The Dubai Frame

Structural Designer

Arcadis Consulting Middle East Limited

Client Name

Dubai Municipality

Location

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

PRINCIPAL CONTRACTOR
Al Rostamani Pegel LLC

TUNED MASS DAMPER SYSTEMS
GERB Group

WIND TUNNEL CONSULTANT
BMT Fluid Dynamics

HEAVY LIFT CONTRACTOR
VSL Middle East LLC

STRUCTURAL STEELWORK CONTRACTOR
Eversendai Engineering

SELF-CLIMBING FORMWORK SYSTEM SUPPLIER
Peri LLC

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The Dubai Frame is a 150m high, 93m wide structure built to resemble a huge picture frame. The structure consists of two rhomboidal towers, connected by a sky bridge at the top, offering visitors a 360-degree view of the city. The bridge weighs approximately 800 tonnes and was built on the roof of the bottom part of the Dubai Frame and then strand-jacked into position.

Judge's comment:
A unique project and an unusual and ambitious application of a conventional structural form. The picture frame arrangement, very common as a structural stability system, has been realised on a massive scale, standing 150 metres tall with a connecting bridge between the two towers spanning 75 metres. The deliberately slender design of the towers adds to the drama of this tourist attraction whilst also reducing the volume of materials used and maximising efficiency of the structure. The construction considerations for lifting the connecting bridge at height added complexity for the engineers.