NAME : Almas Tower
TYPE: OFFICE TOWER
HEIGHT:
FLOORS: 56
START: OCT 2003
END: 2005
PART OF LARGER PROJECT: Dubai Metals & Commodities Centre
DMCC Theard (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=1809593#)

Again kinda odd for me to post a project that I have not lookeda t the site but I will soon and there are so many projects going on it hard to get to them all.


http://www.skyscrapercity.com/photopost/data/500/11020Almas_Tower.jpg

Almas is Arabic for diamond – is to be built as a part of the DMCC's 300-hectare development site opposite the Dubai Marina on the Sheikh Zayed Road

the 56-floor tower will be the focal point of diamond trade, housing the Dubai Diamond Exchange. The dramatic glass skyscraper located at the centre of DMCC will provide a base for the large numbers of local and international companies expected to establish operations at the impressive facility by 2005. Built as an ever-decreasing spiralling cylinder that soars towards the sky with a number of elegant spires, the tower plays with geometrical design and light up to create a delight for the eye, surrounded by a lake in the centre of the DMCC development.

Now there are heaps of towers out at this site within the DMCC prooject and I will ( as in plan to walk out there next weekend )
There appears to be at least 5 Tall towers in the DMCC project

Wow dubai is exploding!! I cant wait for 2010 or even 2006!!!! :runaway:
Great update
Thanx
:cheers:

Yes i cant remeber where but i have photos of all the towers coming up in this project , i will see what i can find :)

Is this the same Building? Looks to me like it is, but there's just a little change

http://63.240.68.115/FirmFiles/14/images/DubaiMixed%20%28small%29%2Ejpg

This cluster is infront of Medows 2 and to the side of the Jumeriah lakes development

this one will be located on an artificial island either in dmcc next to jlt or even in jlt?
still not clear! other dmcc towers on "i" plot!

both designs are cool but i guess they will build the first one

right, the one posted by dubaidude is some other tower, but doesn't have anything to do with dubai!!!!

^yeah I think its a proposal for Bangkok or some South-East Asian city, I remember seeing it in another forum but can't find it now.

are similar still

The final design is another one. The tower seams Atkins-like design but with light green coloured glass and it has a spire. I saw the rendering on some billboards for DMCC on SZR.

Maybe if we check we might find the right rendering

Try to take your camera next time you're at SZR and get us a photo of the new rendering becuase this should one of the best towers in Dubai

very strange. you can only convince me by photos ;)

sorry to douth you just hope its not more signs like those other mock up for the DMCC that been up for months

you mean these signs for the brown towers? these will be built, but nakheel doesn't tell where.
hope the design remains as it is, looks great

if i only knew where this damned tower will be located??? :rant:

sorry to douth you just hope its not more signs like those other mock up for the DMCC that been up for months

No, no, those were not big boards in the sand. Those were 1 - 1.5 sqm iluminated billboards hanging from the lamp poles in the middle of SZR on the road section between 5th - 6th interchange. The bulding renderings are visible if you go toward Jebel Ali, visible on the opposite direction are just DMCC advertising like: I'ts a free zone, 100% foreign capital and things like this.

Being in the middle of the road, you can't stop and take pictures of them. Someone else will pass there soon and confirm.

The best my camera phone can do:

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid141/ped4649dfb3893ab66067b934a9877292/f6d305dc.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid141/p7276034e2917a2b73395fffe414c89eb/f6d305dd.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid141/p7276034e2917a2b73395fffe414c89eb/f6d305dd.jpg


The design reminded me of Emirates Towers. Imagine them with circle instead of triangle tower base and the glass faccade is not integrated in the building but put forward like a shield.

Please someone else drives past the 5th interchange toward Jebel Ali and confirm to the others.

hard to see, but thanks for your effort. i guess a digicam is better to take shots like these

nice if somebody could take his cam

Well I have a Dig Cam, but I don't keep it in the car

^yeah I think its a proposal for Bangkok or some South-East Asian city, I remember seeing it in another forum but can't find it now.

It looks like Celcom-Malaysia headquarter, the mobile operator in Malaysia.

new rendering
http://www.dmcc.ae/images/visuals/visual_almas_tower.gif

http://www.dmcc.ae/facilities_almas_tower.htm

^This design is much better than the old one IMO.

so this is the central land mark tower !
Hmm its ok but hardly landmark

I agree.

compared to the old design i don't like it at all :( but still a nice tower
but the old design was more landmark like

now we know it's jlt central tower, like i've suggested

will update it in our tower lists

looks like this one is going to be 250+ incl spire
what do you think?

i dont know what your guys are talking about , but i think its a beautiful tower :)

I dont know why , but i have this strong Urge to cuddle that bloody thing :)

Почему они изменили design!!!... .The старое одно смотрит более лучше :(

Почему они изменили design!!!... .The старое одно смотрит более лучше :(

You what?

i dont like it
maybe the white will look cooler in real life or we just need better renders
but sorry SA BOY you can keep it

I dont think in real life it will be white, I think Thats the Aluminum-Carbon Facade color., which will turnsout more grayish-white.

well i'd love to see a silvern color, not grey and white
you can see the other jlt towers intimated, so it will be the jlt cemtral tower on this single island

wondering what's up with indigo tower

World Trade Center Hotel, BANGKOK

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v171/chady/1-WTCHotel.jpg

Here is it's thread : http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=99342&page=5

what does it have to do with almas tower?
do you refer to post #5 in this thread

same Architecht, BBG/BBGM and also released almost sametime....and refers to Post 5.

now i like that one a lot better
why cant we have thtat in stead !

Yep thats the one I was talking about, I knew it wasnt for Dubai but for Bangkok, its good we cleared that out.

Its very beautifull building, such designs has to be made in Dubai

totally forgot to add almas to the jlt map, will do that now

:weird:

now the almas tower has 65 floors!!! before that it was 65
website has been updated as it seems

http://www.dmcc.ae/facilities_almas_tower.htm

:weird:

now the almas tower has 65 floors!!! before that it was 65
website has been updated as it seems

http://www.dmcc.ae/facilities_almas_tower.htm

hhmm u mentioned 65 twice :lol:

ooops, i meant it had 56 earlier :D
maybe they made the same mistake and it's a "typing mistake" :dunno

now that is getting decent !
that plus the roof feature and spire may really tower about the building of JLT
wil be on the tallest now given this info

Its an atkins design, If you look at the lower right you can see the start of the atkins name and logo.

This is confirmed at 350m and 4B+G+65 floors. Its a big one alright. I have great renders which Ill Post once I can scan them

with 350m for this one the spire should be 50m i guess
but what a height!

wow huge again with height
again so much above the rest of JLT

could someone update the title please

updated
sorry, so much to keep an eye on here :D

I have added 2 awesome renders to emporis but are too big to mail you dennis so could you do what you need to

this is also under construction as confirmed by the architects

lets put the height 350m into the title

here's the new render by giles :)

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/photopost/data/500/11020Almas_Tower2.jpg

oopos, forgot this one

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/photopost/data/500/11020Almas_Tower3.jpg

this one is much better shows the true height

hmmh, I think that I'm going to try draw this, just for fun... will be my first ever drawing :)

vectors, beziers, layers..., argh my head is exploding soon! :D

phew! what a project! I'm so happy to myself, this must be the best 2d picture which I have ever made :)

http://www.tp.spt.fi/~jukarkil/uae/almas_tower.jpg

very well-done mate :)

try to publish it on skyscraperpage! ask nightsky or r@ptor

Wow, these renderings are much better! Hey, dazz, did you draw that?

Wow, these renderings are much better! Hey, dazz, did you draw that?

yes (I used paint shop pro7)

phew! what a project! I'm so happy to myself, this must be the best 2d picture which I have ever made :)

http://www.tp.spt.fi/~jukarkil/uae/almas_tower.jpg


:applause:

Nice work dazz

Cool, you're really good at this, why dont you draw some of the recent finds, like those new SZR towers from CityScape. That's an amazing drawing, especially since it one of your first few!

Thats awesome mate, you should do more

Hi All,
I heard that the DMCC has started selling property on the Al Mas towers, does any one have any info at all on this matter.
Also, was wondering if this area is close to any residential areas at all?
thanks

well, it is very very likely that the almas is the central tower for the jumeirah lake towers, so there's are a lot of residential units around
nearby is:
jumeirah village
jumeirah islands
dubai marina
emirates living (greens, meadows, lakes, springs,...)
the gardens
discovery gardens
palm jumeirah

but i didn't hear about sales starting for the almas yet

hi,
yeah i got an email fromt he dmcc that they are to start selling spaces from the 8th jan onwards.
what is all of yours feelings for the whole project.
i mean, so many buildings starting at the same time, ending at the space time, catering to the same market niche....will it be too big, and fall flat on its nose, or will there actually be a good market pick up and reception for this property on the jemaria lake?
-miten shah

now it is confirmed this tower is the central jlt tower

on today's last page of gulf news classifieds al mizan real estate has an advert about indigo tower and almas tower has been marked as the central tower in this location map

Almas Tower sold out on first day of sale
DMCC has witnessed a phenomenal response with its prestigious freehold commercial property, the Almas Tower, completely selling out in just one day.


The DMCC offered businesses a 100% ownership as a free zone company and ownership of business premises on a freehold basis. Commercial space in the tower was initially limited to companies registered as DMCC members engaged in the gold, diamonds and commodities trade. Total sellable area in the Almas Tower was over 725,000 square feet and was sold over a number of clients including leading international businesses Rosy Blue, GIA, Eurostar, the Love Diamond Company, Tache and Kristall along with leading regional players Damas, Taiba and Al Romaizan within the gold and diamond sector.

Commenting on this overwhelming response, Mr. Ahmed bin Sulayem, Chief Operating Officer, DMCC said, 'The immense response is indicative of the market trust both within and outside the region in the future of Dubai as a key hub in the trade of gold, diamonds and commodities.'

David Rutledge, CEO of the DMCC, commented: 'We are thrilled by the strong interest in this property. We see this development first and foremost as an indication that our strategy to create a viable and efficient infrastructure for our member companies is working, and that market participants around the globe have recognized the future potential of Dubai as an emerging hub for the diamond, gold and commodities sectors. We will now explore additional opportunities to accommodate the increasing number of market participants interested in establishing presence in Dubai. via DMCC'

Almas Tower, meaning 'diamond' in Arabic is a 65-storey tower located at the heart of DMCC's 300-hectare development, overlooking more than 80 surrounding towers of the Jumeirah Lake Towers project. The tower was purpose-built for regional and international diamond businesses, and features vaulting facilities, advanced security and IT infrastructure, retail outlets, cafes and restaurants and business centre facilities. The tower will also become the permanent home for the Dubai Diamond Exchange.

The Dubai Metals and Commodities Centre (DMCC) was created in 2002 as part of a strategic goal by the Dubai Government to establish a commodity market. It provides the market infrastructure that brings together a wide range of commodities activities, and is committed to serve the needs of participants in the gold, diamonds and commodities markets. Residents are offered highly attractive benefits under a free zone status, including a 50-year guaranteed tax holiday, 100 percent ownership, full ownership of business premises, and secure regulated environment.

an interesting pdf

http://www.dmcc.ae/PDF/2005jan/AlmasTower_brochure_050103.pdf

2 new renders in that file, could someone make them jpegs and post them
ta
SAB

Pictures from the PDF
http://img96.exs.cx/img96/9523/almastower49kn.jpg

http://img96.exs.cx/img96/7645/almastower59kj.jpg

The images above are reduced in size, here are the same pictures at their original size:
picture 1 (http://img96.exs.cx/my.php?loc=img96&image=almastower11ij.jpg)
picture 2 (http://img96.exs.cx/my.php?loc=img96&image=almastower36yu.jpg)

thanks mate

interesting
atkins says the tower is 340m not 350m!!!!

http://www.atkins-me.com/maarifa%20issue9.pdf

I have the Atkins brochure which has 350m refferenced as the height

strange, but i guess your brochure is newer than the link i posted

Anyone have any recent construction pics?

look at the chopper photos from soennecken in jlt thread you can only see a huuuge hole actually...

Dont think Construction is really up yet so much to still do at JLT

Hmm, It's very tall atlease. But I do expected more from the centerpiece of the whole project. I mean, All surrounding towers are so beautiful and dominating except it's self....:(

Clearly the construction end date in Trances' first post is wrong :)

Nakheel has released construction tenders for the USD136 mln - 360 metres office tower called Al-Mas tower at Jumeirah Lake Towers (JLT)

The office tower will be the tallest building in the JLT development.
The 20-month contract is calling for the construction of a 64-storey tower, superstructure, finishings, parking and related facilities over a total built-up area of 150,000 square metres.
The high-rise will house the headquarters of the Dubai Metals & Commodities Centre (DMCC).
The project manager is the UK’s Faith & Gould.
UK's Atkins is the design consultant.

btw there won't be floors in that huge kinda roof feature? because i wonder how this one could reach 350m with only 64 floors then.
i guess the top floor is about 270 m high?

what confuses me is there still is the 360m in talks
and the atkins brochure says 340m http://www.atkins-me.com/maarifa%20issue9.pdf

we at emporis say 350m

well I had a brochure from Atkins stating 350. the marketing guys always get things wrong

ok, let's leave it at that
maybe we'll get a very reliable source

i wonder how will the dimond exchange will look like ? i hope it will be better that the former one

Nice design, but the spire is too mighty in such a size. Anyway, the location is really nice, as well as the star-like entrance building at the ground level.

DMCC launches Almas

Dubai

The Dubai Metals and Commodities Centre (DMCC) has launched the Dh499.5 million ($136 million) 64-storey, highly secure Almas Tower for regional and international diamond communities.

It will also be home to the Dubai Diamond Exchange.
Almas, which means diamond in Arabic, is located at the heart of DMCC’s 300-hectare development, overlooking more than 80 surrounding towers of the Jumeirah Lake Towers.
The exchange facilities, situated on the second floor, will offer a modern and relaxing atmosphere with advanced security. The latest hardware (including CCTV and PTZ cameras, electronic access control and intrusion detection technology) is complemented by the expert application of security management systems and well-trained personnel to ensure the highest level of security.
IT infrastructure is fitted with an integral telephone/data network, with each office provided with independent Cat6 UTP horizontal cabling connected to a wall/ceiling-mounted office consolidation point.
Retail outlets, cafes and restaurants and all necessary facilities including a diamond vault for the trade are other facilities on offer. The exchange facilities will also include an exclusive club lounge accessible from the 47th floor sky lobby, adding an additional level of security, a serviced business centre and dining facilities for diamond exchange traders and members. The superstructure, finishing, parking and related facilities cover a total built-up area of 150,000 sq m.
The tower – due for completion in 2006 – accommodates four levels of basement car parking serviced by four lifts to the main entrance lobby and 22 passenger lifts.

The tower – due for completion in 2006

Ready in 2006 O_O
NEVER !

i guess all the completion dates in JLT are a little bit far fetched...

How the hell do they expect it to be finished by 2006 when not even one floor is up. :weirdo:

it indeed is very strange as most of the jlt towers are scheduled to be finished in 2007
how can a tower twice as tall as the jlt towers be finished one year earlier???

make it 2008, it will be the last tower to be completed

The Dubai Metals and Commodities Center (DMCC) and Nakheel, the project manager for Almas Tower, recently awarded the construction contract of the tower to Taisei Corporation of Japan. The tower will be purpose-built to cater to the specific needs of the diamond industry and will house the Dubai Diamond Exchange, the only diamond exchange in the region.


The 65-floor tower will also accommodate offices of leading banks, insurance companies, security companies, major international auction houses and educational institutes.

"The Almas Tower is set to become one of the most stunning structures in Dubai and will be the base for several prominent companies. This made it extremely vital to choose a renowned construction company like Taisei Corporation who could fully meet our requirements," said Ahmed bin Sulayem, Chief Operating Officer, DMCC.

"The Almas Tower will be the highest office tower in the region, and a unique addition to Dubai's skyline. The tower will house all leading international and regional players in the diamond sector in a single state-of-the-art facility, and will considerably boost Dubai's profile in the global diamond industry," he added.

"Use of cutting-edge technology in construction and design has been the hallmark of Taisei over the years," said Tatsuya Sugawara, Manager, Marketing and Business Development, Taisei Corporation.

"We have a highly experienced and skilled team of engineers and designers who are committed to achieving international quality standards in their work. Taisei is pleased to have been awarded this contract and to be associated with a prestigious project like the Almas Tower."

The Dubai Metals and Commodities Centre is a government initiative that integrates the refining, manufacturing and trading of gold in Dubai, while introducing the trading of other precious metals.

Taisei to build Almas Tower

Dubai Metals and Commodities Centre and Nakheel, which is project manager for the 65-storey Almas Tower, has awarded the construction contract to Taisei Corporation of Japan. The landmark building will cater to the specific needs of the diamond industry and will house the Dubai Diamond Exchange, the only diamond exchange in the region.

finally my favorite building will be under construction!

big news indeed


Japan firm wins Almas Tower deal
Posted: Saturday, July 16, 2005








Dubai


Japan's Taisei Corp has won the contract to build the Almas Tower, a purpose-built building for the diamond industry, a report said.


Dubai Metals and Commodities Centre (DMCC) and Nakheel, who has been named project manager for Almas Tower, announced the decision, said the Gulf News report.

The 65-storey tower will house the Dubai Diamond Exchange, the only diamond exchange in the region.

It will accommodate offices of leading banks, insurance companies, security companies, major international auction houses and educational institutes.

Taisei is a member of the Marubeni-led consortium of companies.

July 19, 2005 - the board

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a8/sahmad/9fa27d9f.jpg

great
it will be a pleasure to see this one soon overtaking anything else in jlt

excited about when we can see it coming out

that crane in the background is it for almas tower?

Taisei wins construction contract for new diamond exchange tower

Taisei Corporation has won the main construction package on the 65-storey Almas Tower, which will house the Dubai Diamond Exchange.
It is claimed the structure will be the highest office tower in the region.
Nakheel is project manager for the development that is
being promoted by the Dubai Metals and Commodities Centre (DMCC).
The landmark tower will be purpose-built to cater to the specific needs of the diamond industry and will house the
only diamond exchange in
the region.
“The Almas Tower is set
to become one of the most stunning structures in Dubai and will be the base for several prominent companies. This made it extremely vital to choose a renowned construction company like Taisei.
http://www.itp.net/business/news/details.php?id=16872&category=construction

Nothng new in this article really
http://www.itp.net/pictures/news/nakheel-tower-body.jpg

a serious stunner~~!!


:cool:

So it's black now? I think the silver design looks way better.

So it's black now? I think the silver design looks way better.

the render is just too dark!

oh yes.
i would like it in black as well with the blue light.
but will need a lot of energy to stay cool then :D

is that ment to be night ender or some thing
the blue light not even sure that whats it means in this render

Great Render

Am I the only one who thinks the design culda been better considering its supposed to be a 350m landmark tower?

it is a stunner Krazy .. but depending from which angel ur looking at it .. compaire the 2 renders

Am I the only one who thinks the design culda been better considering its supposed to be a 350m landmark tower?
YEAh you are the only one .... hwo can u not like this amazing building which looks like the perfume i bought for my friend.... its smell was okay but i loved the bottle

Tower that looks like a perfume bottle ?
Though that was Park Place LOL !

Tower that looks like a perfume bottle ?
Though that was Park Place LOL !
Park Place's design was taken from a perfume bottle not almas :D

Definitelly a night render

:D nice short tower , isnt it ?

As some people were saying in another section of the forum, there are only 30-35 towers in the world that "short", either build or under construction. :D

is this tower approved or under construction??

approved will be U/c soon

They have already awarded the contract to a Japanese company, so I would think the piling should be compleated by now, and if that is the case; this tower is under construction.

To bad the site can be seen only from the air, and we don't have a magic flying carpet to check it out.

are choppers allowed over the city? it was forbidden i think?
otherwise i would do that during xmas.

well, the sign is there
the main contract has been awarded
all plots are under c

it must be at ground work right now

sure they are allowed

u sure abt that?
i heard "public" used choppers aren't.

I was asking the question too.
to but there are chimerical liences
as unless you have you own chopper dubaiflo you dont need to worry about "public"

who knows hehe :D
ok then i will go for that during xmas

So whats the status of this one? im sure it above ground now

One thing is for sure: it's not above ground.

There are some machineries where this tower might be, but you can't be for sure. You nead to see it from a elevated position to understand what's really going on on the site, provided you know where to look for it.

spoke to the architects at cityscape who assure me its U/C, apparently it has a massive base and basement and is taking time to get up

so still ground work and stuff, not rising.

is this sold out yet?

sold out within a week after the launch in spring

want some confusion?

here we go
al abbar has won a contract and they say the tower is 370m :D


Client:
Nakheel

Consultant:
WS Atkins & Partners


Project Manager
Faithful & Gould

Main Contractor
Taisei Corporation

Award Date:
October 2005

Building Type:
3 Storey Podium
Taller Tower 67 Storey and 370 m high
Smaller Tower 56 Storey and 250 m high


Major Scope:

AL ABBAR Standard 4-Sided Structural Glazed 'Unitized' Curtain Wall System, approx. 28,941 m2
AL ABBAR Standard 2-Sided Structural Glazed
'Stick' Curtain Wall System, approx. 8,333 m2
4mm Thick Aluminium Composite Cladding AL-CLAD (Mitsubishi, Japan), approx. 38,642 m2
AL ABBAR Standard Aluminium Glazed Skylights, 3 Nos.
AL ABBAR Standard Point Fix Structural Glass, approx. 312 m2

i don't care as long as it is taller than we think.
but 64F and 370m that almost too tall. spire/roof doesn't look that tall.

what is the 56storey/250m tower?

it looks like one structure consisting of 2 buildings

reason for this could be a huge podium, high floors and a roof and spire larger than the renders shows :dunno:

So this will undergo a complete redesign then, since it's now 2 towers.

no
the desing is still the same and it always looked like it's 2 towers

what they mean is, the green and the white part
as they are connected it is one structure and one tower only

http://www.alabbargroup.com/images/20051012/almas02.jpg

obviously.
still this cannot be 370m with only 64f and that mid-size spire?!

Like Emirates Tower with just 55f and same "moderate" spire isn't 355m

c'mon ET have a way bigger roof feature, and if the white part of almas is 64F then the spire must be 100m tall!!

I waz gonna say the thing..... emirates towers is only 55 floors and look at it. how can we know how big the roof feature is for almas without having seen the insdies... maybe wot u see from outside may look like regular floors but maybe something else inside.. get my point?

I like the 370 meter version.
Hope it goes through.

I waz gonna say the thing..... emirates towers is only 55 floors and look at it. how can we know how big the roof feature is for almas without having seen the insdies... maybe wot u see from outside may look like regular floors but maybe something else inside.. get my point?


ok i do get your point but see if it is right what D-L says and the white part is 64F while the green is 250m 56F then the roof feature does more or less consist of spire only!!we will see.
370m is not impossible but it sounds very tall

Any chance for some pics?

you can be sure
if the site was accessible we already had updates
but unfortunately none of the jlot sites is accessible

we have to be patient to see the most massive tower coming up in the background

I only asked because over at SSP they want some proof of it being under construction.

c'mon don't care abt those idiots.
did you show em the other 7 300m+ (or 1000f + for them in case they don't know what metres are) UC here? :bash:

Show them the article thats says that the contractor was awarded

obviously.
still this cannot be 370m with only 64f and that mid-size spire?!

But ET is 355 with only 55f, this 64 one is very likely to be that tall

ET has a huuuge roof feature and 50m spire.

c'mon don't care abt those idiots.
did you show em the other 7 300m+ (or 1000f + for them in case they don't know what metres are) UC here? :bash:
Well, the reason is that they had 4 towers as "on hold". Those are the torch, 23 marina, ocean heights and this one. 23 marina's clearly U/C so they changed that after showing them the latest pic. BTW it was R@ptor who I talked to and I'm not sure you know but he's drawn a load of diagrams for this city. He's a mod over at SSP I think.

yes he is
however, now this one is never ever "on hold" (stupid, no tower here is "on hold")
the torch wasn't "on hold" as well it was approved now it should be UC.
same with OH, ok that one could be called on hold but not any longer.
and 23 marina is UC right.

read the last paragraph



JLT fronts up against JBR with 78 towers to be built by 2008

http://www.itp.net/pictures/features/98proj200.gif
Saba Tower 1: The first freehold office block under construction in Dubai, is currently the tallest building on the Jumeirah Lake Towers plot. A total of 78 high-rise towers on the development are due to be completed by 2008.
One of the most striking aspects of Dubai’s Jumeirah Lake Towers (JLT) is the sheer scale of construction activity.

Located between Interchanges Five and Six on the Sheikh Zayed Road, Nakheel’s JLT will eventually be home to 78 high-rise towers spread over 26 plots of land. Construction work is now underway on almost 80% of these plots, which has created significant site access challenges.

So when Arabian Construction Company (ACC) was awarded the construction of Saba Tower 1, along with Saba 2 and 3 twin-towers at JLT, careful planning and scheduling was needed.

The US $46.2 million (AED170 million) Saba Tower 1 is the first freehold office project in Dubai and is currently the tallest structure in JLT. The design is for three basement floors, plus ground, plus 36 storeys — construction has now reached floor number 30 out of the final 40.

The project is due for completion in March 2006 when it will be handed over to the client, Saba Real Estate.

Saba 2 and 3 are residential towers and are scheduled for completion in September 2006. They will also be 40 storeys-high incorporating four basements, a ground floor plus 35 storeys. Construction has reached floor number 12 on the core, and slab number three.

The height of all three towers will be 150 m, and the consultant and engineer on the project is RMJM. All the 78 towers in JLT need to be ready by 2008.

According to Mahir Al Chalabi, project manager at ACC, one of the main challenges faced so far is the tight duration of the project: “We’re completing three 40-storey buildings in 18 months, when normally this type of tower project would take [approximately] 22 months.”

Hassan Auji, general manager at ACC agrees: “It’s a tight schedule but we’re used to working under this kind of pressure. To get around it we’ve had to increase the working hours.”

The summer daytime working ban during July and August was an issue for the project: “The ban affected us a lot because we lost four hours a day during the lunchtime and this needed to be recovered,” said Auji. “While we observed the regulations fully, at the end of the day we still have a schedule to deliver so we had to adjust the programme to accommodate this stoppage.”

Another challenge is coordinating the construction work with the infrastructure work that is also taking place: “It can be difficult and requires coordination of the materials delivery,” he adds.

According to Auji, having a thorough procurement schedule
for the project is helping them to meet targets: “The procurement scheduling for materials began the day we signed the contract — from reinforcement and readymix concrete right through to waterproofing and formwork.

“Dealing with sub-contractors for procurement within the local market can be problematic because they’re so busy, especially when it comes to timber and cladding,” says Auji. “When you send out the tenders, half of them will decline. And if you do get a price, you wait in the queue.”

Another crucial factor is taking into account the lead times for internationally-sourced materials. For example, the marble used on Saba 1 was imported from Canada and Brazil, but was then sent to China for cutting and polishing before being delivered to the construction site in Dubai.

Scheduling is crucial to ensure the approval, availability and delivery of materials to JLT is all done on time. All this involves careful planning and coordinating with Nakheel, the authorities and the project management to ensure the process runs smoothly.

“A lot of details need to move in parallel,” says Auji, “which is not easy because the site is so congested with other contractors, developers and infrastructure [development].
But as long as we have an access, there’s no problem.”

The level of activity at JLT is certainly keeping the ACC team on their toes: “At one point on Saba 1 we had to move our site offices to inside the building to make way for a road that was being built straight through the site,” says Auji.

Climbing formwork from Doka is being used to accelerate the floor cycle on all three towers, which is currently standing at five days. “Now we’ve reached a certain height on Saba 1 we have been forced to upgrade our plant equipment and to change the craneage,” says Al Chalabi. Potain cranes with a placing boom are now being used to deliver the concrete.

Subsequent upgrades to Saba 1 meant ACC had to alter some of the methodology of construction: “The client wanted to increase the clearance height throughout the building from 2.5 m to 2.7 m — we had to change the methodology of construction from cast in-situ to post-tensioning to accommodate this change,” explains Auji. “It took some time to get approved by JAFZA (Jebel Ali Free Zone Authority), but we did it.

“Usually when we undertake a job the client asks us to do value engineering to reduce the price,” he continues. “But this client is making upgrades to improve the end-product such as changing the marble in the lobby in Saba 1 from 1 m high to the entire wall, which will double the price of the finish.”

According to Behrouz Javaheri, chairman, Saba Real Estate, quality is the watchword for all three Saba towers: “There’s a lot of talk in this town about some of the construction here using shoddy materials, so we’re creating something of exceptional quality.

“We’re using materials that you will hardly ever find in this market; most of the materials are manufactured in Europe and most are custom-made,” he adds.

From the doors (which are all custom-made in Germany), to the lighting fixtures, gypsums, marbles and Villeroy & Boch sanitary ware, Javaheri says the finishes on Saba 1 in particular will be of the highest standard: “Saba Tower 1 will be the first tower delivery in Jumeirah Lakes in 2006 so we’re using the opportunity to establish our name for the future,” he says.

As the three Saba towers edge towards their completion dates, the frenetic pace of activity on site shows no sign of letting up. “There are currently [approximately] 700 ACC employees working on the three tower projects; 1500 [including] the sub-contractors,” says Auji.

And their work at JLT doesn’t stop there: ACC is also working on the 72-storey Al Mas tower (the Diamond tower) in a joint venture with Taisei. The 26-month job is currently at the foundation stage. Once complete, the 365 m-high tower will become the tallest building in JLT.

365m \o/

that's 10m taller than the Emirates Office Tower :)

i think the 72 storeys includes basement levels as they did the same with the saba towers in this article

but the height? that's the 3rd number we get :D

October 2005

Piling Completed; Excavation at the centre core is complete and piles are trimmed; Partial blinding has commenced; Excavation is 70% complete.
The construction of the Almas Tower is anticipated to be complete towards the end of June 2007.

http://www.dmcc.ae/images/progress_almas_oct.jpg

November 2005


Piling, ramp access to excavation raft level and excavation at the centre core are 100% complete.
80% of excavation at Pile caps is completed. 70% of Piles cut is completed.
Blinding at Pile caps is in-progress, concreting to raft slab commencing this month.

http://www.dmcc.ae/images/progress_almas_nov.jpg

impressive! :runaway:

Look at the size of those trucks! This site is enormous!

http://www.tp.spt.fi/~jukarkil/uae/almas_tower_site

Finally it's starting after 1 year and a half wait ! Great update, thanks dazz :-)

great and it has been a long wait for this one

Time for me to tell those guys on SSP

Tag gerettet sag ich mal :drunk:

THX for the pics dazz

nice!!! :)

This tower has a huge podium structure.

It's so nice to finally see what's going on there.

have been waiting for this for ages
very impressive

no surprise we couldn't see anything, looks like a crater

now let's see how many floors per week :D

FINALLY
maybe end of the year and we will see this rising minute by minute.
time to bring back that world forums almas tower thread.

Can someone please add the construction pics to emporis!!! :wallbash:

^ What's your fixation with updating EMPORIS database???

In emporis you can see all the u/c pictures of every building on one site.

Very clearly!!

^^ It's the same here though

Stephen's right. Although here the pictures are the same and updated
quicker it is much easier to compare progress on Emporis without
having to scroll through tons of posts.

Plus, we want to overtake cities like Chicago (who absurdly have 500 pictures on 1 building) with the number of construction photos.

First THX to 'TowerPower'. Love you :-)

I hope it breakes ground soon!! Can't wait!!

i can't upload these photos
they don't belong to any of us
need permission for that, except renderings

Can anyone shot other pics and give the to D-L!!!!

how the heck would you like to take pictures of the almas foundation :weirdo:

perhaps if i stand on dennis's sholders i will be tall enough to see into JLT and take a photo.

Hi I´am from Argentina and i want to know more about the construccion there in Dubai. I love that city, it´s fantastic. but i can´t find new phothos of the buildings´construccion. Please if you have some recently photos of different buildings (as the palms...the world..dubai marina...Jumeirah Lake Towers...etc...) put in these thread. Thanks.

i can´t find new phothos of the buildings´construccion. Please if you have some recently photos of different buildings (as the palms...the world..dubai marina...Jumeirah Lake Towers...etc...) put in these thread. Thanks.

are you joking? :D

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/forumdisplay.php?f=457

if the tower is under construction: "UNDER C" in the name of the thread then there will be u/c photos of that tower... (almost always)

When is the first floor done????

i saw the hole today from up close... all i gotta say is it's HUGE :eek:

The core has started to rise and there is shit load of steel everywhere. Sorry my camera ran outta batteries :(

But I can say confidently this one will be above ground level in less than a month's time for sure

oh amazing, have you been to the site?
great news .thanks!

yup i was there today, right next to it.

Great news!!:D

i saw the hole today from up close... all i gotta say is it's HUGE :eek:

The core has started to rise and there is shit load of steel everywhere. Sorry my camera ran outta batteries :(

But I can say confidently this one will be above ground level in less than a month's time for sure


Thanks a lot Krazy. Maybe you can shoot a photo the next time. :runaway:

as i told u guys.... it's rising. i have more pics from the site.. but no time to post right now... will try to post in the next day or two inshallah

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a8/sahmad/85c6fe9d.jpg

huge thing, monster site. can't wait to see first floors rising.

thank you so much. amazing.

more pictures as promised... if someone could make a panoramic out of the first three images that'd be great...

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e357/sahmad1/23fff56b.jpg

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e357/sahmad1/cfc61bac.jpg

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e357/sahmad1/d952c8f5.jpg

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e357/sahmad1/84d562c6.jpg

great updates

and damn this is one massive tower :eek:

make sure to upload these to emporis when you have time

H-U-G-E :)

thanks a lot to abu dhabi boy for making panoramic...

http://img70.imageshack.us/img70/25/aaaaaaaaa4zi.jpg

from the air by volker

the circular hole is almas

http://i1.tinypic.com/n2h2c7.jpg

Which direction was this taken from, is that Jumeriah Islands on the top of the photo?

sheikh zayed road is towards the bottom of the picture so yes jumeirah islands would be towards the top right

Yep, as I tought, thanks

I'm quite sure that the massive white formwork sticking above the ground, and visible from SZR, was the core of Almas Tower. :cheers:

(I drive alongside JLT twice daily so I'm familiar with the aerea)

Some days gone. Which floor??

The core is some 2 floors above ground at least.

From Property Weekly:

http://i1.tinypic.com/ohin3a.jpg

Picture seams to be at least 1 week old.

this one shud rise fast now

from the air by volker

the circular hole is almas

http://i1.tinypic.com/n2h2c7.jpg
cant wait for the lakes of JLT to be flooded, then we will see the real contrast between plots and water

which contrast? ;)

well you can already spot the outlines, the round shaped walls around the plots..

what round shaped walls??

http://i1.tinypic.com/oielfs.jpg
btw something which really pisses me off is that the plot directly facing lake terrace is not yet UC..
NOTHING!

Almas Shmalmas

the lake is gonna be so narrow and small.... cant really call it a "lake"... more like a swimming pool or a pond

well it is not thaaat small, keep in mind the size of the buildings

but it is in no way as wide as the marina.

25/02/2006

http://i1.tinypic.com/ojhxs9.jpg

btw something which really pisses me off is that the plot directly facing lake terrace is not yet UC..
NOTHING!

What pisses me off is that ALMAS is VERY VERY close to Lake Terrace.

also true, and thinking of this is the only plot which reaches that far in the lake it is even more crappy. :bash:

the core looks rather unusal btw, i expected a more square shaped one for the tower.
i guess we will be rather surprised of the look of this tower.

yippie
it's coming above ground

and it's growing at a good speed
compare to krazy's pics from around jan 25

the core looks rather unusal btw, i expected a more square shaped one for the tower

Might have something to do with the underground diamond vaults

Its nice to have JLT right next to the Marina....coz it just makes the Marina look even better!

Naa, im only joking. The towers look great, and it will compliment the Marina area well. The Marina has the slight edge though!

The project board is up and the central core is on the 4th level or even higher. No sign yet of the rest of the tower comming over ground though.

Immerhin!!!

NO pics available???

BTW we need photos of the whole JLT!!!!!!

15/04/2006

http://i3.tinypic.com/vol5ae.jpg

Not visible on the pic, but the rest of the tower has broken ground also.

another monster ready to rise
the core looks rather small though for such a big tower

old update, but anyway...

http://i3.tinypic.com/w15ytj.jpg
March 2006

Tower Area Status:

Jump form at core wall is currently at 3rd floor
Tower wings pouring slabs at B3 (Basement 3) and decking at B2
Vertical elements B2 – B1 in progress


Podium Area Status:

Raft construction now complete with exception of small section to north access
Pre–cast and In Situ suspended slabs B3, B2 progressing and vertical elements at B3, B2
Retaining wall poured up to B2
Waterproofing in progress at retaining wall

http://i3.tinypic.com/wwbv5c.jpg

http://i2.tinypic.com/wwdk48.jpg
April 2006

Tower Area Status:

Jump form at core wall is currently at 5th floor
Tower wings pouring slabs at B1 (Basement 1) and decking at ground level
Steel columns erected at columns ground to 2nd floor


Podium Area Status:

Raft construction now complete with exception of small section to North access (Zone 12) expected time of completion mid – May’06
Pre – cast and In Situ suspended slabs B2, B1 progressing and vertical elements at B1, ground level.
Retaining wall rebar works in progress at B1
Waterproofing in progress at retaining wall

huge basement there :eek:

http://tk.files.storage.msn.com/x1pYZOgdU3kBJgggi6dibx545Vxb0MXi9dg57NsxPI1HiNozexqDGtWuqhULt3pHWWjWyG9ArZtfoOhNb-Ww8Ypmdx05ZHt-YJ7U6TD7jio_JtxEbD2B7vChOg02f_VVOwIi6DT-d6vV7k

http://tk.files.storage.msn.com/x1pYZOgdU3kBJgggi6dibx540eDtZ1zzSh4aO996ZzkTml0XHqgQkcVKlsF0wBgcuOvwfU5Rv8NxkuMjxvtFTiExbM1YR84ySiqLQefWVT61G4EI0_wTHRFTnyKCWSzKWltLPNY2wXhAPk

One of the greatest towers in Dubai, pity it'll probably go unnoticed

it will stick out in JLT, and it will be a very important Com tower, so it will be noticed :D

the concrete slab is round on this one?

How could it not be noticed? it will be the tallest building in the JLT complex.

is the tower made of steel? because i saw huge beams surrounding the core today, like rose tower started

it might be the tallest in JLT but it will be eclipsed by the supertalls of marina

Yeah, I saw the steel beams as well; definitelly a steel building.

which means it will be faaaaaast :D

Expect 60 floors at 9 months

expect it to come up very fast
damn, this one has one hell of a basement
no surprise it took so long until now

The basement will contain the underground vaults to store all the diamonds, thats why it took so long to build

21/05/2006

http://i4.tinypic.com/10cqbe8.jpg

So has risen 2 floors since may 1st. Will probably pick up speed now.

yeah it will take some time until they reached the usual floors.

nevertheless this one could be slower, thinking of the unusual and massive shape.

May 2006

Tower Area Status:


* Jump form @ core wall is currently at 6th floor
* Tower wings pouring slabs @ B1 (Basement 1) and reinforcement @ ground level. Expected Ground level pouring on 18/05/2006
* Steel columns erected @ columns ground to 2nd floor

Podium Area Status:


* Raft construction now complete with exception of small section to North access (Zone 12) expected time of completion on 20/05/2006.
* Pre – cast and In Situ suspended slabs B2, B1 progressing and vertical elements @ B1, ground level.
* Retaining wall rebar works in progress @ B1
* Waterproofing in progress @ retaining wall

http://www.dmcc.ae/images/may2006.jpg

1 floor a week. That's ok at the moment. I think they working faster in the future.

28/05/2006

http://i4.tinypic.com/10z30c0.jpg

large render

http://img105.imageshack.us/img105/7872/almastower4ob.jpg

I never expected the JLT plots to be so close together. I thought there would be a little more space in between.

it does not really matter since the layout is in triangle shape.

however the lake could be a bit wider.

Hmmm... i have been looking at quite a lot of threads here and this is a really good site and some excellent information come through. The only problem is that the same people are saying the same things in different threads over and over again.
For example, Naz just talks at how good the Marina although from his profile he lives in the UK. Dubaiflo and Krazy just complain about the size of the JLT lake and thats about it! We get your point so lets move on a little.

^^ LOL!

never knew i posted 10640 comments about the JLT puddle.

Any constructionpictures from
this beautiful building? :master: :master: :master:

This is a very beautiful building! :) :runaway:

Any updates on this one ?

08/07/2006

http://i6.tinypic.com/1zeks4p.jpg

http://i6.tinypic.com/1zeksv5.jpg

:eek2:

it has risen quite fast.

look at this massive structure, and the huuuge core.

awesome.

finally some news ! Thanks !