Real estate developer Nakheel is to build a massive harbour development in Dubai which will include the world’s tallest tower, which will soar more than a kilometre high.

The tower will eclipse the Burj Dubai, currently the world’s tallest structure at 688 m  and expected to rise more than 700 m high once construction is complete.
Located in the heart of ‘New Dubai’ and inspired by Islamic design and geometry, the Nakheel Harbour & Tower development will also be the world’s first inner city harbour, according to the developer.
The project was unveiled last month by Dubai World chairman Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem.
At the core of the development is the skyscraper and the world’s only inner city harbour. The project will cover an area of more than 270 hectares and become home to more than 55,000 people, a workplace for 45,000 more and attract millions of visitors each year.
In line with Nakheel’s role in shaping Dubai’s future and creating some of the world’s most iconic developments, Nakheel Harbour & Tower incorporates elements from great Islamic cities of the past – the gardens of Alhambra in Spain, the harbour of Alexandria in Egypt, the promenade of Tangier in Morocco and the bridges of Isfahan in Iran.
Nakheel Tower will have four individual towers within a single structure – a groundbreaking engineering feat. A distinctive crescent-shaped podium encircles the base and complements its remarkable height.
The multi-billion-dollar development will include 250,000 sq m of hotels and hospitality space, 100,000 sq m of retail space and huge expanses of green spaces, including canal walks, parks and landscaping.
The development will be located at the intersection of Sheikh Zayed Road and the Arabian Canal; and will also complement Nakheel’s surrounding developments including Jumeirah Park, Jumeirah Islands, Discovery Gardens and Ibn Battuta shopping mall.
The Nakheel Harbour & Tower development minimises car use and maximises train, bus and water transportation. A complete transportation hub blends into the harbour area with metro transportation combined with a unique water transport interchange, with abra and dhow station links.
Sustainability and safety will be key to the planning and design of Nakheel Harbour & Tower, with the latest standards and technology incorporated in the development. 
Apart from the Nakheel Tower, there will also be another 40 towers ranging in height from 20 to 90 floors (250 to 350 m).
There will be more than 19,000 residential apartments.  These will include a diverse mix of housing – from affordable family homes to exclusive villas and penthouses.
There will be more than 3,500 hotel rooms, including a super-luxury 100-room hotel at the top of Nakheel Tower.
The Nakheel Harbour & Tower will include a wealth of open space experiences, around the Nakheel Tower, along the Arabian Canal and within the blocks.
The expansive, breath-taking crescent-shaped open public space that “rings” the tower also extends out into the neighbouring districts
Visitors and residents will have access to over 3.9 km around the tower precinct of meandering canal promenade environment, stretching over 10 km along the entire embankment of the Arabian Canal. As one of the unique features of this development, the canal promenade will connect Sheikh Zayed Road to Emirates Road through a myriad of urban experiences and spectacular views to the tower.
While every block will be identifiable by a unique common internal open space, a series of distinctive neighbourhoods are planned.
Weaving through the precinct blocks will be a chain of interlinked open and public spaces. Residents and visitors will be able to walk though continuous walkways stretching over 1,800 m, while experiencing the uniqueness of every community block.
An eight-hectare canal district along the bank of the canal will incorporate a network of waterways. This district will also allow for vantage points towards the tower.
To provide an active connection to the Ibn Battuta district, a ‘living’ bridge is planned over the canal allowing a seamless urban experience.
This will be complemented by another iconic pedestrian bridge connections overlooking the Arabian Canal.
Meanwhile, the Nakheel Tower will have over 200 floors, approximately 150  lifts, and 10,000 car-parking spaces. The design structure of four separate elements allows for structural rigidity while also allowing the wind to pass freely in the spaces between the skybridges reducing the overall wind load.
The building is so tall that it experiences five different microclimatic conditions over its height, each with individual design features. 
Nakheel also hopes to achieve the highest Leed certification it can for a building this size.
The inspiration for Nakheel’s project came from Dubai Ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s vision for building for tomorrow, according to bin Sulayem.
“Sheikh Mohammed is famously quoted as saying that ‘before evaluating the future, we have to take a quick look at the past. For it is the foundation of tomorrow’. It sends another message to the world that Dubai has a vision like no other place on Earth,” he said.
Nakheel expects approximately 30,000 workers to be involved in the development of the mega project, which will take in excess of 10 years to complete.
Completion will be phased, with various stages coming on line much earlier.