Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Located on the southeast coast of the Persian Gulf, Dubai, the largest and most populous city of the seven United Arab Emirates (UAE), has a population of more than 3 million and is the major business hub of the Middle East. Dubai developers have embraced skyscrapers to put their city on the map, not only with the Burj Khalifa, the current world’s tallest building but with clusters of supertalls, like the Dubai Marina. Marina 101 belongs to the group of towers on the “world’s tallest block.”
Even among this dense cluster of supertalls, Marina 101, a mixed-use hotel and residential building, distinguishes itself. At 425 m. (1394 ft.), it is currently the second-tallest building in Dubai. The façade of the building includes two-tone aluminum cladding and double-glazed windows to reduce the heat inside. Its ornate crown is made of sky-blue, angular aluminum panels that converge to a striking four-point pinnacle. Just below the crown is an observation lobby and restaurant on the 101st floor.