Resonating with Dubai’s Ambitious Spirit

Designed by Japanese architectural firm Nikken Sekkei, the twin towers symbolise the familial bond between father and son

Skyscrapers essentially are glass and steel, but the design is what gives some structures their distinct look and feel. So, when the proposal for the construction of One Za’abeel was floated in 2014, the idea was to build a structure that resonates with the ambitious spirit of Dubai, provides a comfortable and luxurious space for tourists, and serves as a coveted address for residents. Nikken Sekkei, a Japanese firm with more than 35 years of presence in the region, won the contract hands down. The resulting twin-tower project symbolises a father-and-son relationship and their strong mutual bond, as visualised through the cantilever bridge that joins them. The project has all the elements to attract residents and tourists.

“The One Za’abeel project represents one of the boldest new additions to the skyline of Dubai and a genuine engineering feat,” said Dr. Fadi Jabri, Executive Officer at Nikken Sekkei. “It serves as a gateway to modern Dubai as well as a must-see world-class travel destination.” The twin towers are built on opposing sides of an expressway. ‘The Link’, joining them, at 230-metres, is the world’s longest cantilevered building for a commercial building. The building is a mixed-use development consisting of retail, offices, hotel, and residences, and offers amenities such as a spacious pool, state-of-the-art entertainment, luxury hospitality, and cosmopolitan culture venues.

Talking about the scope of urban development in Dubai, Jabri said that the pace of development is astonishing. Despite the desert, heat and arid climate, Dubai has created a very attractive cosmopolitan city. He went on to state that the structure of grape vines serves as a fitting analogy for the morphology of Dubai’s master plan. Highways like the Sheikh Zayed Road resemble the plant’s canes, while narrower service roads correspond to peduncles. Clusters such as the Downtown area, Business Bay and Marina are the rachis and berries. He added that each year we see more ‘berries’ appear as the city continues to evolve. Each of these districts has its own spirit, competes with the others, and is constantly changing. The ‘grape’ structure allows this transformation. Perhaps the only downside is the difficulty of walking between the ‘berry’ features, as they are not interconnected for pedestrian and cycling use. But the city is making great efforts to make Dubai more walkable and pedestrian-friendly.

Discussing the role of advanced technologies, Jabri said that there could be no doubt that technological advances are emboldening, and liberate our creative potential. Simulation software allows for predicting building behavior and to perceive space with much more accuracy. On the question of whether we are living in the best time for architects, he said the present times are definitely better than before.

“Each city possesses its own beauty. As architects, our mission is to understand the city, feel its charm and design projects that compliment and contribute to it. For example, One Za’abeel reflects the spirit of Dubai; it’s bold yet welcoming, simple yet challenging, a graceful, one-of-a-kind place that looks to the future,” said Jabri.

The project benefited from several sources of inspiration, according to Nikken Sekkei Chief Architect Koko Nakamura. “Firstly, the location. It is across a busy expressway that runs from the airport to the city centre. It is the first sight for visitors upon arrival in Dubai and also the last when they leave. Thus, the idea of creating a ‘gateway’ was strong,” she said.

“However, far from downsizing the concept to a mere ‘gate’, we envisioned a majestic yet sleek structure, a powerful, elegant, attention-grabbing figure — an unforgettable encounter, like royalty. The configuration of the twin towers, together with the connecting cantilevered structure, adds extra visual impact. The cantilever’s positional direction — pointing towards the horizon — is a tribute to the dynamic soul of Dubai and its bright future,” Nakamura added. “From the height of the towers to ground level, the two-story podium steps down gently to a roundabout, which embodies the city’s welcoming spirit.”

The structure seems to embody the Japanese concept of Ihyou, wherein the designer seeks to convey impossibility, incongruity, and totality. Nakamura added that One Za’abeel project is bold, with its two towers and The Link, all being asymmetrical designs, and therefore, creating a certain tension in the air. The Link is cantilevered to represent the dynamism of the city, and its straight lines expand the perception of its volume space, conferring an appreciation for its marginal beauty. The skyline of Dubai is rich with many gorgeous buildings. In this project, she said, there was a keen attempt to introduce the concept of ‘iki’ (‘subdued beauty’ in Japanese), which gracefully emerges.

Nikken Sekkei has designed many projects in the region over the last three-plus decades. Starting with the Islamic Development Bank in Jeddah, the Cairo National Culture Centre and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Dubai in the mid-1980s, the firm has been the aesthetic brain behind several projects. One Za’abeel adds to Dubai’s most iconic sites, which include the Burj Khalifa and the Emirates Towers.