Megaprojects: inside Dubai's Dh1.2 billion Palm Tower with five-star hotel and luxury residences


Nick Webster
  • English
  • Arabic

As the long-awaited Dh1.2 billion ($326.8 million) Palm Tower nears completion it is only a few weeks until an observatory 230 metres above the glistening Arabian Gulf opens its doors to the public.

The viewing platform with skyline views across the Palm Jumeirah promises to be nothing short of spectacular. But that is only the start of new openings at one of the Dubai's largest megaprojects.

An exclusive look inside the 52-storey construction project offered a glimpse of what lies in store, including a five-star St Regis hotel with 290 rooms and suites spread across 18 floors.

The Palm Tower will further enhance Dubai's position as a world-class destination

A steel structure and glass facade observation deck designed by US architects Gensler will be one of the first features to open.

It is expected to attract tourists with a head for heights in a similar fashion to the viewing deck at Burj Khalifa.

"The Palm Tower is the latest iconic addition to Palm Jumeirah, combining first-class residential, hospitality and leisure facilities at the heart of the world-famous island," said Aqil Kazim, chief commercial officer at developer Nakheel.

“Palm Jumeirah’s unique creativity and stunning design is best-appreciated when seen from the air.

“The Palm Tower will offer exquisite views of the entire island, the Arabian Gulf and the Dubai skyline in one location.”

Master developer Nakheel said the hotel, which is almost seven years in the making, will probably open in the summer and the residences – 70 per cent of which are already sold – will open later in the year.

The public viewing deck on the 52nd floor, accessible by lifts from Nakheel Mall, is expected to open in March.

The 432 luxury residences start from Dh1.7m for a studio apartment, with panoramic views of Dubai Marina, The Palm Jumeirah and the Arabian Gulf.

Two and three-bedroom apartments on the upper floors make the most of the elevated position, with floor-to-ceiling windows looking out on to the spectacular surroundings.

An infinity pool on the roof of the tower will give swimmers 360-degree views across 200 metres of water.

The Aura skypool lounge, run by the Sunset Hospitality Group, will open later this year, as will SushiSamba, a Japanese restaurant and nightspot on the 51st floor.

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Nakheel and main builder Trojan General Contracting and National Projects & Construction faced challenges in developing such a large building on a relatively small area of land, surrounded by busy roads.

Its seafront location was one of those challenges, with winds whipping off the Gulf and creating difficult conditions for crane operators.

Three tower cranes were in operation and about 4,000 workers were on site at the peak of construction.

While the pandemic pegged back the number of labourers able to work at one time, the project's workforce is now closer to 1,000 – many are already vaccinated against the virus thanks to an on-site inoculation initiative.

The tower has used 700 tonnes of structural steel, a further 17,000 tonnes of reinforcement steel and 77,600 cubic metres of concrete.

To maximise the view, 46,000 square metres of glass was used in thousands of windows.

The building will have 22 lifts, providing access to four restaurants and three swimming pools – as well as about 350 shops in the $330m Nakheel Mall.

Shoppers will be able to connect to the Marina Residences through two tunnels the Palm Monorail, the Dubai Tram, Metro line and beyond.

"The tower is the latest in Nakheel's growing list of landmark projects," Mr Kazim said.

“It will further enhance Dubai’s position as an unrivalled, world-class destination for living, leisure and tourism.”

In numbers

1,000 tonnes of waste collected daily:

  • 800 tonnes converted into alternative fuel
  • 150 tonnes to landfill
  • 50 tonnes sold as scrap metal

800 tonnes of RDF replaces 500 tonnes of coal

Two conveyor lines treat more than 350,000 tonnes of waste per year

25 staff on site

 

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The past Palme d'Or winners

2018 Shoplifters, Hirokazu Kore-eda

2017 The Square, Ruben Ostlund

2016 I, Daniel Blake, Ken Loach

2015 DheepanJacques Audiard

2014 Winter Sleep (Kış Uykusu), Nuri Bilge Ceylan

2013 Blue is the Warmest Colour (La Vie d'Adèle: Chapitres 1 et 2), Abdellatif Kechiche, Adele Exarchopoulos and Lea Seydoux

2012 Amour, Michael Haneke

2011 The Tree of LifeTerrence Malick

2010 Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives (Lung Bunmi Raluek Chat), Apichatpong Weerasethakul

2009 The White Ribbon (Eine deutsche Kindergeschichte), Michael Haneke

2008 The Class (Entre les murs), Laurent Cantet

If you go

The flights
There are various ways of getting to the southern Serengeti in Tanzania from the UAE. The exact route and airstrip depends on your overall trip itinerary and which camp you’re staying at. 
Flydubai flies direct from Dubai to Kilimanjaro International Airport from Dh1,350 return, including taxes; this can be followed by a short flight from Kilimanjaro to the Serengeti with Coastal Aviation from about US$700 (Dh2,500) return, including taxes. Kenya Airways, Emirates and Etihad offer flights via Nairobi or Dar es Salaam.   

The specs

  Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now

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Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
MATCH INFO

What: 2006 World Cup quarter-final
When: July 1
Where: Gelsenkirchen Stadium, Gelsenkirchen, Germany

Result:
England 0 Portugal 0
(Portugal win 3-1 on penalties)

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Specs

Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Joker: Folie a Deux

Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson

Director: Todd Phillips 

Rating: 2/5

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Napoleon
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