre started in 1974
at Zayed Road after the ruler H.H. Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed
Al Maktoum had visited New York and saw the iconic WTC
towers under construction.
The building was designed by John Harris who was also in charge
of the cities first master plan. The 39-story office tower is still
featured on the 100 Dirham banknote and after a redevelopment
the busy center of the local exhibition and convention spaces.
Along with Dubai's WTC Tower architect John Harris built the
serviced DWTC Apartments for short and long term stay
tenants, providing restaurants, a club and sports facilities to
the ex-patriates community.
International chain house Hotel Inter-Continental was designed by
architects Neuhaus Taylor / 3D International and opened march 1975.
Originally managed by Pan American Airlines, today a SAS Radisson.
Pearl Tower constructed by architects Khatib + Alami
In 1976 the tallest building on the Deira side of the creek.
The Carlton Tower Hotel opened in 1977 next to the
Riviera. The once modern pre-fab facade, where each
window was in the center of a huge concrete block,
was modernized 2005 with a more classic-style facade.
The Sheraton Hotel on the creek was constructed by Rader + Mileto
in 1977 with architects of the Rome Group on reclaimed land in Deira
The Deira Tower at Baniyas Square built 1979 in an
architectural mix with arabian facade and a round top.
Hotel Inter-Continental tower built 1977 by architects Neuhaus + Taylor
to expand the number of fine hotel rooms of the existing 10-story building.
1980
Bank of Credit and Commerce International 12-story
tower was built in 1980 by architects Fitzroy + Robinson.
BCCI, then the 7th largest private bank in the world, was
founded 1972 by a Pakistani financier and operated from
over 400 branches in 78 countries.
Arab Bank for Investment and Foreign Trade
The ARBIFT tower or Al Masraf building built in 1980
by architect Arthur Erickson of Vancouver, Canada.
The Radisson Blu Resort in Sharjah, is a beach hotel designed 1980
by TAC/ The Architect's Collaborative founded 1945 by Walter Gropius
Bur Dubai's downtown Ramada Hotel opened 1982
In 2006 i had a great stay and some meetings in the
spacious lobby with tea and arabian style sweets...
Dubai's first Etisalat Tower 1989 by Arthur Erickson.
1990
Dubai's iconic Burj al Arab hotel on an artificial island, was designed
in 1993 by architect Tom Wright of Atkins Middle-East.
The soft opening of the Jumeirah Beach Hotel was in 1997. Like the
opposite Burj al Arab hotel tower it was designed to look like a yacht
sail. Atkins's concept architect was also Tom Wright with Kevin Cook.
Dubai Creek Tower 1993 by Khatib + Alami Architects
Office tower with shopping complex and a helipad on top.
DCCI Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Deira
a triangular building 1993 by Nikken Sekkei Architects.
The Emirates Twin Towers at Sheikh Zayed
Road 1995 architect Hazel W.S. Wong / Norr
Group. An office and a hotel tower connected
by luxurious retail boulevard with restaurants.
Structural height is 355 Meter or 1165 Feet
1995
Twin Towers in Rigga Al Buteen, Dubai 1996 Leo A. Daly Architects
Al Attar Tower build 1996 along Zayed Road
by Al Turath Engineering Consultants. To the
left, the smaller Sky Tower
Bank Melli building 1997 by architects WS Atkins Partners
The first Iranian commercial bank was established in 1928
Dusit Resort consists of a 5-star luxury hotel
with Thai, Italian and American(!) restaurants,
business center and unfurnished or furnished
apartments. The structure is divided into two
bases built 1997 by architects Khatib + Alami
Golden facade of the National Bank of Dubai
An iconic building 1996 by architect Carlos Ott
to stand the test of time and some sand storm...
The Al Attar Business Tower 1998 by Holford
Associates - easy to recognise because of the
giant banner of Korean car manufacturer KIA
The Fairmont Hotel opened 1998 as Park Plaza
Khatib + Alami Architects designed this building
to look like an arabian fortress but this time with
the amenities of deluxe rooms, gym and a health
club, fine restaurants and swimming pools.
Al Musalla Towers 1998 W.S. Atkins Architects
a residential building (left) and a commercial tower
with a helipad on roof in the center of Bur Dubai.
Hilton Dubai Creek Hotel (left) designed 1997 by architect Carlos Ott
The Saleh Al-Gurg Tower (right) was designed in 1999 by architects
of the NOOR Group's in a very futuristic look with a silver glass facade.
2000
Madinat Jumeirah beach resort with hotels, restaurants, and a souk
around the Mina a' Salam was designed 2000 by Creative Kingdom.
The Tower residential building was designed
2000 by Khatib + Alami at Sheikh Zayed Road
The 60-floors Park Place residential tower built
2004 by Cox Group Architects / ACC Contractors
Burj Khalifa designed 2004 by SOM architect
Adrian Smith as tallest building of the world!
Developer Emaar Properties' Boulevard Plaza twin towers 2004
designed by architect Andrew Bromberg of AEDAS as a modern
representation of islamic architecture in the new downtown.
Dubai's second Etisalat Tower with a spherical golf ball like
structure on top - to house antennas and telecommunications
equipment - was designed 2004 by Shankland Cox Architects
The Rose Tower 2004 by architects Khatib + Alami
The world's tallest hotel stands 333 meter/1095 feet
and is located along Dubai's Sheikh Zayed Road.
2005
The mixed-use Acico Twin Towers 2005 by BRT Architects
Bothe Richter Teherani of Hamburg, Germany. Developed
by Kuwait's Aerated Concrete Industries Co. the buildings
are shared by a hotel, luxury apartments and office space
JAL Hotels (270 meter/885 feet), Nassima (655 ft./50 floors).
The Ahmed Abdul Rahim Al Attar Tower
a 300 meter/990 feet residential skyscraper
designed 2005 by architect Adnan Saffarini.
The ARENCO Tower is based on a podium of ten parking levels
planned in 2002 by architect Carlos Ott for Dubai's Media City.
The two Al Kazim Twin Towers in Dubai Media City
Art Deco style 2005 by National Engineering Bureau.
The Index a 330 meter postmodern building in Dubai's emerging Financial
Center. DIFC skyscraper 2005 by Norman Foster + Partners Architects
The Al Rostamani Maze Tower was designed in
2005 by Planquadrat Architects / DAR Consult
The Address hotel tower at lake Burj Dubai
2005 by architects W.S. Atkins Middle-East
The elliptical Dubai Mall Hotel was opened in
september 2009 at the junction of Doha Street
and Burj Dubai Boulevard. Like the adjacent mall
the building was also designed by DP Architects of Singapore.
The Byblos Hotel on Emirates Hill 2006 by DUBARCH Architects
Staying there as a guest during the soft opening period was a
pleasure: Very nice rooms and the restaurant served perfectly
grilled lamb chops ...and their British pub served Kilkenny !!!
Sama Tower 2006 by architects W.S. Atkins ME
(Scaled down because of nearby flying paths)
The World Trade Center Residential Apartments
constructed 2006 by architects TRO Jung|Brannen
The Conrad hotel tower along Zayed Road
2008 by architects W.S. Atkins Middle-East
Abdulrahman Siddik Mosque on Palm Jumeirah
designed in 2008 by Yaghmour Architects (Jordan)
The Atlantis themed resort and hotel on Dubai's artificial Palm Jumeirah island
opened in 2008 and was a design collaboration between WATG Wimberly Allison
Tong and Goo, NORR, Adam D. Tihany, Jeffrey Beers and David Rockwell. Land-
scape architects EDSA shaped a luxurious palm oasis around The Royal Towers