Construction work on Sorouh Real Estate’s impressive Sky Tower development is running on schedule, with work having commenced on the raft foundation for the underground parking below the tower’s podium.

Due for completion by late 2009, the 74-storey tower launched in April last year is designed by internationally renowned architectural firm Arquitectonica and forms part of the Gate District development in Shams, Abu Dhabi.
 The elliptical-shaped Sky Tower will rise to 300 m once completed.
Mounir D Haidar, CEO for Sorouh Real Estate, said: “As work on the superstructure continues, Sorouh will maintain its focus on delivering quality work.  For over eight months now, the Sky Tower has progressed on or ahead of schedule. All three basements of the tower have been completed.  Work has now finished on the core walls of the ground floor and the ground floor slab was poured recently. An Automatic Climbing Formwork system is being used to enhance the efficiency and increase the speed at which each floor will be finished. Sorouh is on track to open the doors to its offices and residences by late 2009.”
In June this year, some 8,000 cu m of concrete was poured for the first and second half of the Sky Tower’s raft foundation.
Arab Construction Company (ACC) — the contractor which was awarded the Dh2.3 billion ($626.7 million) contract to build Sky Tower and its adjacent tower — will spend about seven days pouring the concrete for each floor, with at least three days in between to prepare each floor for upcoming pours.  Preparation involves the installation of mechanical pipe sleeves, welded wire fabric reinforcement, electrical conduits and welded perimeter closure angles.
As part of an exclusive range of amenities, designed to provide ‘life in perfect balance,’ the Sky Tower podium will boast a 145,000 sq ft retail mall and also host an exceptionally large sports and leisure facility covering the entire podium deck featuring a state of the art gym, several swimming pools, tennis courts, squash courts, spa and more.