ONE ZA'ABEEL

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71AN EXTERIOR DESIGN WITH DEPTH AND CALMMs. Nakamura: The façades of the two towers share a common longitudinal design with external fins in a white dot pattern. This softens the effect of direct sunlight and emphasizes the verticality, lending a sense of depth and an elegant, ‘clean’ look.Mr. Obika: During the supervision phase, off-site mock-up was prepared at the yard of the Façade manufacturer to determine the glass specifications, color of the window frames, type of ceramic print on the glass fins (dot / stripe) and so on. Further, on-site mock-up has been implemented to narrow down the color / configuration of the glass fins along with the exquisite dot-patterns on the same, and the final overall façade design has been carefully chosen.ABOUT THE MULTICULTURAL WORKFORCEMr. Galadari: Over the length of my career, I’ve been a part of numerous notable developments across Dubai, including Burj Khalifa. I can comfortably say that One Za’abeel was one of the most challenging and ambitious projects I have worked on to date, with industry experts from all over the world taking part in this project to make this world first vision possible. It has been exceptional to see the development come to life as a captivating lifestyle destination.Dr. Jabri: Although the site is in Dubai, over 1,000 members from 60 companies from five continents were called in to help with the project at various stages. Such as interior designers, landscape, lighting, vertical transportation, pools, security, and the list go on, we had even consultants to simulate wind impact on open pool, and exhaust management for open kitchen to avoid cooking smell in THE LINK’s open interior. This was no simple task.Mr. Obika: In terms of safety, the construction process was free from major accidents. The COVID-19 pandemic impacted the project in many ways, but significant delays were fortunately avoided, even when the entire UAE went into temporary quarantine.ON ECO-FRIENDLINESSDr. Jabri: It is standard practice for Nikken Sekkei to approach all of its projects with an eye on saving energy, materials recycling, water conservation, and reducing carbon footprint, including cutting thermal and greenhouse gas emissions, etc. The project achieved LEED Gold rating.Mr. Obika: Still, when building anything in a hot, arid desert, you’re going to end up using a ton of energy just to keep workers comfortable. So, regarding energy conservation in such environments, expectations must be realistic.Traditionally, we aim for big cuts in CO2 emissions, material waste and adhesive toxins – sometimes up to 40% to 50% compared to prior comparable projects.LOOKING AHEADMs. Nakamura: We appreciate the opportunity to work on this project in Dubai. One Za’abeel is a new icon of the Dubai skyline, has the world’s longest cantilever, and has created a new vantage point from which to view the old and new cityscape. We hope that One Za’abeel will be loved as a symbol of the city for many years to come.Mr. Obika: I had been involved in the Dubai Chamber of Commerce Headquarters’ Building project since 1990 and stayed here alone from Nikken Sekkei from 1994 to 1995 to supervise the construction on site. It seems we are living in a different era when we think of those days, and I feel it was lucky that I was able to witness the birth of two landmarks here in Dubai in the timelapse of 30 years.Dr. Jabri: Landmark buildings has the propensity to reshape the skyline of cities, but they also reflect the spirit of its leaders and its era. I feel One Za’abeel vividly reflects the spirit of Dubai and the era of rapid development. Its bold, progressive, and challenges the conventional practice. Only in Dubai.Mr. Kamei: One Za’abeel was a valuable learning experience for us. We will be able to apply the lessons learned and expertise gained in Dubai to our future projects. We look forward to working on more projects in the future, in line with our infrastructure growth plans for the Middle East.Mr. Galadari: One Za’abeel has always been the epicenter of our vision for Dubai, embodying the city’s bold ambitions and forward thining spirit. It is destined to become a landmark that tops visitor’s ‘must see’ list and will stand as an enduring legacy for generations to come.The Contractor did a great job. At the peak of construction, almost 10,000 workers were on-site, and the lines of the worker’s white transport buses stretched as far as the eye could see when the work shifts changed. I remember each worker was given two liters of water to avoid dehydration, in other words the site consumed over 20 ton of potable water, daily! Imagine the logistic challenges.(One Za’abeel achieved a LEED® Gold rating from the US Green Building Council, and utalises sports energy-efficient HVAC systems, LED lighting, and automated electrical and lighting systems.)Considering global population growth, the trend toward “urban verticalism” is unmistakable. One Za’abeel with its densely programmed link, will be great case study for generations to come.