The Tall, Polycentric City: Dubai and the Future of Vertical Urbanism

ctbuh.org/papers

Title: The Tall, Polycentric City: Dubai and the Future of Vertical Urbanism

Authors: Daniel Safarik, CTBUH Editor, Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat Shawn Ursini, Skyscraper Center Director, Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat Antony Wood, Executive Director, Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat

Subjects: Architectural/Design Construction Urban Design

Keywords: Density Polycentric Urban Sprawl Urbanization

Publication Date: 2018

Original Publication: CTBUH Journal 2018 Issue IV

Paper Type: 1. Book chapter/Part chapter 2. Journal paper 3. Conference proceeding 4. Unpublished conference paper 5. Magazine article 6. Unpublished

Abstract The development pattern of Dubai, host city of the 2018 CTBUH Middle East Conference core program, typifies the polycentric city phenomenon more than most cities. This paper analyzes the conditions and characteristics of Dubai’s tall polycentrism. A longer version with more contextual analysis appears as the introduction to the Proceedings of the Conference, see store.ctbuh.org/2018- Daniel Safarik middle-east-proceedings.

Keywords: Polycentric, Urban Habitat, Urbanization, Density

Introduction metropolitan hubs, we must devise practical means of transportation that maximize The concept of polycentric cities is not new. geographical access and provide extensive New York developed both its Downtown and city services, not just in the horizontal Shawn Ursini Antony Wood Midtown in differing waves of development, direction, but vertically. Such systems will and London was polycentric almost from its progress the concept of transit-oriented Authors origin. However, even New York and London development along a course of natural Daniel Safarik, CTBUH Editor are seeing several new urban clusters shift evolution, to polycentric city-building. Shawn Ursini, Skyscraper Center Editor the centers of gravity around the city whole, Dr. Antony Wood, Executive Director Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) as other cities based on the core-CBD model The Monroe Building – Hong Kong for example – shift density out What is a “Tall, Polycentric” City? 104 South Michigan Avenue, Suite 620 Chicago, IL 60603, United States beyond the established center. Numerous t: +1 312 283 5599; f: +1 844 823 9392 cities now have new skyscraper districts as This paper analyzes the phenomenon of e: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected] part of these polycenters. The physical Dubai’s polycentrism in detail. It also www.ctbuh.org manifestation of this is often an undulating attempts to isolate and identify the skyline, with density rising to a series of contemporary urban phenomenon of the Daniel Safarik is Editor of the CTBUH Journal and Director of the CTBUH China Office and Asia apexes across the city. “tall, polycentric” city, where the undulating Headquarters. He is responsible for guiding CTBUH’s skylines in question display certain common initiatives in China and in Asia generally. There is perhaps nowhere that demonstrates characteristics, recognized colloquially or Shawn Ursini has been with the Council since March this concept better than our host city for the formally by their populaces and governing of 2015 and serves as editor for The Skyscraper Center database. core of the 2018 conference, Dubai. Indeed, authorities, respectively; which are it could be argued that Dubai, a city that has reconciled with data from the CTBUH Antony Wood has been Executive Director of CTBUH since 2006, responsible for the daily operations of largely risen in just three short decades, is a Skyscraper Center and other sources. the Council. Wood is also a Research Professor in direct result of this decentralized urban the College of Architecture at Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago and a visiting professor of tall approach, comprised as it is of evocative- A definition of “tall, polycentric” city is first buildings at Tongji University, Shanghai. sounding districts – Downtown Dubai; needed to limit study areas to the locations Business Bay; Dubai Marina; Festival City; with the highest development intensity and Palm Jumeirah; and several others. New velocity of vertical development, and to “centers” are still being added, including distinguish “polycentrism” from mere “sprawl.” Midtown; Emirates Business Park; Meydan For the purposes of this research, then: One; and Dubai Creek Harbour, anchored by the under-construction Dubai Creek Tower. A “tall, polycentric” city has three or more

Antony Wood will present some “clusters” of tall buildings that are clearly of this research in his keynote Equally as important as the centers separated, visually and geographically. A “Cities 2070: What is Truly themselves is the infrastructure that “cluster” is a group of buildings that is ‘Sustainable?’ ” in Plenary 3: 50 Forward, 50 Back, Monday connects them. To enable the creation of significantly taller than the surrounding urban 22 October. new urban centers that match the fabric, and is visually and geographically socioeconomic intensity of longstanding distinct, with at least five buildings (completed

20 | Urban Habitat CTBUH Journal | 2018 Issue IV or topped out) of at least 100 or 150 meters, depending on the local height context. A ‘tall, polycentric’ city has three or more The determination of a local context that is used to define individual tall building ‘clusters’“ of tall buildings that are clearly clusters is both a numerical and observational operation. In general, if a city’s separated, visually and geographically. A 100 tallest buildings have an average height ‘cluster’ is a group of buildings that is of 200 meters or greater, the default determination is that 150 meters should be significantly taller than the surrounding urban the minimum height threshold for consideration of a group of tall buildings as a fabric, and is visually and geographically “cluster.” Likewise, cities whose 100 tallest buildings average less than 200 meters in distinct, with at least five buildings (completed height are generally assigned a 100-meter minimum height threshold for consideration or topped out) of at least 100 or 150 meters, of clusters. depending on the local height context. Dubai is somewhat unique, in the sense that ” the boundaries of high-rise clusters in Dubai greater number of buildings within a visually developers that are practically small cities. are much easier to delineate than in other discernible cluster. From north to south, these clusters are: Deira, cities, because the terrain is mostly flat, and Al Satwa & Dubai International Financial there is a great deal of horizontal separation Centre (DIFC), Downtown Dubai & Business between clusters. Its 100 tallest buildings Dubai’s Polycentrism – An Overview Bay, Barsha Heights, Dubai Marina, and also have an average height of 265.4 meters, Jumeirah Lakes. which would place the cutoff for cluster Dubai (see Table 1 and Figure 1) can be consideration at 150 meters and higher, from thought of as a linear array of tall building Dubai’s development pattern is fairly unique, an objective standpoint. But from the clusters, stretching some 35 kilometers from and its speed and scale are even more so. Its perspective of visual coherence, the the International Airport to the southern end development pace reflects a conscious interpretation is different. Other cities with a of Dubai Marina, along Sheikh Zayed Road, a strategy to build on the city’s foundation as a particularly high average building height broad thoroughfare that in some places is trading port, while also becoming a financial (such as New York and Hong Kong) tend to wide enough to form the boundary between and tourism hub. The dredging of Dubai have a “carpet” of tall buildings, from which a clusters; in others, it’s the main street. In Creek in the 1950s, the construction of the few pinnacles rise. However, due to its many cases, the clusters are easily Dubai International Airport in 1960, distinctly separate tall building clusters, identifiable, not just on the skyline physically, unification of the seven emirates into the Dubai is assigned 100-meter minimum but also because they are name-branded United Arab Emirates in 1972, and the threshold, which ensures inclusion of a comprehensive developments by single opening of the Port of Jebel Ali in 1979 are

Metropolitan area Name of cluster Number of Combined height of Average Tallest building within Height Completion Function 100 m+ buildings 100 m+ buildings in building cluster (completed or (m) year in cluster cluster (m) height in topped out) cluster (m) Downtown Dubai office/ Dubai 88 17,434.99 198 Burj Khalifa 828 2010 (United Arab & Business Bay residential/hotel Emirates) Dubai Marina 87 15,854.30 182 Marina 101 425 2017 residential/hotel • Population: 4,625,000 • Average height of Jumeirah Lakes 61 9,599.66 157 Almas Tower 360 2008 office 100 tallest buildings: 265.9 m Al Satwa & DIFC 55 10,968.28 199 Gevora Hotel 356 2017 hotel • Minimum height threshold of clusters: Barsha Heights 9 16,28.55 181 Business Central Towers 265 2008 office 100 m • Number of clusters: 6 Deira 9 985.82 110 Deira Tower 135 1980 government

6 Clusters 309 56,471.60

Note: A different color is used for each cluster as per cluster location map. = Highest value in column = Lowest value in column

Table 1. Dubai’s tall building clusters, containing at least five buildings of 100 meters or greater height.

CTBUH Journal | 2018 Issue IV Urban Habitat | 21 Deira Tower Deira (135 m, 1980) Hospital Rd. um akto Al M - Tallest building: 01Deira Tower 234 5 km (135 m, government, 1980) - No. of 100 m+ buildings: 9 Deira Twin Towers, - Combined height of buildings: 986 m Tower 1 & 2 - Average building height: 109.54 m (102 m, 1998) Baniyas Rd

. l Khattab St.

Arbift Tower Al Maktoum R (105 m, 1982) Omar Bin A Dubai CreekTowerd. (117 m, 1995) 02*Not to be confused with the 468 10 km Key observation tower under construction National Bank of Dubai in Dubai Creek Harbour O ce (124 m, 1998) Mixed-Use Dubai Cr Residential Hotel eek Other Note: Size of dots correspond to building height

0 500 1,000 m Deira Dubai International Airport

Figure 2. Detailed map of Deira cluster.

Al Satwa & DIFC

Downtown Dubai & Business Bay

Sheikh Zayed Rd. Trade Centre Roundabout

Dubai World Trade Center (149 m, 1979) The Palm Jumeirah

Al Satwa & DIFC Barsha Heights - Tallest building: Gevora Hotel (356 m, hotel, 2017) - No. of 100 m+ buildings: 55 - Combined height of buildings: 10,968 m - Average building height: 199.42 m Dubai Marina ed Road y Emirates Tower 1 DUBAI (355 m, 2000) Jumeirah Lakes Sheikh Za Al Yaqoub Tower 01234 5 km (328 m, 2013) 02468 10 km

Figure 1. Map of tall building cluster locations in Dubai. Each cluster consists of at least 5 buildings of 100 meters or greater height. The size of0 individual500 1,000 m dots corresponds to the Gevora Hotel height of each building. See also detailed cluster maps to follow. (356 m, 2017)

22 | Urban Habitat CTBUH Journal | 2018 Issue IV

The Index Al Safa St (326 m, 2010)

Financial C enter R d.

Burj Khalifa (828 m, 2010)

h Zayed Road S

e i

Sheik k

M o h a m m e d b in Ras hid Blvd. el St. y

Al Asa Vision Tower (260 m, 2011)

JW Marriott Emirates Park Towers (355 m, 2013) Dubai Creek Meera Tower Noora Tower (213 m, 2018) (307 m, 2018) Downtown Dubai & Business Bay Raz al Khor Rd. Al Habtoor City Complex - Tallest building: Amna Tower Burj Khalifa (828 m, o ce/residential/hotel, 2010) (307 m, 2018) - No. of 100 m+ buildings: 88 - Combined height of buildings: 17,435 m U-Bora Tower 1 - Average building height: 198.12 m (263 m, 2011) d.

Al Khail R

Business Central Towers (265 m, 2008) Barsha Heights

- Tallest building: Business Central Towers (265 m, o ce, 2008) - No. of 100 m+ buildings: 9 - Combined height of buildings: 1,629 m - Average building height: 180.95 m

Hessa Street

Abdullah Omran T eet hail Str ar yam St First Al K reet Dubai Marina Elite Residence Tower 23 Marina - Tallest building: (381 m, 2012) (392 m , 2012) Marina 101 (425 m, residential/hotel, 2017) - No. of 100 m+ buildings: 87 Princess Tower - Combined height of buildings: 15,854 m (414 m, 2012) Marina 101 - Average building height: 182.23 m (425 m, 2017)

Cayan Tower Marina Gate I (306 m, 2013) (207 m, 2018)

Marina Gate II (258 m, 2019)

DAMAC Heights Al Nassem R (335 m, 2018)

oad

Lakeshore Tower 1 (165 m, 2009) oad

Al Bateca Residential Tower yed R (196 m, 2013) e Ti any Tower Sheikh Za (182 m, 2009) Lake Allur

Jumeirah Lakes

- Tallest building: Almas Tower (360 m, o ce, 2008) Almas - No. of 100 m+ buildings: 61 East Lake - Combined height of buildings: 9,600 m - Average building height: 157.37

Almas West Lake Almas Tower (360 m, 2008)

Garn al Sabkha St.

0 2 4 6 8 10 km Figure 3. Deira, the city’s original core trading district, represents one of the earliest tall building clusters in Dubai. The Deira Twin Towers (102 m, 1998) are prominent at the center right of the photo. © Fabio Achilli (cc by-sa) considered major milestones in the city’s or consumer product might be marketed in Deira development. The floodgates truly opened most of the rest of the world. These Deira (see Figures 2 and 3) is the original core in 2002, however, when the real estate distinctions are further enforced by the city of Dubai, which still contains some market was converted from a quasi-feudal massive scale of the developments traditional architecture, narrow streets, and system controlled by the sheikhs, from which themselves, their tendency to be centered the Gold Souk that have long been part of its foreigners could only rent; to a system more around a distinctive tall building or buildings, historic trading culture. It also contains the reminiscent of market economies in the or a manmade water feature, and the huge city’s first crop of tall buildings, nine of which West, in which anyone could buy property. distances separating even neighboring are 100 meters or higher, with Deira Tower Between 2002 and 2008, the city’s developments. This high correlation is also (1980) rising highest, at 135 meters. At that population doubled and its urbanized likely reinforced by the automobile- time, the city’s population was only 276,300; footprint quadrupled (Brook 2013). By 2008 dominated mode of passage from one place it is now more than 4.6 million (GRC 2018). It (the date of the previous CTBUH Middle East to another; even the Dubai Metro has station is unlikely that Deira will grow much higher Conference), 144 buildings of 100 meters or names that reflect not just the development now; a good portion of the district is in the greater height had been constructed in the names, but sometimes the names of the flight path of Dubai International Airport, city’s entire history to date. From 2009 to development companies themselves (e.g., which has since become one of the world’s mid-2018, 184 such buildings had been built DAMAC Properties). The high temperatures, busiest and is perhaps the largest single (CTBUH 2018). hostile terrain and long distances mean that driver of Dubai’s economic boom, handling one does not simply wander the streets and 88 million passengers in 2017. It is telling This strategy was further propelled by the form a human-scaled mental map with the that Dubai is busily enhancing capacity at Al establishment of several free-trade zones, skyline as a distant reference point. By Maktoum International Airport, some 37 which observe Western customs within their default, one is almost always pointed toward kilometers away, which will cover more than boundaries. Some of the clusters identified in an icon-centered group of buildings on the 10 times as much area and handle more than this report, such as Dubai International horizon, in an air-conditioned vehicle. twice as many passengers. Finance Center (DIFC) and Jumeirah Lakes/ Dubai Multi-Commodities Center (DMCC) can attribute much of their tall building population to these policies. The high temperatures, hostile terrain and Because of the tendency to grant enormous long“ distances mean that one does not simply swathes of land at once to a group of development companies with deep wander the streets and form a human-scaled government and cultural ties, in Dubai there is an unusually strong correlation between mental map with the skyline as a distant the colloquial understanding of district boundaries and tall building clusters in the reference point in Dubai. By default, one is popular imagination, and that of the official designations of these places. In Dubai, almost always pointed toward an icon-centered city-scaled clusters are promoted as brands group of buildings on the horizon, in an air- with distinct identities and marketing apparatuses, as a one-off gated community conditioned vehicle.” CTBUH Journal | 2018 Issue IV Urban Habitat | 23 Deira Tower Deira (135 m, 1980) Hospital Rd. aktoum Al M - Tallest building: Deira Tower (135 m, government, 1980) - No. of 100 m+ buildings: 9 - Combined height of buildings: 986 m - Average building height: 109.54 m Dubai Creek

Baniyas Rd.

Al Maktoum R

Omar Bin Al Khattab St. d.

Key Al Satwa & DIFC O ce The Al Satwa District (see Figure 4) was the Mixed-Use first area of Dubai outside the original urban Residential Hotel core to be developed with high-rises, Other Dubai World Trade Center beginning with the Dubai World Trade Note: Size of dots correspond (149 m, 1979) to building height Centre (1979) at its northernmost extent. A large traffic circle, Trade Centre Roundabout, marks the northern boundary. From here, a Al Satwa & DIFC row of towers marches down both sides of - Tallest building: Gevora Hotel (356 m, hotel, 2017) the 12-lane Sheikh Zayed Road to Al Safa - No. of 100 m+ buildings: 55 - Combined height of buildings: 10,968 m Street/Financial Center Road, where a - Average01 building height: 199.42 m 234 5 km massive cloverleaf interchange provides a ed Road y break in the urban topography. The DIFC is a Emirates Tower 1 (355 m, 2000) purpose-built development with Sheikh Za Al Yaqoub Tower (328 m, 2013) independent financial regulation and jurisdiction, intended to bring global businesses to Dubai. It contains the Jumeirah 02Emirates Towers (see Figure 5), an important 468 10 km Gevora Hotel (356 m, 2017) commercial complex that was the first to break the 300-meter threshold, in 2000. The row of tall buildings across the road is more of an ad-hoc development, consisting largely The Index Al Safa St (326 m, 2010) of hotels servicing the DIFC. The two corridors of tall buildings are gathered into 0 500 1,000 m one “cluster” however, at the scale of Dubai, they read as one on the skyline. The entire Financial C Figure 4. Detailed map of Al Satwa & DIFC cluster. strip is “only” two blocks wide, although the enter R d. block northwest of the highway is 100 meters deep and the block to the southeast is nearly 300 meters deep. Some 55 buildings of at least 100 meters are in this cluster, topped by the 356-meter Gevora Hotel, the Burj Khalifa (828 m, 2010) tallest hotel-only building in the world.

h Zayed Road S

e i

Sheik k

M This arrangement provides a useful o h a m m discussion point for the Dubai urbanization e d bi n R phenomenon. At the scale of Dubai, Sheikh ash id Blvd. Zayed Road is actually the unifying element, el St. y akin to 5th Avenue in New York, running Al Asa Vision Tower through an “urban canyon,” whereas in a (260 m, 2011) typical Western city it would be a divider. The buildings orient their “front doors” to the JW Marriott Emirates Park Towers massive highway, which, although (355 m, 2013) Dubai Creek impassible to pedestrians across most of its Meera Tower Noora Tower (213 m, 2018) (307 m, 2018) Downtown Dubai & Business Bay Raz al Khor Rd. length, is bridged at the World Trade Centre, Al Habtoor City Emirates Towers and Financial Centre Metro Complex - Tallest building: Amna Tower Burj Khalifa (828 m, o ce/residential/hotel, 2010) stations. The Dubai Metro is largely an (307 m, 2018) - No. of 100 m+ buildings: 88 - Combined height of buildings: 17,435 m above-ground system, running parallel to U-Bora Tower 1 - Average building height: 198.12 m (263 m, 2011) d. major roads, with air-conditioned stations.

Al Khail R Downtown Dubai & Business Bay Downtown Dubai, developed by Emaar Figure 5. The Dubai International Finance Center (DIFC) (foreground) is a free-trade zone established to attract global businesses. A cluster of tall buildings has grown up around it. Emirates Towers are visible at right; the clock-topped Properties, is perhaps the most emblematic building is the Al Yaqoub Tower. © Jackardsiffant (cc by-sa)

24 | Urban Habitat CTBUH Journal | 2018 Issue IV

Business Central Towers (265 m, 2008) Barsha Heights

- Tallest building: Business Central Towers (265 m, o ce, 2008) - No. of 100 m+ buildings: 9 - Combined height of buildings: 1,629 m - Average building height: 180.95 m

Hessa Street

Abdullah Omran T eet hail Str ar yam Street First Al K

Dubai Marina Elite Residence Tower 23 Marina - Tallest building: (381 m, 2012) (392 m , 2012) Marina 101 (425 m, residential/hotel, 2017) - No. of 100 m+ buildings: 87 Princess Tower - Combined height of buildings: 15,854 m (414 m, 2012) Marina 101 - Average building height: 182.23 m (425 m, 2017)

Cayan Tower Marina Gate I (306 m, 2013) (207 m, 2018)

Marina Gate II (258 m, 2019)

DAMAC Heights Al Nassem R (335 m, 2018)

oad

oad yed R e

Sheikh Za Lake Allur

Jumeirah Lakes

- Tallest building: Almas Tower (360 m, o ce, 2008) Almas - No. of 100 m+ buildings: 61 East Lake - Combined height of buildings: 9,600 m - Average building height: 157.37

Almas West Lake Almas Tower (360 m, 2008)

Garn al Sabkha St.

0 2 4 6 8 10 km Deira Tower Deira (135 m, 1980) Hospital Rd. aktoum Al M - Tallest building: Deira Tower (135 m, government, 1980) - No. of 100 m+ buildings: 9 - Combined height of buildings: 986 m - Average building height: 109.54 m Dubai Creek

Baniyas Rd.

Al Maktoum R

Omar Bin Al Khattab St. d.

district when it comes to the Dubai style of urban growth (see Figure 6). The city-scale development contains the Dubai Mall (the world’s second-largest by land area) and the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building. Amid an artificial lake, the Dubai Fountain performs “jumps” choreographed to music at Dubai World regular intervals; the Dubai Opera is situated Trade Center (149 m, 1979) on the shores of the lake. A phalanx of hotels and high-rise residential buildings surrounds the lakeside core (see Figure 7). Al Satwa & DIFC

- Tallest building: To the immediate south, Business Bay, Gevora Hotel (356 m, hotel, 2017) - No. of 100 m+ buildings: 55 developed by Dubai Properties, extends - Combined height of buildings: 10,968 m along Dubai Creek on both sides. Not yet - Average building height: 199.42 m ed Road complete, it is designed for more than y Emirates Tower 1 300,000 people. It currently contains the (355 m, 2000) Sheikh Za Al Yaquoub Tower 355-meter Emirates Park Towers/JW Marriott (328 m, 2013) Marquis Hotel (the 2018 CTBUH Conference venue), the Vision Tower, the U-bora Towers,

and many more. Gevora Hotel (356 m, 2017) The combined Downtown Dubai & Business Bay cluster has the greatest number of 100-meter-plus buildings in Dubai – 88 – The Index and, partly owing to the height of the Burj Al Safa St (326 m, 2010) Khalifa, it is also the tallest in terms of the Figure 6. Downtown Dubai, featuring the Burj Khalifa, is perhaps the most emblematic district when it comes to the Dubai style of urban growth. © David Rodrigo

Financi Key al C enter R O ce d. Mixed-Use Residential Hotel Other Note: Size of dots correspond to building height Burj Khalifa (828 m, 2010)

h Zayed Road S

e i

Sheik k

o h a m m 01234 5 km e d b in Ras hid Blvd.

el St. y

Al Asa Vision Tower (260 m, 2011)

JW Marriott Emirates 02468 10 km Park Towers (355 m, 2013) Dubai Creek Meera Tower Noora Tower (213 m, 2018) (307 m, 2018) Downtown Dubai & Business Bay Raz al Khor Rd. Al Habtoor City Complex - Tallest building: Amna Tower Burj Khalifa (828 m, o ce/residential/hotel, 2010) (307 m, 2018) - No. of 100 m+ buildings: 88 - Combined height of buildings: 17,435 m U-Bora Tower 1 - Average building height: 198.12 m (263 m, 2011) d. 0 500 1,000 m

Khail R Al Figure 7. Detailed map of Downtown Dubai & Business Bay cluster.

CTBUH Journal | 2018 Issue IV Urban Habitat | 25

Business Central Towers (265 m, 2008) Barsha Heights

- Tallest building: Business Central Towers (265 m, o ce, 2008) - No. of 100 m+ buildings: 9 - Combined height of buildings: 1,629 m - Average building height: 180.95 m

Hessa Street

Abdullah Omran T eet hail Str ar yam Street First Al K

Elite Residence Tower 23 Marina Dubai Marina (381 m, 2012) (392 m , 2012)

- Tallest building: Princess Tower Marina 101 (414 m, 2012) Marina 101 (425 m, residential/hotel, 2017) (425 m, 2017) - No. of 100 m+ buildings: 87 - Combined height of buildings: 15,854 m - Average building height: 182.23 m Cayan Tower Marina Gate I (306 m, 2013) (207 m, 2018)

Marina Gate II (258 m, 2019)

DAMAC Heights Al Nassem R (335 m, 2018)

oad

oad yed R e

Sheikh Za Lake Allur

Jumeirah Lakes

- Tallest building: Almas Almas Tower (360 m, o ce, 2008) East Lake - No. of 100 m+ buildings: 61 - Combined height of buildings: 9,600 m - Average building height: 157.37

Almas West Lake Almas Tower (360 m, 2008)

Garn al Sabkha St.

0 2 4 6 8 10 km Deira Tower Deira (135 m, 1980) Hospital Rd. toum Al Mak - Tallest building: Deira Tower (135 m, government, 1980) - No. of 100 m+ buildings: 9 Deira Twin Towers, - Combined height of buildings: 986 m

Tower 1 & 2 - Average buildingt. height: 109.54 m S (102 m, 1998) Ba b n tta iyas a h R K d. l A n Arbift Tower Bi Al r M a ak (105 m, 1982) m toum R O Dubai CreekTowerd. (117 m, 1995*)

National Bank of Dubai (124 m, 1998) Dubai

C reek

Dubai World Trade Center (149 m, 1979)

Al Satwa & DIFC

- Tallest building: Gevora Hotel (356 m, hotel, 2017) - No. of 100 m+ buildings: 55 - Combined height of buildings: 10,968 m d oa - Average building height: 199.42 m

d R e y

ikh Za Emirates Tower 1 he (355 m, 2000) S Al Yaqoub Tower (328 m, 2013)

Gevora Hotel (356 m, 2017)

The Index Al (326 m, 2010) Safa S t

Fin ancia l Center Rd

oad Burj Khalifa ed R ay (828 m, 2010) Z

h S

ik h

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She k

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JW Marriott Emirates Park Towers (355 m, 2013) Dubai Creek Meera Tower Noora Tower (213 m, 2018) r Rd. (307 m, 2018) Downtown Dubai & Business Bay Raz al Kho Al Habtoor City Complex - Tallest building: Amna Tower Burj Khalifa (828 m, o ce/residential/hotel, 2010) (307 m, 2018) - No. of 100 m+ buildings: 88 - Combined height of buildings: 17,435 m U-Bora Tower 1 - Average building height: 198.12 m (263 m, 2011) Rd. il Kha Al

Business Central Towers (265 m, 2008) Barsha Heights

- Tallest building: Business Central Towers (265 m, o ce, 2008) - No. of 100 m+ buildings: 9 - Combined height of buildings: 1,629 m - Average building height: 180.95 m

s s a S tr e e t

Abdu t ee llah tr l S i O ha m K ran T l st A ar ir yam F

Str eet Dubai Marina Elite Residence Tower 23 Marina - Tallest building: (381 m, 2012) (392 m , 2012) Marina 101 (425 m, residential/hotel, 2017) - No. of 100 m+ buildings: 87 Princess Tower - Combined height of buildings: 15,854 m (414 m, 2012) Marina 101 - Average building height: 182.23 m (425 m, 2017)

Cayan Tower Marina Gate I (306 m, 2013) (207 m, 2018)

Marina Gate II (258 m, 2019)

DAMAC Heights A (335 m, 2018) l Na s sem Road

Lakeshore Tower 1 (165 m, 2009)

oad R d Al Bateca Residential Tower ye Za e (196 m, 2013) h r ik llu Ti any Tower A She ke (182 m, 2009) La Deira Tower Deira Jumeirah Lakes (135 m, 1980) Hospital Rd. - Tallest building: aktoum Almas Tower (360 m, o ce, 2008) Al M - Tallest building: Almas - No. of 100 m+ buildings: 61 Deira Tower East Lake - Combined height of buildings: 9,600 m (135 m, government, 1980) - Average building height: 157.37 - No. of 100 m+ buildings: 9 Deira Twin Towers, Almas - Combined height of buildings: 986 m West Lake Tower 1 & 2 - Average building. height: 109.54 m St Almas Tower (102 m, 1998) B (360 m, 2008) aniyas R hattab d. K

Arbift Tower Al G M ar akt (105 m, 1982) ou n al Omar Bin Al m S R ab Dubai CreekTowerd. kha St. (117 m, 1995*)

National Bank of Dubai (124 m, 1998) Dubai Cr

eek 0 2 4 6 8 10 km

Dubai World Trade Center (149 m, 1979) Deira Tower Deira (135 m, 1980) d. m Hospital R aktou Al M - Tallest building: Deira Tower (135 m, government, 1980) - No. of 100 m+ buildings: 9 Al Satwa & DIFC - Combined height of buildings: 986 m - Average building height: 109.54 m

- Tallest building: Dubai C t. S b Gevora Hotel (356 m, hotel, 2017) reek hatta Ba niy - No. of 100 m+ buildings: 55 Al K as in Rd Al . M ar B ak - Combined height of buildings: 10,968 m toum Om R oad - Average building height: 199.42 m d. R d e y

ikh Za Emirates Tower 1 e (355 m, 2000) Sh Al Yaqoub Tower (328 m, 2013)

Gevora Hotel (356 m, 2017)

The Index Al Sa (326 m, 2010) fa St

Financia

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o h a m m e d Dubai World b Trade Center in (149 m, 1979) Ras hid Blvd.

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Al A Al Satwa & DIFC Vision Tower (260 m, 2011) - Tallest building: Gevora Hotel (356 m, hotel, 2017) - No. of 100 m+ buildings: 55 - Combined height of buildings: 10,968 m d - Average building height: 199.42 m JW Marriott Emirates ed Roa Park Towers y (355 m, 2013) kh Za Emirates Tower 1 Dubai Creek (355 m, 2000) Shei Meera Tower Noora Tower (213 m, 2018) Al Yaqoub. Tower (307 m, 2018) Downtown Dubai & Business Bay Raz al Khor(328 Rd m, 2013) Al Habtoor City Complex - Tallest building: Amna Tower Burj Khalifa (828 m, o ce/residential/hotel, 2010) (307 m, 2018) - No. of 100 m+ buildings: 88 Gevora Hotel (356 m, 2017) - Combined height of buildings: 17,435 m U-Bora Tower 1 - Average building height: 198.12 m (263 m, 2011) .

Al Khail Rd The Index Al Safa St (326 m, 2010)

Finan cial Center Rd.

ad Burj Khalifa ed Ro y a (828 m, 2010)

h Z S

e i

Sheik k

o h a m m e d b in Ras hid Blvd.

el St. y

Al Asa Vision Tower (260 m, 2011)

cumulative height of all its buildings Business Central Towers (17,435 meters). (265 m, 2008) Barsha01 Heights 234 5 km - Tallest building: Barsha Heights Business Central Towers (265 m, o ce, 2008) - No. of 100 m+ buildings: 9 Barsha Heights (see Figure 8) is another - Combined height of buildings: 1,629 m single-developer-led community, which was - Average building height: 180.95 m originally called Tecom and renamed in 2017. Hessa St The Tecom Group is a member of Dubai

r ee Holding, which also owns Dubai Properties, 02t 468 10 km developer of Business Bay. It is served by the

Abdullah Om t ee Dubai Internet City Metro station. As the Key Str Business Central Towers hail names imply, high-speed Internet(265 and m, 2008) Barsha Heights O ce ran T l K A aryam Str Mixed-Use First business-friendly accommodations are - Tallest building: Residential hallmarks of the development. It is located Business Central Towers (265 m, o ce, 2008) ee - No. of 100 m+ buildings: 9 Hotel t - Combined height of buildings: 1,629 m Other along Sheikh Zayed Road (here 18 lanes Dubai Marina - Average building height: 180.95 m Elite Residence Tower 23 Marina Note: Size of dots correspond wide) at its junction with Hessa Street (an Hessa Str (381 m, 2012) (392 m , 2012) to building height 0 500 1,000 m - Tallest building: elevated road, merely eight lanes wide). It is e e Marina 101 (425 m, residential/hotel, 2017) t - No. of 100 m+ buildings: 87 Princess Tower 18 kilometers south of the next-nearest (414 m, 2012) Figure 8. Detailed map of Barsha Heights cluster. - Combined height of buildings: 15,854 m Marina 101 Abd ull eet Str (425 m, 2017) ah - Average building height: 182.23 m O mr hail l K a A n t Ta Key r Firs y am Cayan Tower Stree Marina Gate I t (306 m, 2013) (207 m, 2018) Dubai Marina Elite Residence Tower 23 Marina O ce Marina Gate II - Tallest building: (381 m, 2012) (392 m , 2012) (258 m, 2019) Marina 101 (425 m, residential/hotel, 2017) - No. of 100 m+ buildings: 87 Princess Tower Mixed-Use - Combined height of buildings: 15,854 m (414 m, 2012) Marina 101 - Average building height: 182.23 m (425 m, 2017) DAMAC Heights Al Nassem R (335 m, 2018) Residential Cayan Tower Marina Gate I (306 m, 2013) (207 m, 2018) oad Hotel Marina Gate II (258 m, 2019) Lakeshore Tower 1 Other (165 m, 2009) DAMAC Heights Al Nasse (335 m, 2018)

m R Al Bateca Residential Tower yed Road oad (196 m, 2013) e Ti any Tower Sheikh Za (182 m, 2009) Lake Allur oad d R ye e Jumeirah Lakes lur Sheikh Za - Tallest building: Lake Al Almas Tower (360 m, o ce, 2008) Jumeirah Lakes 01234 5 km Almas - No. of 100 m+ buildings: 61 - Tallest building: East Lake - Combined height of buildings: 9,600 m - Average building height: 157.37 Almas Tower (360 m, o ce, 2008) Almas - No. of 100 m+ buildings: 61 East Lake - Combined height of buildings: 9,600 m - Average building height: 157.37 Almas West Lake Almas Almas Tower West Lake 02468 10 km (360 m, 2008) Almas Tower (360 m, 2008) Key O ce Mixed-Use Residential Ga Garn al Sabkha St. rn Hotel al Sabkha Other

Note: Size of dots correspond St to building height . 0 500 1,000 m

Figure 9. Detailed map of Dubai Marina cluster and Jumeirah Lakes cluster.

26 | Urban Habitat CTBUH Journal | 2018 Issue IV 0 2 4 6 8 10 km 0 2 4 6 8 10 km Figure 10. Dubai Marina contains the “world’s tallest residential block,” including Elite Residence, Marina 101, and Princess Tower. © Elgaard (cc by-sa) cluster, Downtown Dubai & Business Bay. In Jumeirah Beach Residences, a group of Marina, it is counted as a separate cluster for terms of skyscrapers, the tallest is Business oceanfront apartment buildings and hotels several reasons. First, the highway right-of- Central Towers (265 meters), a pair of towers on the artificial island created by the way is approximately 160 meters wide at this with a striking resemblance to New York’s dredging of the Marina. The level of point, containing two four-lane frontage Chrysler Building. There are nine buildings of placemaking is somewhat higher here than roads on either side, 14 lanes of mainline 100 meters’ or greater height in the cluster. in many Dubai developments, partly due to highway, and the tracks of both the Dubai Here, Sheikh Zayed Road is the “front door” to the “marina” water feature and its associated Marina tram and the Dubai Metro. As the buildings in the cluster, which is located pedestrian promenade, and also to the elsewhere, the only practical pedestrian on both sides of the road. presence of an internal tram line. crossing of the concrete gulf is via bridges associated with the Metro stations. Also, the Dubai Marina Overall, the cluster contains 87 buildings of orientation of the buildings in both Dubai The Dubai Marina is an “artificial canal city” 100 meters or greater height, with a Marina and Jumeirah Lakes is toward their built along a man-made marina that cumulative sum of heights of 15,854 meters. respective water features; their “backs are connects to the Arabian Gulf at both its ends, Interestingly, this is about 1,851 meters less turned” to the thoroughfare, with only essentially carving an island out of the than Downtown Dubai & Business Bay, which garage and service entrances appearing shoreline, and creating more potential for has only one more building in the along the frontage roads. waterfront properties (see Figure 9). Mainly 100-meter-plus range, one of which is the developed by Emaar Properties, it was 828-meter Burj Khalifa. Therefore, the average The Jumeirah Lakes development was designed to house more than 120,000 height of buildings in Dubai Marina is 182.2 created by the Dubai Multi Commodities people, although several phases are still meters, compared to 188.7 meters in Centre (DMCC), another free-trade zone under construction. Here, the “clustering Downtown Dubai & Business Bay (with the within Dubai, although the individual towers effect” is particularly pronounced, as it is the Burj Khalifa removed). are by multiple developers. Its tallest and location of the “world’s tallest residential best-known building is the scroll-shaped block,” containing the Marina 101 (the tallest Jumeirah Lakes Almas Tower (360 meters), which was built to in the cluster, at 425 meters), Princess Tower Jumeirah Lakes is located on Sheikh Zayed host the Dubai Diamond Exchange (see (414 meters), Elite Residence (381 meters), Road opposite Dubai Marina, along its own Figure 11). Overall, the cluster has 55 and several other supertall buildings (see water feature, a series of three man-made buildings of 100 meters or greater height, for Figure 10). The cluster boundary includes the lake (see Figure 11). Though it is near Dubai a cumulative total of 9,599 meters of height.

CTBUH Journal | 2018 Issue IV Urban Habitat | 27 Deira

Figure 11. Jumeirah Lakes has Almas Tower as its centerpiece. Dubai Marina is across Sheikh Zayed Road. © Atkins Al Satwa - DIFC An “Emerging” Cluster: Dubai Creek Harbour While real-estate values, permitted uses, Rather, it is a question of cities sorting out The Dubai Creek Harbour development had commuter patterns, and population their complex economic interdependencies 17 buildings of 100 meters or higher listed as densities are the 2D empirical tools of and cultural identities through selective either “topped out” or “under construction” as greatest use in enumerating demographic concentration of mixed uses where there is of August 17, 2018. It is fully expected that by and built-environment changes in cities, the available land, an intersection of transport 2021, this district will be discernible as a correlation of these broader patterns with routes, or both. Many cities have been cluster on the Dubai skyline, in no small part the measurement of the skyline is a 3D polycentric through their entire existence; Downtown Dubai - due to the Dubai Creek Tower, set to rise to operation, with great potential for what’s new is the increasing resemblance of Business Bay more than 1,000 meters, at its center (see complexity and a not-insignificant degree of these districts to the historical conception of “Talking Tall,” page 54). However, at the time of subjectivity. Perception matters a great deal a “central business district”, with their own this research, five buildings of at least 100 in reconciling the popular and statistical skylines. With several transportation meters’ height had not yet been completed. conceptions of place, even those with innovations already on the horizon, from objectively gigantic identifiers. autonomous vehicles, to drones, to the “Hyperloop”, it’s possible that we will see yet Manhattan, Discussion of Results As mentioned above, the boundaries of a more reconfigurations of the urban New York City high-rise cluster in Dubai are much easier to topography in a generation’s time. The overall effect of tall building clusters on delineate than in other cities, because the the urban topography varies widely, due to terrain is mostly flat, and there is a great deal To see how Dubai's polycentrism compares the scale and density of built-up areas in a of horizontal separation between clusters. to that of other global cities, see the full given city, as well as to its natural topography. Indeed, the entire length of the island of version of this paper in the Proceedings of Therefore, it does not necessarily follow that Manhattan (21.6 kilometers) could fit easily the 2018 Conference at store.ctbuh. Dubai Marina Barsha Heights the cities with the greatest number of tall between Deira and Jumeirah Lakes (see org/2018-middle-east-proceedings.  buildings, or the highest overall skylines, or Figure 12). Importantly, in Dubai individual the greatest number of clusters, actually have private developers have gone to great Unless otherwise noted, all image credits in this the most culturally or visually distinct tall lengths to make their districts distinct. paper are to CTBUH. Jumeirah Lakes building clusters. Horizontal distances between districts or clusters, modes of “Polycentrism” is neither a case of increasing transport, and the passage of time all play a overall urban density, nor a continuation of role in infusing skylines with meaning. the low-rise horizontal sprawl that was experienced throughout the automobile era.

28 | Urban Habitat CTBUH Journal | 2018 Issue IV References BLACKBURN, T. 2016. “Shifting Urban Gravity, from ‘Central’ to ‘Core’ Business Districts.” CTBUH Journal 2016 Issue IV: ‘Polycentrism’ is a question of cities sorting 40–45.

BRITISH BROADCASTING CORPORATION (BBC). 2012. out“ their complex economic interdependencies “Heygate Estate Residents Fight Compulsory Purchase Order.” BBC News, August 29, 2012. Accessed 17 August and cultural identities through selective 2018. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england- london-19371334. concentration of mixed uses where there is BROOK, D. 2013. “How Dubai Became Dubai.” Next City, February 27, 2013. Accessed August 17, 2018. https:// available land, an intersection of transport nextcity.org/daily/entry/how-dubai-became-dubai. routes, or both. CITY POPULATION. 2018. “City Population: Statistics for Census Areas.” Accessed August 17, 2018. http:// citypopulation.de/. ”

COUNCIL ON TALL BUILDINGS AND URBAN HABITAT Deira (CTBUH). 2018. “The Skyscraper Center.” Accessed August 17, 2018. http://www.skyscrapercenter.com.

DUBAI STATISTICS CENTER. 2018. Accessed August 17, 2018. https://www.dsc.gov.ae/en-us.

GOVERNMENT OF DUBAI. 2018. “Dubai History.” Accessed August 17, 2018. http://www.dubai.ae/en/aboutdubai/ Pages/DubaiHistory.aspx. Al Satwa - DIFC GULF RESEARCH CENTER (GRC). 2018. Gulf Labour Markets, Migration, and Population Programme. Accessed August 17, 2018. http://gulfmigration.eu/uae-dubai- estimates-of-total-population-by-sex-1953-1968-census- dates-2006-2013/.

UAE GOVERNMENT. 2018). “Economy.” Accessed August 17, 2018. https://www.government.ae/en/about-the-uae/ economy. Downtown Dubai - Business Bay SAFARIK, D., URSINI, S. & WOOD, A. “Megacities: Setting the Scene.” CTBUH Journal 2016 Issue IV: 30–39.

WINKLER, M. 2018. “Dubai’s the Very Model of a Modern Mideast Economy.” Bloomberg, January 13, 2018. Accessed August 17, 2018. https://www.bloomberg.com/view/ articles/2018-01-14/dubai-s-the-very-model-of-a- modern-mideast-economy. Manhattan, New York City

Dubai Marina Barsha Heights

Jumeirah Lakes

DUBAI 01234 5 km

Figure 12. Map of Manhattan superimposed over Dubai. The scale difference of two cities with the same number of tall building clusters (6) is02 apparent here. 468 10 km

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