Burj Al Arab reveals terrace
The Burj Al Arab Terrace, part of the Burj Al Arab Jumeirah hotel in Dubai, has opened its doors to guests.
Manufactured by Finnish developer Admares, with interiors by Kudos and architecture by Sigge, the terrace boasts 10,000m2 of space looking out over the Arabian Gulf, and offers guests a private and luxurious hospitality experience.
The exterior of the terrace includes 24 private cabanas, eight royal cabanas and 400 sun loungers, plus the Scape Restaurant & Bar. Inside, a second level incorporates 5,000m2 of high-specification retail space, VIP areas, locker rooms and showers as well as numerous technical spaces.
A 612m2 freshwater pool and an 828m2 saltwater infinity pool, lined with 10,000,000 mosaic tiles, are linked by a central walkway and merge into the horizon to create the mirage of a continuous flow of water into the ocean.
Meanwhile, the extensive use of glass in both the interior fittings and the terrace’s curved bridge offers uninterrupted views of the Burj Al Arab and Arabian sunsets, whilst simultaneously complementing the hotel’s distinctive design.
The terrace’s steel structure weighs approximately 3,000 tonnes, whilst the 1,120m2 beach was made with 1,000,000kg of white sand. Construction employed state-of-the-art technology, manufacturing and installation techniques from the marine and offshore industries.
Pekka Mäki, CEO of Sigge Architects, comments: “We’ve worked before on ground-breaking architectural projects around the world, but this has been a special collaboration for us. The opportunity to work on the iconic Burj Al Arab is interesting in its own right, but what marks out the project is the level of innovation and technical ambition. It brought the best out of our team and we’re very proud of the result.”
The project required most of the design and construction process to be completed in Finland before the terrace was shipped in sections to Dubai for final assembly and installation. Construction took 11 months, whilst assembly and installation took just 12 weeks. The project is notable for being the largest ever undertaking of its kind.
This approach also had the benefit of reducing the environmental impact usually associated with this kind of development, leaving a minimal footprint and resulting in the establishment of an artificial reef that provides shelter for the marine life below.
“We’re immensely proud of this project,” concludes Admares CEO Mikael Hedberg. “It gave us the opportunity to create a unique structure that could be installed in its final location with very little disruption to hotel guests and marine life.”
