Fiandre Architectural Surfaces, one of the partner brands of the project, defines the interiors of the One Za’abeel The Residences tower that hosts 264 ultra-luxury apartments, supporting the clients with bespoke solutions and applications.

The partner brand for high-profile projects, Fiandre Architectural Surfaces, with its distributor partner Arteco Ceramics, is part of the futuristic One Za’abeel complex, the new feature on the Dubai skyline: a unique project as a whole, and a spectacular beauty that represents the evolution of contemporary architecture. One Za’abeel is the mixed-use complex by Ithra Dubai LLC, a subsidiary of the Investment Corporation of Dubai (ICD),which focuses on the development and management of strategic real estate assets worldwide. Located in the heart of the city near the International Financial Centre, not farfrom the Dubai Mall, the Burj Khalifa and the airport, it covers a total area of 530,000 sq.m. and bears the signature of Nikken Sekkei, the prestigious Japanese architecture, engineering and urban planning firm that has worked on over 25,000 projects in 50 countries.

Yet another symbol of ambition, innovation and pioneering endeavour in one of the world’s most dynamic cities - designed to seamlessly blend business and leisure, luxury and lifestyle - One Za’abeel consists of two skyscrapers housing hotels, offices and luxury homes, joined by a futuristic panoramic sky concourse, a cantilever floating “outside” the towers, with a motorway running underneath: a visionary design that pushes engineering and design to the limit. “The Link”, the name of the cantilever horizontal portion of the complex that floats 100 metres above the ground, spanning 226 metres. The beating heart of the project, it hosts bars, eleven exclusive restaurants and boutiques, wellness centres, a spectacular infinity swimming pool and a panoramic terrace.

The two towers - One Za’abeel Tower and One Za’abeel The Residences - respectively 300 and 235 metres high, the first with 68 floors and the second with 58, offers a range of extra-luxury amenities aiming to attract a high-profile international clientèle, with all kinds of comforts and experiences. In this luxury context, the surfaces produced by Fiandre using technologically advanced natural raw materials are ideal. The brand is able to supply bespoke ceramic solutions for projects with high added value, supporting its clients in expressing the identity of projects of this scope and increasingly positioning its surfaces in the high end of the market. One Za’abeel Tower offers pioneering workspaces, exclusive attics, the One&Only resort, the One&Only Private Homes, as well as the SIRO Hotel which blends the concept of hospitality with cutting-edge holistic fitness experiences. On the other hand, sophisticated design and contemporary elegance are the key features of the 264 ultra-luxury panoramic apartments - of different types and sizes, including duplexes, up to an attic with 5 bedrooms - in the One Za’abeel The Residences tower. Here, Fiandre’s expertise is showcased by innovative applications and the ability to meet the demand for tailored solutions with bespoke features, including brass inlays and decorations, as well as the consultancy provided to create coverings for furnishings and counter tops.

Coordinating the whole process with its distributor partner Arteco Ceramics - a fundamental consultant in supporting the project and liaising with the client - Fiandre supplied the ceramic surfaces Calacatta Statuario from the Marble Lab collection, the beauty of which is enhanced by its ivory-white colour crossed by light grey grains. Founded in Abu Dhabi as a company specialised in the supply of high-quality building materials for projects in the United Arab Emirates and Arab countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Arteco Ceramics, which also has offices in Dubai, is an architectural services firm in the design sector that, since 2008, has focused on high-end materials made using eco-compatible technologies.

A world-class partner, Fiandre, with its technical ceramics that, with its high performance, can be enhanced and customised with great versatility: this was the case of the flooring throughout the reception area and lobby in the One Za’abeel The Residences tower, using Calacatta Statuario 120x60 cm, in polished finish, enriched with leaf-shaped brass inlays.Inspired by classicism, the same material was used to cover the floors and common areas of the residential tower, from the corridors to the lift landings and interiors.

Adding a touch of sophistication and a sense of visual continuity to the whole project, the shade Calacatta Statuario was also used in the 264 apartments on the floors, wall coverings, shower trays and counter tops in the bathrooms, in a range of different configurations. With a view to recovering materials and minimising waste, in the bespoke works for the floors and decorations, Arteco ensured that the surfaces used produced the least possible waste of material. And to embellish the scenographic spaces, endowed with a sophisticated total-look, some of the showers are decorated with “herringbone” patterns.

In line with the United Arab Emirates’ goal of zero net carbon emissions by 2050, One Za’abeel aims to offer the highest standards of sustainability, meeting the requirements of the LEED Gold certification in all its design and functional aspects. The choice of using Fiandre surfaces, designed with the same approach, falls ideally within this vision that seeks to respect and protect the environmental heritage, creating well-being through materials. The Italian-made technical ceramic surfaces of the Iris Ceramica Group brands, including Fiandre Architectural Surfaces, have obtained Cradle to Cradle Certified ® Silver, issued by “The Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute”, one of the most ambitious global standards for the design and production of safe, circular and responsible products.

Team:
Developer: Ithra Dubai LLC

Architecture and Design Firm: Nikken Sekkei LTD

Main contractor: ALEC Engineering and Contracting LLC

Ceramics distributor: Arteco Ceramics LLC

Ceramics manufacturer: Fiandre Architectural Surfaces

Photo/Video: Fiandre Architectural Surfaces

Materials used:

Collection: Marble Lab,

Finish: Polished / Semi-polished / Satin / Matt antislip

Sizes: 120x60 – 60x60 cm

Thickness: 8 mm

Colours: Alpi Chiaro Venato, Arabescato Orobico, Bardiglio Sublime, Breccia Mirabile, Calacatta Bellissimo, Calacatta Dorato, Calacatta Statuario, Dark Marquina, Glam Bronze, Lepanto Rubino, Pietra Grey, Premium White, Royal Marfil, Taxos, Travertino and White Beauty

Elegant towers set to become a new symbol of Dubai

One Za’abeel is a large-scale mixed-use development standing at the entrance to central Dubai, the world’s leading financial hub. Offices, hotels, residences, and commercial spaces are seamlessly integrated, promising the people of Dubai a compelling and elevated lifestyle experience. Nikken Sekkei was chosen to bring this project to life in 2014, following an international competition.
Its two towers each stand on plots separated by a highway, connected 100 meters above ground by THE LINK. The linear and asymmetrical silhouette embodies timeless elegance, and their shining glass exteriors are carefully selected to help manage the indoor environment.
The development houses ultra-luxury hotel brand One&Only’s first vertical resort experience One&Only One Za’abeel, alongside 94 One&Only Private Homes, a fitness & recovery-themed lifestyle hotel SIRO, as well as 8 Michelin-starred restaurants and a rooftop infinity pool atop THE LINK.

A Fresh Dubai Skyline
One Za’abeel stands at the gateway from the Dubai International Airport to the city center, the entrance to the arterial Sheikh Zayed Road. Along this street, the Burj Khalifa, the Emirates Towers, and other iconic works of architecture have already marked their prominence. Amid these buildings, One Za’abeel, with its simple Japanese design, projects a bold, yet graceful silhouette, distinguishing itself as a novel symbol that shapes Dubai’s skyline.

Bridging the Divide: Two Plots Bisected by a Highway
The development area is bifurcated by a highway. The podium, which accommodates commercial outlets and hotel meeting spaces and ballrooms, envelops both plots with its curvilinear design. In addition, the space below the elevated highway is transformed into a plaza, making the entire development feel interconnected. The two towers, One Za’abeel Tower and One Za’abeel The Residences, stand on their respective plots, and THE LINK facilitates their functional integration. The cantilevered building and its rooftop not only offer panoramic views, but also amplify the iconic stature of the project’s design.

A Facade Design with Depth
The tower’s exterior offers diverse expressions depending on the viewing angle due to the glass fins positioned outside the glass curtain wall. White dots on the glass fins both enhance solar shading and temper the reflective quality, adding depth. The facade also employs highly transparent low-e glass with superior solar shading capabilities.  THE LINK’s truss structure, combined with its six-sided glass curtain wall, enhances its “floating” appearance.
Encircled by roads, the podium has a rhythmic design with its balconies and bay windows. Multi-colored aluminum louvers were also draped, behind which ventilation equipment and other functional elements are hidden, combining functionality and design.

Structural Plan of the Two Towers and THE LINK
In the tower section, a steel-and-concrete composite structure minimizes column dimensions and optimizes floor space. To support THE LINK, high-strength steel diagonals are integrated within the tower’s connecting concrete walls, bolstering their strength.
THE LINK adopts a robust outer tubular structure; major steel components are organized in a diagrid pattern across four faces, curbing torsion and deformation, and enabling a vast, column-free interior. 
THE LINK also augments structural safety through its connecting function with the two towers on either side. It plays a pivotal role in counteracting the challenges of wind-induced sway in tall buildings.

Assembly and Hoisting of THE LINK: The Incremental Launching Method
Spanning the highway below, THE LINK was assembled using the Incremental Launching Method, in which blocks of preassembled material were slid into place and connected in sequence in order to minimize high-altitude work processes. The trek across the 40m-wide highway was accomplished in seven sliding steps.
At a length of 230 meters and a weight of approximately 9,580 tons, THE LINK was elevated to a height of nearly 100 meters in two stages. The first section, weighing around 8,500 tons, was lifted into place between the two towers over 12 days. The remaining cantilever tip, weighing nearly 900 tons, was hoisted up and attached during a second, four-day procedure.

Lead Consultant and Leadership
Nikken Sekkei undertook the role of Lead Consultant for this venture. In the site supervision phase, the company guided the intricate design and construction processes, liaising with a vast network of over 60 companies from nearly 20 countries. This involved over 1,000 construction-related personnel.

Brief Summary
In the heart of Dubai, the world’s leading financial hub, a new landmark has taken shape. Built on two plots separated by a highway, the project’s two towers are connected 100 meters above ground by THE LINK, a 230-meter-long horizontal structure. The modern and dynamic “symbolic gate” development is one of the first major real estate projects to greet visitors as they travel to the city center from Dubai International Airport. The combination of asymmetry and linear design elements creates a unique tension in the silhouette, culminating in a timeless and elegant design. 
The large-scale development offers a range of sophisticated lifestyle experiences with premium A-grade offices, two luxury hotels, residences, restaurants, bars, and commercial facilities.
As the Lead Consultant, Nikken Sekkei has had purview over the entire design and site supervision process.

Team:

Architects: Nikken Sekkei

Contractor: Aleec Engineering And Contracting

Resident Engineer, Aor, Mep, Structure, Specialties: Wsp Middle East 
Façade: Inhabit
Signage: Limah 
Kitchen Services: Mcts 
Landscape: Cracknell
Pool Equipment: Barr  + Wray 
Wind Engineering: Rwdi 
Façade, Interior Lighting: Lpa
Signage: Esd 
Aeronautical Survey: Nortech 
Lw Design Group 
Square M Design
Denniston
Rockwell Group
Dwp
Hba Social
Stufish And Associated Sub-consultants
Dpa
Wellness
Brimaxx 
Farmboy
Capsule Arts

Photographer: © Koji Horiuchi © Courtesy of One Za’abeel © Nikken Sekkei Ltd

Materials Used:

Vertical Transportation: Single and double deck lift, escalators Otis L.L.C
Glass: Insulated glass unit Al Abbar Architectural Glass
Façade: Aluminum curtain wall Al Abbar Aluminum
Sanitary Ware: Toilet, faucets Toto Asia Oceania Pte. Ltd.
Flooring: Resilient flooring TARKETT, Italy & TARKETT, France
 Resinous flooring BASF Construction Chemicals UAE, Silikal GmbH
Mechanical Car Parking System: Multiparker WÖHR Autoparksysteme GmbH