Photo Nick Merrick © Hedrich Blessing
As the world’s tallest building, Burj Dubai has also been the site of many construction ‘firsts’ as developer Emaar uncovers new ways of dealing with the Burj’s particular set of challenges.
However, while much of the attention will be at the other extreme when the Burj Dubai finally opens on January 4, one of the most impressive feats will be found at the foot of the tower in the 11-hactare The Park.
An area of gardens, colourful trees and water features, The Park is actually irrigated using a unique water collection system which recovers the condensation from the building’s cooling equipment to provide around 15 million gallons of water a year – or enough to fill 20 Olympic-sized swimming pools
“The design of The Park is also inspired by the core design concepts of Burj Dubai, based on the symmetries of the desert flower, Hymenocalis, and regional motifs. The Park creates a soothing oasis of green, and is a logical extension to the Emaar Boulevard, envisaged as one of the world’s finest boulevards,” explains Emaar Properties chairman Mohamed Alabbar.