Giving the Burj Khalifa some competition is the announcement of the latest project designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM) – the Burj Jumeira. It was unveiled early this year by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and the Ruler of Dubai. The Burj Jumeira seeks to be an aerodynamic, 550-m tower located in the Al Sufouh area of the popular Jumeirah neighbourhood of Dubai. Aiming to be one of the tallest buildings in the world, the first phase of the project is expected to be completed by 2023.

Located directly between the iconic Burj Al Arab Jumeirah hotel and the Sheikh Zayed Road, Burj Jumeira will become the new focal point in the Dubai skyline and in the Jumeirah neighbourhood. Its upper stories will feature world-class dining, active programming, and multiple observation decks with 360 degree views of Dubai. A reflecting pool at the base of the tower has been designed for reconfiguration into a staging structure, which will provide a premier space to host cultural events. At the periphery of the tower, a new retail destination will seamlessly flow into the surrounding neighbourhood.

“Burj Jumeira is bold, elegant, and dynamic,” said SOM Design partner Mustafa Abadan. “It will tower over Jumeirah as the centrepiece of the neighbourhood, and will feature a synthesised architectural and structural design.” Burj Jumeira’s impressive height and unique, bifurcated shape were made possible by a collaborative design approach, led out of SOM’s New York office.

The building’s high-performance architectural and structural design are integrated into a singular expression. The geometry of the exterior bracing is optimised to strengthen the tower against lateral forces and the building’s form aerodynamically mitigates the wind loads. A facade system made of metal panels blends seamlessly into the structural system, and the central void creates the space for Burj Jumeira’s panoramic views. The tower’s flowing design emulates the regional dunes and oases of the United Arab Emirates, while its spherical observation deck is evocative of the native gulf pearl.