Porsche Design Studio zooms into Dubai Properties


Porsche Design Studio and Dubai Properties, one of the largest real estate developers in the Middle East, has commissioned the Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA) an 85,000sqm high-quality office tower and a 30,000sqm a luxury residential tower in Dubai by 2009. The buildings will be situated next to each other at the waterfront of Dubai’s Business Bay development. While OMA will be responsible for the design of both buildings, the Studio will have a consulting role for the outside architecture and be in charge of designing public areas such as the lobby, restaurants, and passenger lifts. The office building will also comprise retail, recreational spaces and a parking garage whilst the residential building will be situated above a sunken plaza with retail and cafes.

OMA’s designs of both towers take into account the climate conditions in Dubai and are designed to allow the minimal impact of the sun. The office tower is framed by side wings and an overlap to create its own shadow, thereby protecting the tower from sunlight and reducing the need for air conditioning. The centered external wall is of reflected glass as an additional feature for the Dubai climate. The residential tower adjacent to the office tower will be cylinder-shaped; an interior atrium following the entire height of the tower will provide natural air circulation and additional light. Irrespective of what the tower ends up looking like, the branding of buildings in this way is an interesting development for Dubai and obviously a great hook for the developer in selling prestige value to potential investors.

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