Project Overview
| Project Type | Mixed-use |
| Location | Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai |
| Height | 302m |
| Storeys | 64 |
| Developer | Wasl Asset Management Group |
| Architects | UNStudio |
| Engineering and Planning | Werner Sobek |
| Structural Engineering | DeSimone Consulting Engineers |
| Main Contractor | Saleh Constructions |
| Completed | April 2026 |
| Gross Floor Area | 172,290m² |
Wasl Tower is a 302m mixed-use high-rise along Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai. Designed by UNStudio in collaboration with Werner Sobek, the 64-storey tower is developed by Wasl Asset Management Group and completed in April 2026.
The tower includes a Mandarin Oriental hotel, residential apartments and office space, alongside shared facilities such as wellness areas, event spaces, restaurants and elevated public zones. An adjacent multi-storey parking structure is connected to the tower through elevated pedestrian links.
Located between the Burj Khalifa district and the City Walk area, the site is linked to surrounding infrastructure, including pedestrian access to the Burj Khalifa metro station.
A mixed-use project combining hotel, residences and offices
Wasl Tower includes a five-star Mandarin Oriental hotel, residential units, office floors and a range of retail and hospitality spaces.
The development is designed to accommodate residents, hotel guests, office occupants and visitors, with shared amenities distributed across multiple levels. Public areas are placed across the building, including elevated zones above ground level.
Facilities include sports areas, spa amenities, rooftop pools and dining spaces. Vertical gardens are incorporated within the building form, contributing to environmental performance and internal conditions.
Ceramic façade designed for passive cooling
A defining feature of the tower is its ceramic façade, which is one of the tallest of its kind globally. The façade is composed of terracotta fins arranged as a continuous 360-degree system responding to solar orientation.
The system provides passive shading, reduces heat radiation and supports natural airflow around the building. Vertical gardens are integrated into the façade, forming a continuous ribbon of planted terraces.
Sustainability measures include solar thermal panels, reflective glazing, LED lighting and daylight-responsive systems. District cooling and an integrated heat pump system support energy performance, alongside the use of low-volatile organic compound materials, recycled PET acoustic panels and regionally sourced materials.
Structural optimisation during design reduced concrete usage by approximately 3,000m3 (105,944ft3).
Structural design and engineering approach
The tower is organised around a reinforced concrete central core supported by shear walls and connected to the perimeter through outriggers at multiple levels. This configuration distributes loads across floorplates that shift along the vertical axis of the building.
Engineering adjustments to the geometry and stiffness of the structure reduced wind loads by approximately 20%. The system also enables more open internal layouts by limiting the need for large internal columns.
The structure incorporates sloping columns and cantilevered floorplates to support the building’s asymmetrical form, with reinforcement systems applied across key structural elements.
Contractors and suppliers involved
Saleh Constructions, based in Dubai, is the main construction contractor for the project. The construction contract was initially awarded to Arabtec Construction, with execution later undertaken by Saleh Constructions.
Werner Sobek, based in Germany, was responsible for general planning, structural engineering, façade engineering and construction management, alongside sustainability consultancy and acoustic planning.
DeSimone Consulting Engineers contributed to structural development through value engineering and design review, working in coordination with the contractor and architect to refine the structural system.
Dextra Group supplied reinforcement solutions for the structure, including couplers and related systems used across concrete elements of the tower.
Consultants and specialist contributors
U+A Architects acted as Architect of Record. Arup provided façade lighting design, while Seed Engineering Consultants handled local mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) engineering. Landscape design was developed by Green4Cities in collaboration with Terra Firma Landscape.
Cost consultancy was undertaken by Kulkarni Quantity Surveyors, with fire and life safety consultancy by Aecom. Vertical transportation systems were handled by Dunbar & Boardman together with TÜV SÜD.
Additional contributors included Shen Milsom & Wilke for audio-visual (AV) and IT systems, Sefton Horn Winch for kitchen consultancy, Barr & Wray for pool engineering, GA Design for hotel interiors and LW Design for F&B interiors. Interior lighting design was delivered by DPA, and wind engineering was performed by Germany-based Wacker Ingenieure.
