WORK on the iconic 73-storey centrepiece of the Dubai Pearl project, which is targeted for completion by 2012-end, is gathering pace having reached level five of the structure, according to Pearl Dubai, the developer.

The entire project is scheduled for completion in December a year later. Located in the heart of Dubai Technology and Media Free Zone, overlooking Palm Jumeirah, the project has a built-up area of 20 million sq ft.

The masterplan of the project comprises three zones – the central towers consisting of four 73-storey towers linked at the top by a single roof known as the sky palace. On the side facing Palm Jumeirah, the project will have low-rise towers ranging from eight to 20 storeys and featuring residences, including branded residences while the side facing Sheikh Zayed Road will feature the entertainment district comprising two levels of entertainment and retail facilities including cinemas, a 2,000-seat theatre and a central piazza.

A Baccarrat bedroom.

“The project aims to create a city within a city comprising elements of living, work and play,” says Santhosh Joseph, president and CEO, Pearl Dubai, a company owned by a consortium of investors led by the Al Fahim Group of Abu Dhabi.

The high-end development will include all amenities and feature seven hotels, 3 million sq ft of office space, 1,500 residences and 1,400 hotel rooms. A unique feature of the project is that residential and entertainment areas are totally pedestrianised.

“It is currently the only development in the world to have a reserved cluster of so many international brands as partners in one location (Baccarat, Bellagio, MGM, Skylofts, and Quintessentially). The development offers Tecom Free Zone opportunities for international investors to pursue commercial activities and is one of the few developments in the world to provide bespoke customised apartments and lofts,” he says.

The entire project shares a common podium with five levels of underground parking collectively offering parking space for 15,500 vehicles. Four entrances and exits lead the vehicular traffic to the various levels of the development. The project will be connected to Dubai Metro via a tram, which will also help in reducing traffic. Commenting on the design of the four towers, Joseph says: “A distinctive feature of the iconic towers is its column-free design. While masterplanning the towers, we have tried to optimise the living space. We took an optimum size of a floor plate ­­– which we believe to be 90 m by 28.5 m width – and then we put the glass around that. There are no columns in the living space. They are located at the edge of the raft – either in the façade or the core,” he says.

Three towers are currently at level five while the fourth one is at level three. “By the end of 2011 we hope to complete level 34,” he says. “Work is a little slow now but once the towers reach level nine we will be able to complete three to four floors per tower every month since the four towers are typical, all 292 floors are identical making use of same materials.

“A jumpform system from Cantilever, Australia – the same used in Burj Khalifa project – is being utilised to build the walls,” says Syed Irfanullah Hussainy, senior vice-president – programme management. “The system is operated by 28 hydraulic jacks and with one push button the whole system, weighing around 500 tonnes, goes up,” he says, adding that it helps save time, is clean and also safe.

“Around 600 people are working on the project with most of them doing the core wall – some 110 tonnes of steel goes into the construction of one core. We are shortly going to start with hollowcore slabs. At the peak of construction in early 2012 when the MEP (mechanical, electrical and plumbing) and cladding works start, we expect the numbers to reach 12,000.”

The project is being executed in two phases with the first phase comprising the four-tower structure and the podium.
Construction work on the remaining buildings is due to start in 2012.

The contract was finalised in 2008 but was renegotiated last year with Al Habtoor Leighton. “The value of the contract was earlier Dh8.9 billion ($2.42 billion) now it is expected to be around Dh7.7 billion ($2.09 billion) and these savings have already been passed on to the customers,” says Joseph.

Work on the raft foundation of the towers was completed in four phases last year requiring a total of around 44,000 cu m of concrete. An additional 10,000 tonnes of steel reinforcement helped install four of the Middle East’s largest concrete rafts. Each of the four towers has a 3.25-m-thick foundation slab and excavation for the towers was carried out to a depth of 8.07 m. Around 188 piles were cast for each of the four towers.

Dubai Pearl is also aiming for Leed (Leadership in Energy and Environment Design) Gold certification. The masterplan has been designed to ensure energy efficiency. The project will incorporate sustainable development features and ‘green’ building standards including recycling facilities for paper, glass and food waste. As per the Leed rating system 2.08, the core and shell will be built using less electricity and water throughout the project.

The improved utilisation of light control, air-conditioning and car-park ventilation will all contribute to a ‘green-friendly’ environment for the Dubai Pearl community.”

Germany’s Schweger Associated Architects is the lead architect and masterplanner of Dubai Pearl.