An 11-hectare green oasis envelops the foot of Burj Dubai

An 11-hectare green oasis envelops the foot of Burj Dubai

Environment-friendly cooling condensate system recovers 15 million gallons of water for irrigating gardens

Dubai, UAE; December 20, 2009: The world’s tallest building has a heart of green.

Burj Dubai, the world’s tallest building by Emaar Properties set to be inaugurated on January 4, 2010, stands tall amidst The Park, an 11-hectare green oasis that surrounds the foot of the tower. The Park has six spectacular water features, lush green gardens and colourful flowering trees.

As part of Burj Dubai’s ‘green’ initiative, the landscaping is irrigated using a unique condensate collection system. Water condensate from the tower’s cooling equipment is recovered, providing an estimated 15 million gallons of water a year, enough to fill 20 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

Celebrating the theme ‘A Tower in a Park,’ the landscaping of Burj Dubai has distinct divisions that serve the tower’s hotel, residential, spa and corporate office areas. In addition to lush greenery, each of the entrances to the tower has its own special water feature adding to the visual beauty of The Park with its sound and effects.

Mr Mohamed Alabbar, Chairman, Emaar Properties, said: “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.”

At the core of The Park design is a ‘water room’ located at the base of the tower and defined by walls of dancing jets and pools. While the water experience continues to become a focal feature for the visitors at each of the entrances, closer to the lake side The Park has a series of large reflecting pools with the infinity edges that cascade and visually link to the lake.

Fountains, palm fringed walkways and flowering trees line the base with special entry roads leading to the hotel and residential arrival courts. Each walkway has an assorted mix of flowering trees, green shrubs and ground covers.

The site furnishings, including the railings, benches and signs, incorporate the abstract imagery of Burj Dubai’s design inspiration, the Hymenocalis. Tightly spaced double rows of date palms create shade and scale, and extend as a green colonnade towards the Emaar Boulevard.

The plants used for landscaping include a choice of evergreen ficuses and cassias. Royal Poincianas, with their trademark bright red blooms, decorate the centre of the tower base. Acacias, Yellow Elders and Chaste trees add to the shrub and ground cover. Splashes of bougainvillea, white coloured flowers, concentric hedges of Carissa, low growing vines, several exotic succulents including aloes and agaves add to the allure of the park.

The Park of Burj Dubai is a true reflection of the tower’s teamwork and marks another first of sorts in global collaboration. It is a collective effort of Skidmore Owings and Merrill (SOM), the Chicago-based architects who also designed Burj Dubai, and SWA Group in California. WET, the designers of The Dubai Fountain, the world’s tallest performing fountain, developed the park’s six water features.

Joining this core team are Fisher Marantz Stone (lighting), Speirs & Major (festival lighting), Sinclair Knight Merz (security systems), Pelton Marsh Kinsella International (acoustics and ELV systems), Square Peg Design (signage), Hyder Consulting (civil and structural design) and Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture (the gatehouses and Armani/Pavillion).

Burj Dubai, a symbol of global collaboration, commitment and passion, stands tall at over 800 metres high and is located in the centre of Downtown Burj Dubai, described as the new heart of the city.

About Burj Dubai:
A mixed-use tower featuring the world’s first Armani Hotel Dubai and Armani Residences, alongside corporate suites, residences, retail and leisure facilities, Burj Dubai is at the centre of Downtown Burj Dubai, a 500-acre mega-development by Emaar Properties. Among an array of lifestyle amenities, the tower will have a public observation deck - At the Top, Dubai - on level 124.

Described as the new heart of Dubai, Downtown Burj Dubai encompasses The Dubai Mall, one of the world’s largest shopping and entertainment destinations; several hotels; offices and homes. A stellar attraction within the community is The Dubai Fountain, the world’s tallest performing fountain.

At over 800 metres, the Burj Dubai has already achieved the distinction of being the world's tallest structure surpassing the KVLY-TV mast (628.8 metres; 2,063 ft) in North Dakota, USA. The tower is taller than Taipei 101 in Taiwan, which at 508 metres (1,667 ft) has held the tallest-building-in-the-world title since it opened in 2004. Burj Dubai also surpassed the 31-year-old record of CN Tower, which at 553.33 metres (1,815.5 ft) has been the world’s tallest free-standing structure on land since 1976.

Designed by Chicago-based Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (SOM), Burj Dubai is constructed by high-rise experts South Korea’s Samsung Corporation. New York-based Turner Construction International is the project and construction manager. The tower employs the latest in wind engineering, structural engineering, structural systems, construction materials and construction methods.

About Emaar Properties PJSC:
Emaar Properties PJSC, listed on the Dubai Financial Market, is a global property developer with a significant presence in key markets world-wide. Besides building residential and commercial properties, the company also has proven competencies in shopping malls & retail, hospitality & leisure, education, healthcare and financial services sectors.

Emaar is set to inaugurate Burj Dubai, the world's tallest building and free-standing structure, and has opened The Dubai Mall, the world’s largest shopping and entertainment destination. In Saudi Arabia, Emaar is developing King Abdullah Economic City, the region's largest private sector-led project in Saudi Arabia, featuring a Sea Port, Central Business District, Industrial Zone, Educational Zone, Residential Communities and Resort District.

Emaar has joined hands with Giorgio Armani to strengthen its presence in hospitality. The company is also opening educational institutions and healthcare centres in South Asia, Middle East and North Africa and the Subcontinent.

Emaar holds 30 per cent equity in Dubai Bank, focused on retail and commercial banking. Emaar is also the largest shareholder in Amlak Finance, UAE's leading Islamic home financing company. For more information, visit www.emaar.com.