Nothing says Dubai like over-the-top architecture. Between the Burj Khalifa, the sail-shaped Burj Al Arab, and the twisting Infinity Tower, the Dubai skyline is quite a spectacle to behold. In true Dubai fashion, however, it isn’t enough just to look at the skyline and snap a few picture of it. No, it needs to be framed for all to see. And what is the best way to do that? Through the construction of giant gilded picture frame, of course.
The Dubai Frame is currently under construction and consists of two 150-meter-tall towers linked at the top by an observation deck. The three pieces come together to form a large frame with an opening that spans 105 meters between towers. The building was originally designed to provide over 75,000 sf of space for art and photo galleries, a café, and the observation deck.
The design for the building comes from Fernando Donis and his firm, DONIS. Donis and the Dubai Frame proposal won a competition in 2009 held by ThyssenKrupp Elevator and the Dubai Municipality. The Dubai Frame was selected from a pool of 926 proposals. “Dubai is a city full of emblems,” the architect’s website reads. “Rather than adding another one, we propose to frame them all: to frame the city.” The building is being constructed in Za’abeel Park.
Despite Donis’s proposal being selected and the Frame moving toward completion, the project is making news for the wrong reasons. Donis has filed a lawsuit against the Dubai Municipality over copyright claims. Here are the claims as presented by the DONIS website:
The Dubai Municipality has transformed the design without the participation of its author. Article 29 of the UNESCO regulations stipulates that ‘no alterations may be made without the author’s formal consent’. Dubai Municipality is building the project, transforming it from a modern monument to a post-modern figurative photo-frame. Dubai Municipality gave DONIS no opportunity to meet with the team of consultants and/or local architect to discuss the potential of the project and jointly integrate the needs of the client. Despite of having confirmed in writing that DONIS would develop and follow up the project, the Dubai Municipality offered at the end an unreasonable contract, where we would need to sign off the UNESCO copyrights, and without being able to neither develop nor publish our project in any manner. No contract or payment has been signed, yet Dubai Municipality took the Dubai Frame project.
One of the changes to the original design that takes it from ‘a modern monument to a post-modern figurative photo-frame’ is the decision to cover the tower with a stainless steel golden façade. To this point, the Dubai Municipality has not commented on Donis’s claims. After a delay that pushed back the original 2015 completion date, the Dubai Frame is now scheduled to finish at the end of this year.
Related Stories
High-rise Construction | Oct 4, 2019
KPF-designed CITIC tower is Beijing’s tallest
The tower is the fourth tallest in China and the eighth tallest in the world.
High-rise Construction | Sep 19, 2019
Two residential towers break ground in Chicago’s Lakeshore East
bKL Architecture designed the towers.
High-rise Construction | Sep 18, 2019
Central Park Tower tops out in New York City
The building will be the tallest residential skyscraper in the world.
AEC Innovators | Aug 27, 2019
7 AEC industry disruptors and their groundbreaking achievements
From building prefab factories in the sky to incubating the next generation of AEC tech startups, our 2019 class of AEC Innovators demonstrates that the industry is poised for a shakeup. Meet BD+C’s 2019 AEC Innovators.
Museums | Jul 29, 2019
A new museum debuts inside the Empire State Building
A $165 million, 10,000-sf museum opened on the second floor of the Empire State Building in New York City, completing the second of a four-phase “reimagining” of that building’s observatory experience, which draws four million visitors annually.
High-rise Construction | Jul 25, 2019
Could this 500 foot, Bjarke Ingels-designed observation tower rise in San Diego?
The tower would be part of the $2.4 billion Seaport San Diego project.
Building Tech | Jun 26, 2019
Modular construction can deliver projects 50% faster
Modular construction can deliver projects 20% to 50% faster than traditional methods and drastically reshape how buildings are delivered, according to a new report from McKinsey & Co.
High-rise Construction | Apr 11, 2019
Top new skyscrapers for 2019: Salesforce Tower named best worldwide
The San Francisco tower was recognized for its innovations in seismic engineering and a design that "gives back" to the community.
High-rise Construction | Apr 10, 2019
*Updated* A Tulip is ready to bloom in London
Designed by Foster + Partners, the Tulip will rise 1,001 feet and be a new cultural and tourist attraction.
High-rise Construction | Mar 4, 2019
Goettsch Partners' tallest tower ever tops out in China
The tower will become the tallest in Nanning, China upon completion.
