Abu Dhabi's skyline has begun sprouting the type of towers that help put a city on the world map.
Not only is this new generation of buildings taller and slicker than the glass edifices of yesteryear, they include features that would make them stand out in any metropolis.
The entire Capital Gate building, part of the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, tilts at an angle of 18 degrees. This is more than 14 degrees further than the leaning tower of Pisa, which leans by accident, not design.
And the new Abu Dhabi Investment Council building, which is under construction on the Eastern Ring Road, will feature a "diaphanous screen that envelops the most exposed aspect of the building in the form of a dynamic 'Mashrabiya', opening and closing in response to the sun's path", according to a description from the architect Aedas.
Builders are also at work on the tallest structures in the city's history as they seek to increase density in the downtown areas to accommodate the population growth that is forecast in the Abu Dhabi Plan 2030.
"It corresponds with what Abu Dhabi has been trying to do in these last few years to become recognised globally," says Yasser Elsheshtawy, a professor of architecture at UAE University who has been studying Abu Dhabi's architecture and development.
Prof Elsheshtawy points to the two Central Market towers from Aldar Properties that have become some of the tallest in the capital as an example of the effect of new buildings.
At more than 370 metres tall, they can be seen by pedestrians throughout the downtown area. The residential building, which is the taller of the two, will comprise 88 floors, making it one of the tallest residential towers in the world.
"They are becoming very visible now as you walk around the centre of the city," Prof Elsheshtawy says, adding that the new buildings are a stark contrast to the older ones around Abu Dhabi that rarely rise more than 20 storeys.
One of the capital's very first new landmark towers was completed in 2006, with the delivery of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority headquarters on the Corniche. Its wavy design by Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates became the backdrop for countless photos of Abu Dhabi to illustrate the wealth of the emirate and its growing ambitions.
Meanwhile, Dubai was becoming known for its architectural exuberance with buildings such as the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building, and other projects. There were at least three designs in Dubai for buildings that rotate, giving occupants 360-degree views of the area.
Many of the more ambitious designs in Dubai have been scrapped after the onset of the global financial downturn. In Abu Dhabi, too, developers have put some projects on hold and have redesigned others to reduce costs in the slower market.
David Dudley, the head of the Abu Dhabi office of the property consultancy Jones Lang LaSalle, says that one challenge of these "trophy buildings" is that they will be "delivered to the market at a time of a major increase in supply and increasing competition among developers".
This means interesting designs will not be enough for commercial developers to make a profit on their projects, Mr Dudley says.
"In this increasingly competitive environment, the most successful projects will be those where the developer can deliver all the key aspects of truly Grade A real estate on competitive lease terms," he says.
"Location will remain fundamentally important but other key factors will include securing the very best anchor tenants, ensuring efficient access and car parking, and delivering international-grade technical specifications.
"[This will ensure] efficient and functional floorplates and building design, ensuring high-quality common areas, committing to international quality asset management, as well as offering flexibility on lease terms."
The new Aldar headquarters near Al Raha Beach, shaped like a coin on its side, is an example of these issues. The building is in a new area of Abu Dhabi and is surrounded by construction sites.
Despite intense interest from prospective tenants early last year, the building has only been half leased and the company is looking at ways to draw in more companies.
While some of the new, dramatic buildings are the headquarters for Abu Dhabi companies, they will also rent space to tenants. The new International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC) building along Muroor Road will rise to 35 storeys then descend in a series of structures.
According to a prospectus, IPIC will use only a quarter of the space and lease out the rest.
These taller buildings are also meant to serve a population that could grow to 3.1 million in the next two decades from about 1 million today, according to the Abu Dhabi Plan 2030.
The Urban Planning Council acts as an overseer of the plans of individual developers to build towers, reconciling the effects on the look of the city, population growth and the commercial interests of companies.
"It is a balancing act in this current market to get that right," says Jason Kroll, a vice president at the consultancy AECOM in Abu Dhabi. "It's about aligning the long-term vision of Abu Dhabi with the developers own needs."
bhope@thenational.ae
Ireland v Denmark: The last two years
Denmark 1-1 Ireland
7/06/19, Euro 2020 qualifier
Denmark 0-0 Ireland
19/11/2018, Nations League
Ireland 0-0 Denmark
13/10/2018, Nations League
Ireland 1 Denmark 5
14/11/2017, World Cup qualifier
Denmark 0-0 Ireland
11/11/2017, World Cup qualifier
Types of fraud
Phishing: Fraudsters send an unsolicited email that appears to be from a financial institution or online retailer. The hoax email requests that you provide sensitive information, often by clicking on to a link leading to a fake website.
Smishing: The SMS equivalent of phishing. Fraudsters falsify the telephone number through “text spoofing,” so that it appears to be a genuine text from the bank.
Vishing: The telephone equivalent of phishing and smishing. Fraudsters may pose as bank staff, police or government officials. They may persuade the consumer to transfer money or divulge personal information.
SIM swap: Fraudsters duplicate the SIM of your mobile number without your knowledge or authorisation, allowing them to conduct financial transactions with your bank.
Identity theft: Someone illegally obtains your confidential information, through various ways, such as theft of your wallet, bank and utility bill statements, computer intrusion and social networks.
Prize scams: Fraudsters claiming to be authorised representatives from well-known organisations (such as Etisalat, du, Dubai Shopping Festival, Expo2020, Lulu Hypermarket etc) contact victims to tell them they have won a cash prize and request them to share confidential banking details to transfer the prize money.
* Nada El Sawy
Name: Peter Dicce
Title: Assistant dean of students and director of athletics
Favourite sport: soccer
Favourite team: Bayern Munich
Favourite player: Franz Beckenbauer
Favourite activity in Abu Dhabi: scuba diving in the Northern Emirates
World Test Championship table
1 India 71 per cent
2 New Zealand 70 per cent
3 Australia 69.2 per cent
4 England 64.1 per cent
5 Pakistan 43.3 per cent
6 West Indies 33.3 per cent
7 South Africa 30 per cent
8 Sri Lanka 16.7 per cent
9 Bangladesh 0
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League, last 16, first leg
Tottenham Hotspur v Borussia Dortmund, midnight (Thursday), BeIN Sports
Fixtures:
Wed Aug 29 – Malaysia v Hong Kong, Nepal v Oman, UAE v Singapore
Thu Aug 30 - UAE v Nepal, Hong Kong v Singapore, Malaysia v Oman
Sat Sep 1 - UAE v Hong Kong, Oman v Singapore, Malaysia v Nepal
Sun Sep 2 – Hong Kong v Oman, Malaysia v UAE, Nepal v Singapore
Tue Sep 4 - Malaysia v Singapore, UAE v Oman, Nepal v Hong Kong
Thu Sep 6 – Final
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Vault%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJune%202023%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECo-founders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EBilal%20Abou-Diab%20and%20Sami%20Abdul%20Hadi%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAbu%20Dhabi%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ELicensed%20by%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Abu%20Dhabi%20Global%20Market%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EInvestment%20and%20wealth%20advisory%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%241%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EOutliers%20VC%20and%20angel%20investors%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E14%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Cry Macho
Director: Clint Eastwood
Stars: Clint Eastwood, Dwight Yoakam
Rating:**
HAJJAN
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20Abu%20Bakr%20Shawky%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cbr%3EStarring%3A%20Omar%20Alatawi%2C%20Tulin%20Essam%2C%20Ibrahim%20Al-Hasawi%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cbr%3ERating%3A%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
THE BIG THREE
NOVAK DJOKOVIC
19 grand slam singles titles
Wimbledon: 5 (2011, 14, 15, 18, 19)
French Open: 2 (2016, 21)
US Open: 3 (2011, 15, 18)
Australian Open: 9 (2008, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21)
Prize money: $150m
ROGER FEDERER
20 grand slam singles titles
Wimbledon: 8 (2003, 04, 05, 06, 07, 09, 12, 17)
French Open: 1 (2009)
US Open: 5 (2004, 05, 06, 07, 08)
Australian Open: 6 (2004, 06, 07, 10, 17, 18)
Prize money: $130m
RAFAEL NADAL
20 grand slam singles titles
Wimbledon: 2 (2008, 10)
French Open: 13 (2005, 06, 07, 08, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20)
US Open: 4 (2010, 13, 17, 19)
Australian Open: 1 (2009)
Prize money: $125m
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
Leaderboard
64 - Gavin Green (MAL), Graeme McDowell (NIR)
65 - Henrik Stenson (SWE), Sebastian Soderberg (SWE), Adri Arnaus (ESP), Victor Perez (FRA), Jhonattan Vegas (VEN)
66 - Phil Mickelson (USA), Tom Lewis (ENG), Andy Sullivan (ENG), Ross Fisher (ENG), Aaron Rai (ENG), Ryan Fox (NZL)
67 - Dustin Johnson (USA), Sebastian Garcia Rodriguez (ESP), Lucas Herbert (AUS), Francesco Laporta (ITA), Joost Luiten (NED), Soren Kjeldsen (DEN), Marcus Kinhult (SWE)
68 - Alexander Bjork (SWE), Matthieu Pavon (FRA), Adrian Meronk (POL), David Howell (ENG), Christiaan Bezuidenhout (RSA), Fabrizio Zanotti (PAR), Sean Crocker (USA), Scott Hend (AUS), Justin Harding (RSA), Jazz Janewattananond (THA), Shubhankar Sharma (IND), Renato Paratore (ITA)
Company profile
Date started: January, 2014
Founders: Mike Dawson, Varuna Singh, and Benita Rowe
Based: Dubai
Sector: Education technology
Size: Five employees
Investment: $100,000 from the ExpoLive Innovation Grant programme in 2018 and an initial $30,000 pre-seed investment from the Turn8 Accelerator in 2014. Most of the projects are government funded.
Partners/incubators: Turn8 Accelerator; In5 Innovation Centre; Expo Live Innovation Impact Grant Programme; Dubai Future Accelerators; FHI 360; VSO and Consult and Coach for a Cause (C3)
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
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Four%20scenarios%20for%20Ukraine%20war
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