Uptown Tower
| Uptown Tower | |
|---|---|
برج أبتاون | |
Interactive map of the Uptown Tower area | |
| General information | |
| Status | Completed |
| Type | Supertall skyscraper |
| Location | United Arab Emirates |
| Coordinates | 25°03′38″N 55°08′30″E / 25.060639°N 55.141663°E |
| Groundbreaking | 2019 |
| Construction started | January 2019 |
| Construction stopped | February 2022 |
| Owner | Dubai Multi Commodities Centre |
| Height | |
| Height | 340 m |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 77 |
| Lifts/elevators | 27 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architecture firm | Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture |
| Other information | |
| Number of units | 417 |
The Uptown Tower (Arabic: برج أبتاون) is a 77-storey, 340 metres (1,120 ft)[1] mixed-use supertall skyscraper located in the Uptown Dubai district of Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Construction of the tower began in 2019 and was completed by 2023. The building was commissioned to be built by Dubai Multi Commodities Center (DMCC). The tower is the seventeenth tallest building in Dubai. It is one of two skyscrapers that will be constructed in the district, the other being the megatall Uptown Dubai Tower 1.[2][3]
The development contains 188 luxury hotel rooms and suites, restaurants, health spas, conference facilities, offices, and 229 residences.[4]
Background & Construction
The building was constructed by Six Construct, a subsidiary of the Belgian construction company BESIX.[5] The contract was awarded to the company in December 2018. The groundbreaking ceremony took place in January 2019. By February 2022, structural works had been completed after which the tower was officially completed with interiors in the second quarter of 2023.[6]
Additional construction details indicate that façade works commenced in August 2020 and continued following the completion of the main structural elements in early 2022. During peak installation periods, façade installation progressed at an average rate of approximately one floor every two days.[7]
Architecture
The tower was designed by Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture. The design concept for the building was reportedly influenced by the facets of diamonds, due to Dubai being a hub of diamond trade.[8] The building's façade contains 8,542 glass panels designed to "reflect the brilliance of diamonds".[2] The exterior lighting scheme was developed to accentuate the tower's architectural edges and geometric form, producing varying reflective effects under different lighting conditions.[8] The external wall system incorporates a one-part dry-fix passive fire-protection solution supplied by Siderise, tested to achieve EI 120/FT 120 ratings in compliance with the UAE Fire and Life Safety Code.[8]
Sustainability
The construction site was partially powered by a solar-diesel hybrid power system with a reported solar capacity of 542 kWp, supplying electricity to site offices and equipment as part of the project's sustainability measures. The building is also certified Gold by LEED standards for sustainability.[2][8]
Building Usage
The building will be a mixed-use property, with having residential and commercial usage. The building will have the SO/ Uptown Dubai, a five-star hotel with 188 rooms.[9] The hotel is a joint venture between Ennismore and Accor.[8] Along with having 227 residences, the building will have 46,000 square metres (500,000 sq ft) of Grade A office space across 22 floors.[8][9][2][3] The tower is also part of the larger Uptown Dubai district, that will have residential, commercial and leisure facilities.[3]
In mid 2022, the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) announced that it will establish a new laboratory to serve the global gem trade in DMCC. The GIA laboratory will occupy 3,800 square metres (41,000 sq ft) on two floors in the tower in a nine-year deal.[2][10]
In September 2023, the building received its first tenants, 31 in total.[11]
Awards
Uptown Tower received multiple honors at the 2024 Awards of Excellence presented by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH), including Best Tall Building by Height (300 meters and above), Best Tall Building by Region (Middle East & Africa), and Excellence in Construction.[12][13] [14]
The tower was also listed as a 2024 entry in the International Darc Awards, which recognise projects in architectural and lighting design.[15]
See also
References
- ^ "Uptown Tower Guide". propsearch.ae/. Retrieved 2025-10-24.
- ^ a b c d e "Uptown Tower". Propsearch. Retrieved 2025-01-02.
- ^ a b c "Uptown Tower | Apartments by SO/Uptown Dubai - JLT". uptowndubai.ae. Retrieved 2025-01-02.
- ^ "Uptown Tower Guide".
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Dubai Uptown Tower". Six Construct. Retrieved 2025-01-02.
- ^ "DMCC Uptown Tower's road to construction". Construction Week Online. 2022-10-17. Retrieved 2025-01-02.
- ^ "Dubai Uptown Tower". Six Construct. Retrieved 2025-01-02.
- ^ a b c d e f "Uptown Tower, Dubai, UAE". World Construction Network. Retrieved 2025-01-02.
- ^ a b "A Guide to Uptown Tower JLT - The Heart of Uptown Dubai - MyBayut". MyBayut. Retrieved 2025-01-02.
- ^ "GIA® in Dubai". Gemological Institute of America. Retrieved 2025-01-16.
- ^ Dayanand, Nivetha (2023-09-05). "Uptown Tower: First tenants move into Dubai's new skyscraper". Gulf News. Retrieved 2025-03-11.
- ^ "DMCC's Uptown Tower wins big at CTBUH 2024 Awards". TradeArabia. Retrieved 2026-02-03.
- ^ "DMCC's Uptown Tower wins big at CTBUH 2024 Awards". Gulf Construction. Retrieved 2026-02-03.
- ^ "DMCC Receives Leading Industry Awards of Excellence for Uptown Tower". Dubai Media Office. Retrieved 2026-02-03.
- ^ "2024 Entries". darc awards. Retrieved 2026-02-03.