Number of skyscrapers set to increase in
Middle East
The number of super tall
buildings piercing the skyline across the
Middle East is predicted to increase
dramatically, as prestigious projects such
as the Burj Dubai capture the public's
imagination, the world's most famous
architectural company said today.
Skidmore, Owings and Merrill
LLP (SOM), the industry's leader in the
design and engineering of 'supertall'
structures and the company behind the Burj
Dubai project, believe the region is a prime
location for more skyscrapers due to the
availability of land, stable geology, and
strong financial backing for such
developments.
'The Middle East is turning to building
supertall buildings as they help to resolve
much needed office and accommodation
shortages, and serve as a widely
recognizable icon of their city and
country,' said Adrian Smith, consulting
design partner for SOM and the designer of
the Burj Dubai.
'We are now witnessing strong interest from
many countries across the region who want to
develop their own iconic buildings as an
impetus for future building growth and
economic development,' added Smith, who will
be speaking about supertall structures at
the Cityscape conference - the premier
property investment and development event -
taking place later this month in Dubai.
The Burj Dubai will be the world's tallest
building and will reflect Dubai's status as
a major international business and tourism
hub. The height of the tower, while still
undisclosed, will exceed 610 meters and will
be significantly taller than any building
that is completed or currently under
construction.
Smith has designed some of the world's most
famous construction projects, including the
Jin Mao Tower in Shanghai, China's tallest
building, and the Tower Palace III in Seoul,
South Korea, the world's tallest residential
building.
Smith will be a key speaker on super tall
structures at Cityscape from November 29 to
December 1 at Dubai International Exhibition
Centre, where he will present a case study
on the design and engineering of the Burj
Dubai as well as what the future holds for
the design of tall structures.
'The Burj Dubai will catapult both Dubai and
the
UAE onto the world stage,' said
Shabnam Rawal, Conference Director, IIR,
organizers of Cityscape 2004. 'Adrian Smith
is an expert in the field, having worked on
two of the world's five tallest structures,
and delegates at Cityscape will be able to
hear his insights on superstructures and the
exciting plans for Burj Dubai.'
Smith is just one of over 70 speakers at the
Cityscape 2004 Conference - the region's
premier property investment and development
event - taking place at Dubai World Trade
Centre. Running alongside this world-class
conference is the Cityscape 2004 exhibition,
which this year will attract more than 5,000
leading international figures from the real
estate industry.