Concrete work on the Dubai Uptown Tower reached its 329 meter peak in January 2022. The tower itself will reach a final height of 340 metres. The Dubai branch of BESIX Group is responsible for the detailed engineering and construction of this exceptional skyscraper, which is developed by Dubai Multi Commodities Center (DMCC), the client, and was designed by the architectural firm Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture. The works are being carried out under the supervisory management of Turner International Middle East, with WSP and Wood-Baggot as structural/technical and architectural consultants respectively.
David De Visscher, Resident Manager UAE for BESIX-Six Construct: “BESIX Group is extremely proud to be part of this project and very pleased that we are now reaching structural topping out as well as 90% of façade completion which is demonstrating once again our engineering and construction management expertise.”
The tower will be completed and delivered to DMCC in autumn 2022.
Engineering
Based on the initial structural design, BESIX Group introduced a large amount of cost and time saving Value Engineering elements and was further responsible for the detailed engineering and methodology of the Uptown Tower. In particular, BESIX Group's in-house design office contributed to geotechnical and structural studies, the development of BIM models, the design and construction of the façade, and the development of planning and methods. BESIX Engineering is also assisting the operational teams, their active collaboration ensuring the operational excellence of the construction process which started at the end of 2019.
Digitalisation & Sustainability
The construction process of the Dubai Uptown Tower is also an example of digitalisation and sustainability.
For example, the BESIX Group teams were the first in the world to use robotic solutions such as the Schindler R.I.S.E., an autonomous, self-climbing robot that carries out preparation and installation work in the lift shafts, in a supertall skyscraper.
In terms of sustainability, BESIX Group and its partner Enerwhere have installed the world's largest solar installation on a construction site in the world, producing 540 kW of power largely contributing to the site’s overall power needs.
Safety
The safety record on the Dubai Uptown Tower project is a clear demonstration of the priority that BESIX Group gives to worker safety on its construction sites. In June 2021, for example, the company reached 10 million hours of safe work without a lost time incident (LTI) on the project. At the end of 2021 the site was holding the exceptional record of 14 million manhours without lost time incident.
Skyscraper expertise
BESIX Group has contributed to the design and construction of many first-class skyscrapers in the Middle East, Europe, Australia and Africa. These include the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest tower.
In 2022, in addition to the Dubai Uptown Tower, BESIX Group is designing and building some of the world's most emblematic skyscrapers, including the Tour Triangle in Paris (France), the F Tower in Abidjan (Ivory Coast), the Mohammed VI Tower in Rabat (Morocco) and the POST Tower in Rotterdam and the Grotius Towers in The Hague (The Netherlands).