World's Longest Cantilever Building in Dubai Finally Completed, Showcasing a Four-Storey Bridge Over a Six-Lane Highway

The World's longest cantilever building in Dubai, which has a mixed-use facility, was finally completed. This breathtaking structure features a four-story bridge that links two buildings over a six-lane highway.

(Photo : Dezeen/Hufton + Crow)

Project Name: One Za'abeel Tower

• Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates

• Architect:  Nikken Sekkei

• Contractor:  ALEC Engineering and Contracting LLC

• Developer: Ithra Dubai

Completion of the World's Longest Cantilever

The One Za'abeel Tower in Dubai is considered the longest cantilever in the World, measuring 67.5 meters in length. The record-breaking building features a more extended horizontal structure known as The Link, which is hung 100 meters above a six-lane highway and is capped by a massive infinity pool. It was designed by Nikken Sekkei to serve as a four-story bridge between the skyscrapers, which are situated on opposite sides of the highway.

As mentioned, the cantilever at this structure, which is 67.5 meters long and looks northwest towards the Arabian Gulf, has surpassed the 66.5-meter-long observation deck at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore to become the longest cantilever worldwide. In addition, One Za'abeel is a premium mixed-use complex with residences, hotels, offices, retail, and restaurants. Nikken Sekkei created The Link to serve as the centerpiece of the building, aiming to make an entrance to the central business district.

Moreover, the studio aimed to construct a straightforward tower with clean-cut glass facades. It manifests the studio's minimalist Japanese design approach and challenges Dubai's custom of building elegant skyscrapers.

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Features of this Record-Breaking Mixed Use Facility

The interior of One Za'abeel spans a total area of 530,000 square meters, with 26,000 square meters dedicated to office space and 12,000 square meters devoted to retail space. The two skyscrapers that were connected by the four-story bridge have different facilities. The shortest tower, known as the One Za'abeel The Residences, is a 59-story building with 264 private. On the other hand, the One Za'abeel Tower, a 68-story skyscraper, contains nine penthouses and an additional 94 private residences managed by the luxury lodging brand One&Only. The structure also houses 229 hotel rooms and suites, which the brand calls an "urban resort."

Accordingly, the One Za'abeel Tower also features a fitness and wellness hotel, Siro, which has 132 rooms. Also, the tower features a spa, 11 restaurants, and a conferencing and event area. Using an external diagrid framework, The Link comprises three stories of restaurants and bars, all of which have interiors devoid of columns. Thus, it is possible to see the road below from the glass floor in the cantilever section at the farthest end.

An additional feature that breaks records can be found on its rooftop: the World's longest suspended infinity pool as well as the United Arab Emirates' longest rooftop infinity pool, which is designed to look like a beach in the mountains.

Furthermore,  water-to-water heat pumps are utilized for centralized household hot water systems, and treated sewage effluent water is used for irrigation. This tower is also designed to be energy efficient and emphasizes facade systems. It integrates the most recent intelligent technology to enable automation and energy-efficient operation of office electrical, air conditioning, lighting, and ventilation systems.

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