Dubai International Trade and Exhibition Centre, as it was then called, was the tallest building in the region when it opened on February 26, 1979. Forty years on, it has been eclipsed by the city’s newer skyscrapers but its construction by Defence Roundabout on a patch of sand – then considered way out of town – was an early marker of Dubai’s soaring ambitions. Here are five things to know about the famous building: Dubai’s World Trade Centre is the work of John Harris, a distinguished British architect who became a trusted adviser to Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed. Harris was central to Dubai’s early planning and was also responsible for Rashid Hospital and two urban master plans for the city. He also worked in Abu Dhabi and the understated British ambassador’s residence in the capital can be counted as among his work. Harris died in 2008 at the age of 88. The 39-storey office tower soars 149 metres into the sky and was the UAE’s tallest building when it opened. The high-rise was originally called Sheikh Rashid Tower and the complex included exhibition spaces, restaurants and a Hilton hotel. The Hilton was demolished in 2005 but, over the years, more conference halls have been added and now the site is an important exhibition centre. Today, the tower is not even in the emirate’s tallest top 100 completed towers. It sits quaintly among the newer glass high-rises but feels more rooted in the region than its neighbours because of its design. Wrapped in concrete, the tower is modernist in style, while the windows are set back to avoid exposure to the harsh sunlight. Some traditional local motifs are incorporated into the design including the use of arches on the building’s exterior. Harris travelled to the US to look at its World Trade Centre project and there are flickers of its look in the Dubai project. The design has even found fame on the UAE’s currency as it appears on the back of the Dh100 banknote. The tower was opened by Queen Elizabeth II on February 26, 1979. The British monarch was on her first state visit to the UAE, where she also inaugurated Jebel Ali port and Dubai Dry Dock. The queen cut the ribbon and then went to the top to gaze out at the desert vista. Archive photographs show the Queen, accompanied by Sheikh Rashid and Harris, touring the tower. "The building, which is structurally complete, will take a little time yet to be made ready for occupation. But its majestic appearance today aptly fitted the grandeur of the public welcome accorded to the Queen," the 1979 report from the now defunct <i>Emirates News</i> described. The tower could be considered an early example of Dubai’s "build it and they will come" philosophy. The location then was way out of town – 4 kilometres from Dubai Creek – and some doubted if the project would be successful. The Trade Centre was built beside the motorway to Abu Dhabi and the hope was that it would act as a catalyst for growth. Forty years on, this has been borne out as Dubai has expanded to the Abu Dhabi border. Something many thought impossible in 1979.
