Modern tower design in dubai

10 December 2020

INTRO:

Sandstorm Absorbent Skyscraper - Kalbod Design Studio

Finding a solution via architecture to deal with massive sandstorms occurring in grand desert cities like Dubai defined the Sandstorm Absorbent Skyscraper project. These 25 towers, located precisely by Dubai’s main route, are made of glass structure that rises from the ground and covers the facilities that form the central part of the skyscraper.

Inspired by its function, the towers have two functionally accurate cavities to absorb soil particles in artificial magnetic fields accompanied by

windpipes, designed to provide the shortest possible length to maintain the comfort of the residents as well as the optimal pressure and suction. The

final form is in a state of balance with the highest level of safety followed by a sustainable cycle.

Image 1. Dubai Cityscape with the Sandstrom Towers

In this cycle, the sandstorm loses its electrical charge upon entering the building›s facilities, transferring to the soil purification section and then into the isolated silos made of steel and heat-transferring pipes located at the base of the towers. These heat-transferring pipes charged with solar energy from solar panels increase the collected sand’s temperature to 600 degrees Celsius, creating thermal batteries that store and provide the necessary power for the tower and neighboring buildings to function without electricity for a few months.

These towers also consist of multiple uses, from public spaces at the lower levels to residential zone in the middle, complete with grand laboratories and scientific research bases at the top dedicated to future studies on the nature of sandstorms and finding better ways to address this natural phenomenon for the next generation.

Image 2. Sandstorm Absorbent Towers facilites and technology

How does architecture respond to natural phenomena?

Every region on earth has its geographical features. In one place, the sun and heat cause the earth to crack, and in another place, the rain causes countless plants to grow. Natural phenomena sometimes turn into destructive events. Rain does not always create settlements. Sometimes it rains so furiously that the flood takes everything away. And the wind is not always just a breeze, it can become a storm that nothing can withstand.

With the advancement of technology and science, there are fewer times when people are surprised by natural phenomena. Meteorological satellites will tell us which direction the clouds are moving and which days will be sunny and rainy. Forecasting weather conditions have helped other disciplines, especially engineers and architects, to design buildings. Because at the time of an accident, damage to a building will multiply the damage to people. A building suffers the least possible damage when it aligns with the natural phenomenon. It means that the way of design gives the building the opportunity so that an incident, instead of being like a blow to the body of the building, is solved in the building and even changed for its benefit.

Dubai is the most populated city in the United Arab Emirates and one of the most important tourist destinations in the Middle East. At first, the economy of this city relied only on oil, but the tourism industry is considered an important factor in its prosperity and consolidation. The presence of the world's most famous architects in this rich city and spacious lands provided suitable conditions for Dubai to quickly become a place for holding the most important architectural events and recording various records in architecture.

The hot and very humid climate of Dubai has caused the temperature of this city in summer to be around 40 °C in the morning and 30 °C at night. Therefore, providing thermal comfort inside the building is an important issue in design. Strong wind, especially in summer, is another influential factor in the weather conditions of Dubai.

The tower building is one of the most popular types of architecture in Dubai. In general, skyscrapers need a lot of attention in the design stages due to their special geometric form to deal with natural phenomena. Before starting the design, it is necessary to study the natural and geographical conditions of the location of the building. These studies will explain a series of indicators. For example, the amount of rainfall, sunlight, and the possibility of floods or storms are all indicators that will influence the way of ideation and design.

In the following, two examples of towers built in Dubai are examined. These skyscrapers represent different views on solving the issue of strong wind, especially at height. The design concept focuses on the Dubai sandstorm in the first example, designed by Kalbad Studio. In the second example, the designer's formal approach to the issue of wind blowing is a significant issue.

SKYRISE 2022, modern tower designs in Dubai by Kalbod Studio

The IMPACT architecture competition has asked its participants to design an iconic tower that is influenced by the natural conditions of its environment. The site of this tower can be located anywhere in the world and there is no limit to its height.

• First step: choosing the site and design concept

The proposed site for placing these towers is located near the coastline of Dubai, where the wind has its highest intensity. Sandstorm is a natural phenomenon that shapes the design concept of this modern tower design in Dubai, and the final design will be an answer to how to control this issue and even make positive use of it.

• Design Process

The tower's ability to have adequate suction and pressure at the time of a storm was the basis for designing its form and orientation. Pre-design studies made it clear that soil particles are electrically charged. Thus, the tower’s final form has two deep cavities extending inward to attract charged particles. Structural and installation systems play a decisive role in the volume of modern tower design in Dubai.

The structure of this modern tower design in Dubai is designed in such a way that the soil particles are absorbed during several stages and finally leave the tower. These steps are as follows:

• Receive sand particles suspended in the air through the geometric form

• Absorption of charged sand by smart panels inside the cavity (the panels open and start working when a sand storm occurs)

• The particles became uncharged through the positive charge of carbon on the rails

• The movement of soil particles inside the pipes as uncharged particles towards the main exit pipe

• Installation of two filters at the end of the cavity to discharge particles that are still charged

These steps take place in both holes designed in the volume of this modern tower design in Dubai. Due to the larger diameter of the particles at a lower height, the lower cavity has a larger opening.

The ultimate goal for this modern tower design in Dubai is to create a multi-functional area centered on scientific research, and the laboratories and research institutes will be used for physics, aerospace, technology, biology, and medicine. Therefore, we will have a set of 25 skyscrapers that will respond to sustainability approaches on two levels:

1- In a futuristic approach, these skyscrapers will create a residential and a research and scientific area at the same time.

2- Improving Dubai's weather conditions and changing sandstorms from a threat to an opportunity is another important issue that is considered in this project. This means that these sands will be a great source of energy production, not only for Sand Storm Absorbent Skyscraper but for a significant part of Dubai.

Za'abeel Park Observation, a modern tower design in Dubai

The ZPO observation tower is located in a cultural park of the main skyscraper boulevard in Dubai, Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Road.

• Site plan

The site of Za'abeel Park Tower is inspired by Islamic geometry motifs in two scales. At the field scale, this pattern has been used in the design of granite paving stones, grass lines, flowers, trees, and water paths. The same pattern on a larger scale draws four different shapes around the foundations of this modern tower design in Dubai and provides the spaces needed for parking, a conference center, a children's library, and services.

• Converting Islamic patterns to the blood circulation system

The geometry of this modern tower design in Dubai in the plan, sections, and height is inspired by Islamic geometry. Six tubes with a diameter of 30 meters and three inner tubes and three outer tubes form the skeleton of the tower structure. The three inner tubes act like the blood circulation system of this modern tower design in Dubai. Elevators, external stairs, and emergency exit stairs are enclosed inside the internal pipes. In addition, the inner tubes support three outer tubes as well. The role of the outer tubes is to create a 270-degree rotation around an invisible axis, which ultimately leads to the creation of an Islamic pattern. At the lowest point of this modern tower design in Dubai, the pipes open like the petals of a flower. In this part, the structure is covered by solar panels. As the outer tubes move upwards, they create larger petals. These petals with a height of 70 meters in each direction are placed on top of the tower. One of the project's most attractive parts is formed right now. The petals have formed a space including six internal and external decks, in which a cafe with a unique spatial quality has been designed.

A steel diagrid system forms this tower’s structure, interwoven with lateral steel members. The design of this modern tower design in Dubai structure is inspired by the lines of the site plan. The goal is to transform the structural model derived from traditional Islamic geometry into modern architecture. Sometimes this structural pattern may be more open to disperse building loads, and sometimes they may be so dense and close together that they resemble the traditional mashrabiya in the region's architecture. This braced frame structure is reinforced laterally every 30 meters by horizontal diaphragms. Bending frames at the base and top support the horizontal apertures.

• How does this structural system control the wind?

The geometric structure and the final shape of this modern tower design in Dubai reduce the speed and intensity of the wind when it hits the body. The mesh fabric of the structure allows the wind flow to pass through it, and thus the structure of the tower is not hit hard. Installing a wind damping mass with a diameter of 8 meters in the center of the highest part of the tower will help the structure in modulating the wind load.

• What has made the ZPO a stable modern tower design in Dubai?

The goal has been to make the ZPO tower a building with zero energy consumption. All the horizontal panels of the roofs and south, west, and east facades are covered by photovoltaic panels. The water used in the site will be recycled, and most of the building materials are provided from recycled sources. Estimates are that solar energy alone produces enough electricity to light and power the building.

The orientation of the petals on the top of this modern tower design in Dubai is towards the sights and specific directions that provide the viewer with images of the past and future of Dubai. The first petal faces the city of Makkah. Moving clockwise on top of the ZPO tower, the second petal is towards the old city of Deira, wind towers, traditional markets, mosques, and the walls of the old castle. Standing on the observation deck on the third petal of this modern tower design in Dubai, one can see the skyline and the ongoing constructions along Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Road, which are a symbol of the extensive developments in Dubai.

study of two towers; SKYRISE and Za'abeel Park Tower shows that architecture encompasses a wide range of different sciences and if architects are not equipped with the knowledge of structure, geography, and history, they will not be able to design at the level of the needs of the modern world.

In SKYRISE and Za'abeel Park Tower as two modern tower designs in Dubai, the combination of form, structure, and facilities work in a complementary and harmonious way and the inefficiency of each one causes problems in other parts. In other words, the design concept and idea are formed around three axes that run parallel. After this stage, what determines the final result of the project is the level of creativity of the designers in how to use these three tools.

In SKYRISE as a modern tower design in Dubai, the architects designed a system based on the gestating properties of soil particles, so that these particles, after losing their charge and passing through the purification stage, re-enter the cycle of nature. In Za'abeel Park Tower, moving from the site to the highest point of the tower, the pattern of Islamic geometry gradually changes its form inspired by the blood circulation system. Due to its mesh, the final volume of this modern tower design in Dubai improves the performance of the skyscraper against strong winds.