Dubai Buildings Designs: UAE Architecture
Architecture in UAE : New United Arab Emirates Buildings + Architectural Developments on the Persian Gulf
post updated 21 October 2026
We choose key examples of Dubai Buildings.
Dubai Building News : images + links of new Dubai buildings
UAE is famous for a lavish lifestyle and rapid expansion. Dubai architecture is extremely dynamic, praised for pushing design boundaries, but criticised for an ‘anything goes’ attitude. The UAE property market is currently stagnant. Famous architects with buildings in the city include Zaha Hadid, Foster + Partners, Snøhetta and UNStudio. A large proportion of new architecture is by Atkins and RMJM.
We have 4 pages of Dubai Architecture selections with links to numerous individual project pages:
Buildings in Dubai
Dubai Buildings : news + key projects (this page)
Dubai Architecture : A-Z
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UAE Building Designs
UAE Architecture News, selected, chronological:
28 Oct 2016
Dubai Maritime Museum & Research Centre
Design: Studio Niko Kapa
image from architect
Dubai Maritime Museum & Research Centre Building
Relating to both the sea and the city and in constant dialogue between them, the building is an extension of the city to the sea and vice-versa.
11 Mar 2016
Floating Villas With Underwater Rooms In Dubai
16 Feb 2016
Dubai Creek Observation Tower Building
Design: Santiago Calatrava
image © Santiago Calatrava
Santiago Calatrava won the competition to design an observation tower for the Dubai Creek Harbor development in the city, reports Bustler.
2 Feb 2016
Butterfly Aviary, Noor Island, Sharjah
Design: 3deluxe architects
photograph : Björn Asmussen
Having completed the Butterfly Pavilion on Noor Island in the middle of the capital of the Arab Emirate Sharjah in December, this German design studio is now releasing first image material of another design element on Noor Island: the Butterfly Aviary.
25 Jan 2016
ICD Brookfield Place in Dubai
Design: Foster + Partners
image from architect
The groundbreaking of ICD Brookfield Place, a 1.5 million square foot office and retail development located in the Dubai International Financial Centre district (DIFC), was announced this week.
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8 Nov 2013
[DUBAI 09] – Dubai Architecture School Tower Competition
image from competition organisers
This is a single stage Competition with the aim of identifying the most appropriate proposal, which best satisfies the general and specific objectives of the contest. Architects, Architecture Graduated, Engineers and Students. Interdisciplinary teams are also encouraged to enter the Competition. Submissions can be the work of an individual or a group up to 4 members and there is no age limit.
17 Sep 2013
Al Bahr Towers news
This pair of skyscraper buildings designed by global architecture studio Aedas was voted 2nd place in the Emporis Skyscraper Awards. Previously they were won CTBUH’s First Innovation Award. The buildings won due to their innovative facade. The outer skin of the facades is rotated by computer in response to the sun’s position, leading to a large reduction in thermal energy inside the buildings. This design feature comes from the Arab mashrabiya windows found in traditional Islamic architecture.
9 Jun 2013
Dubai Sustainable City Masterplan
Design: Baharash Architecture
image from architects
Dubai Sustainable City
Baharash Architecture beats international field of contenders to win phase 2 of Dubai Sustainable City. London’s Baharash Architecture has seen off a shortlist of ‘prominent international’ practices to land the second phase of the 46 hectare Dubai Sustainable City project.
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11 May 2011
Dubai Buildings Competition Winners
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Major Dubai Architecture Projects
This Dubai Architecture page contains links to hundreds of individual pages on the key buildings. We aim to select the most significant UAE buildings. Since 2008 construction has slowed though some major buildings such as Ferrari World have been completed since the recession started.
UAE Designs, alphabetical:
0-14 tower, Business Bay
2009
RUR Architecture – Reiser + Umemoto
Dubai Business Bay tower
2CDE Dubai
2006-
Atkins
UAE skyscraper
21st Century Tower
–
Atkins
21st Century Tower
Al Mas Tower
–
Atkins
Al Mas Tower Dubai
Al Salam Tecom Tower
–
Atkins
Al Salam Tecom Tower
Al Sharq Tower, Sheik Zayed Road
2007-
SOM Architects – Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
For Al Sharq Investments
360m high, 100 storeys, residential tower – 268 apartments
Anara Tower, Sheik Zayed Road
2008-
Architects: Atkins
Anara Tower : 600m+ skyscraper for property developer Tameer holding
The Apeiron – proposal
2007-
Sybarite
The Apeiron
Atlantis Hotel The Palm
2008
–
Atlantis Hotel Dubai
Beach Front Hotel
–
Atkins
Beach Front Hotel
Boulevard Plaza – proposal
2007-
Aedas
Burj al Arab
1999
Atkins
Burj al Arab
Burj Al Alam tower
-2012
Nikken Sekkei
Burj Al Alam tower : world’s tallest commercial tower
Burj Khalifa tower – world’s tallest building
Burj Khalifa tower + Burj Khalifa Skyscraper
Burj Dubai skyscraper
160 storey tower for Emaar, became world’s tallest building in 2007
Burj Dubai : World Skyscrapers
Business Bay Executive Towers
–
Atkins
Business Bay Towers
Capital Centre Hotel
–
RMJM Architects
Capital Centre Hotel
Central Market, Dubai : see Aldar Central Market
Chelsea Tower
–
Atkins
Chelsea Tower
DAMAC Ocean Heights, Dubai Marina
2007-08
Aedas
310m high, 82 storeys, residential tower
DIFC Lighthouse
2008-
Atkins
DIFC Lighthouse : The Holcim Foundation award
DSEC Commercial Tower
–
Atkins
DSEC Commercial Tower
Dubai Airport – Terminal 3
2000-05
Paul Andreu Architects
Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry Extension – towers
2007-
Gensler
Dubai International Convention Centre
–
RMJM Architects
Dubai Convention Centre
Dubai Cultural Heritage Centre
–
Snøhetta Architects
Dubai Museum of Middle East Modern Art: see MOMEMA
Dubai Opera House Building
2008-
Zaha Hadid Architects
Dubai Opera House
Dubai Pearl
Schweger Association Architects
Dubai Pearl
Dubai Pearl, Palm Jumeirah
2008-
Dewan Architects & Engineers
Dubai Promenade
2008-
–
Nakheel development: five-star wheel-shaped hotel near waterfront & Palm Island
Dubai residential tower, Madinat Al Arab
–
A-CERO Architects
Dubai residential tower
Dubai Signature Towers
2006-
Zaha Hadid
Dubai Signature Towers
Dubai Snow Centre
2006
Holford Associates
£60m
Dubai Towers, The Lagoons, Al Dana District
2006-10
Thompson, Ventulet, Stainback & Associates
Sama Dubai – 4 towers: 57 – 94 floors
Dubai World Trade Centre – DWTC
1979 (Tower)
H.H. Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum
39 storeys, office tower: 149m high 489ft
Dubai International Convention Centre, eight exhibition halls, residential apartments
Dynamic Tower : ‘world’s first building in motion’ – revolutionary architecture
2008-
Dr. David Fisher, architect
The Emaar Towers
2007-
Aedas
Gateway to Burj Dubai development: 42 & 34 storeys
Emirates Towers : see Jumeirah Emirates Towers
ETA Hotel
2007-
Sanjay Puri Architects
Dubai hotel architecture
Etisalat Tower, Baniyas Road
1986
Arthur Erickson
Telecommunications headquarters building & radio tower: ‘golf ball tower’
Hilton Dubai Creek hotel building, Baniyas Road
–
Carlos Ott
The Index
2005-08
Foster + Partners
The Index Dubai
Infinity Tower Dubai
2006-
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP, Architects
330m high, 80 storeys
iPad – Leaning Tower
–
James Law Cybertecture
26 storeys, 230 apartments for Omniyat Properties
Iris Bay
2006-
Architects: Atkins
Iris Bay skyscraper
Iris Mist
–
Atkins
Iris Mist
Jumeirah Beach Hotel
Architects: Atkins
Jumeirah Beach Hotel Building
Jumeirah Emirates Towers
Norr Group – Hazel Wong
Jumeirah Emirates Towers Buildings
Dubai Building Designs : J-Z, alphabetical:
Jebel Hafeet Resort Hotel, Al Ain, UAE
2007-
Aedas
Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Jumeirah Beach Resort
1997
Atkins
Jumeirah Beach Hotel
Jumeirah Emirates Towers
2000
Norr Group – Hazel Wong
Jumeirah Emirates Towers
Jumeirah Gardens Project
2008-
Nikken Sekkei Ltd
The Legs, UAE
2007
Aedas
5-star hotel + service apartments + residential + offices
Madinat Al Soor Waterfront
2008-
RMJM
Madinat Al Soor architecture for Nakheel
Marina Dubai : Architecture design competition
2007
Rojkind Arquitectos with Office for Urbanism
Meydan Course : world’s biggest racecourse
2007-09
1km long 10-storey grandstand building + hotel, £1.25bn
Venue for 2010 Racing World Cup, 65,000 capacity: business park + housing
Michael Schumacher Tower, Abu Dhabi
Millennium Tower
–
Atkins
Millennium Tower
MOMEMA : Museum of Middle East Modern Art
2008-
UNStudio
MOMEMA building
Nadra Tower, Business Bay
2007-08
–
For Al Sharq Investments, 30 storeys
Nakheel Harbour & Tower
2008-
Woods Bagot
Nakheel Harbour & Tower Dubai
National Bank of Dubai headquarters building, Baniyas Road
1997
Carlos Ott with NORR Limited Group
Nebula Dubai building
2007-
A-CERO Architects
Nebula Competition Dubai
Bold architecture : International Design Ideas Competition winner
Ocean Heights 1
–
Aedas
Ocean Heights 2
–
Aedas
The Opus Dubai
2007-
Zaha Hadid Architects
P17 Tower
2008-11
Atkins
P17 Tower
Palm Deira : the next artificial island – on hold, Nov 2008
Palm Island Dubai
2008
RMJM Architects
Palm Island : iconic Dubai Architecture
Palm Jebel Ali
2007
Royal Haskoning Architecten
Palm Jebel Ali Dubai property development
Palm Jumeirah
2005
Design: various architects
Palm Jumeirah for Nakheel
Palm Tower – proposal
2007-
Sybarite
Palm tower architecture
Pentominium, Dubai Marina
2008
Aedas
Dubai Marina : due to be tallest residential tower in the world: 516m high
Pier 8 Tower – Dubai Marina
2008
Architects: Atkins
Dubai Marina tower : 170m high, 40 storeys
Ras Al Khaimah Gateway Project
2008-
Snøhetta
Ras Al Khaimah Tower
Rawasi Tower, Business Bay
2007-09
–
For Al Sharq Investments – 35 storeys
Roads & Transport Authority Headquarters
2008-09
Zwarts & Jansma Architecten
Rolex Tower
2009
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill – SOM
63 storeys
Rotating Tower : see ‘Dynamic Tower’ further up this page
Sama Tower
–
Atkins
Sama Tower
Sheikh Zayed National Museum – architecture competition
2007-
Shortlist: Foster & Partners; Moriyama & Teshima; Shigeru Ban; Snohetta
Sixth Crossing Dubai Creek
2008-
FXFOWLE
Sixth Crossing Dubai Creek
The Address
–
Atkins
The Address
Time Residences Dubai : the first fully rotating apartment building
–
Glenn Howells Architects
Dubai residential building : revolutionary skyscraper design
TNI Tower
–
RMJM Architects
TNI Tower
Trump International Hotel & Tower, The Palm Jumeirah
2006-
Architects: Atkins
Dubai hotel tower
Two towers – Dubai Business Bay
2006-09
Rem Koolhaas Architect / OMA with Porsche Design
for Dubai Properties: Residential tower + office tower
U-Bora Tower – mixed-use development, Business Bay
2007-
Aedas
250m high, office + residential + retail; Adj. Building: Burj Alam tower
Waterfront City Masterplan
2008-
OMA
Dubai Waterfront Masterplan
Wave Tower building
2007-
A-CERO Architects
Dubai tower building
Wild Wadi Water Park, Jumeirah Beach Resort
–
Wild Wadi Water Park
More Dubai Architecture Developments online soon
Location: Dubai, UAE, The Middle East
Dubai Building News : images + links of new buildings
KOA Canvas Apartments designed by T.Zed Architects:
photo © Anique Ahmed
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UAE Buildings
In UAE, but not Dubai:
Ajman Marina – masterplan, Ajman, UAE
2008-
HOK
incl. 60-storey towers, developer: Tanmiyat, Saudi Arabia
Ajman Municipal headquarters
2008-
a-lab
Ajman architecture : Architecture competition winner
AL MANAKH : analysis of Gulf Architecture
Buildings / photos for the Dubai Buildings page welcome
