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The 555-meter-tall Burj Jumeira Tower is partly inspired by Mohammed bin Rashid, the Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the ruler of Dubai, one of the emirates. The project was announced on January 31st by the state-owned investment group Dubai Holding. The group stated that the base of the tower is designed to resemble the lines of the king's big toe. (Photo: Dubai Holding Group)
The exterior of the tower will be covered with illuminated panels, including the colors of the UAE flag. Photo: Dubai Holding Group.
The design of Burj Jumeira includes a lounge and restaurant at an altitude of 450m and a 360-degree observation deck. The design concept is said to be inspired by desert sand dunes and oases.
The Burj Jumeira tower and the surrounding area known as Downtown Jumeira (below, left) are located near the Burj Al Arab hotel and south of Downtown Dubai, where the world's tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, is situated.
The developer stated that the base of the tower, shaped like a thumb, will house a lake and art space, while the surrounding area will be dedicated to residential and commercial use.
The tower is part of Dubai's development plans following the 2020 World Expo, when the emirate projected welcoming 25 million visitors.
The Burj Jumeira Tower is one of several other mega-projects also centered around towers. The Dubai Creek Harbour project revolves around the Dubai Creek Tower, designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava and set to be the world's tallest tower upon completion, reaching a height of 928 meters.
Despite being located in the heart of the city, the tower is not far from the Ras al Khor wildlife reserve, a nesting ground for flamingos in the winter.
The Dubai Creek Harbour mega-project will be home to 200,000 people, according to its developer, Emaar Properties. Photo: Emaar Properties.
Next to the Dubai Creek tower will be the $2 billion Dubai Square shopping mall, with a floor area of over 743,000 square meters, double the size of Dubai Mall, which is currently the world's largest shopping mall by floor area.
Architecturally, parts of Dubai Square will resemble the traditional markets that have always attracted many tourists to the emirate. The total area of the surrounding retail, entertainment, and residential zones will reach nearly 2.8 million square meters.
Another mega-project, Meydan One, was announced in 2015 and will include world records such as the longest indoor ski slope, the largest artistic fountain, the tallest residential tower, a 360-degree observation deck, and the highest restaurant.
The multi-billion dollar project is expected to be inaugurated in 2020, just in time for the UAE to host the 2020 World Expo. At the end of 2018, the developer, Meydan, stated that the project was still on schedule for completion in 2020.
The world's tallest residential tower, Dubai One, will stand at 711 meters, surpassing the current record holder, 432 Park Avenue in New York. The tower will include a five-star hotel, a yacht club, and, on the 161st floor, the world's highest restaurant.
