Abu Dhabi's Adia (Abu Dhabi Investment Authority) Tower has recently been 'topped out' at 38 storeys on the UAE capital city's Corniche, which will now boast one of the region's most hi-tech towers.
The tower will be the first building in the city to feature an innovative double-glazed fa‡ade, curtained with automatic blinds and air-conditioning inside the two glass panels.
According to the joint venture main contractor Arabtec-Samsung Engineering and Construction, this innovative approach was necessary once the investment authority decided on a complete glass-fronted tower. The automatic blinds and air-conditioning are controlled by the direction of the sun and the heat on the inside and outside of the windows. It keeps the glass cool while shielding the tower's interior.
The Adia office tower touches a height of 185 m, and contains 38 above-ground levels and two underground floors containing an auditorium and car-park.
In order to ensure efficient movement of its labour force and materials throughout construction of the tower, the Arabtec-Samsung JV opted for Abu Dhabi's first Alimak SuperScando 28/32C hoists.
The two twin-cage high-speed units are part of Nouman Fouad Trading rental fleet of Alimak hoists.
Each of the four hoists' cages has a payload capacity of 2,800 kg and can travel at speeds of up to 100 m/min to a maximum height of 250 m. The cages have a maximum height of 2.2 m and measure 1.5 m wide by 3.2 m long.
Alimak's local distributor Inma provides full after-sales service for the complete range of Alimak hoists.
The tower is being constructed with poured in-situ concrete for all cores and columns, and post-tensioned precast slabs.
The contractor estimates that 82,000 cu m of concrete will be poured on-site while 9,000 tonnes of steel reinforcement will be used. Approximately 12,000 cu m of concrete was initially poured for the tower's 3-m-thick foundations.
The tower contains three cores which are being constructed with poured in-situ concrete. These will eventually house the building's 13 elevators.
The entire site covers an area of 116,000 sq m with the tower accounting for 85,000 sq m.
As well as concrete columns, the tower has 16 steel columns erected on-site from 10 tonne segments.