Poised to be the leading financial centre for the Middle East, Africa and South Asia regions, planners for the Dubai International Finance Centre sought design inspiration from global architecture and engineering firms, in their efforts to create a building that would link the East with the West. They hadn’t reached a conclusion for the building, so a design competition was held.
Working in conjunction with civil and structural engineers at MKA of Seattle, Fast + Epp developed the concept for linked 70- and 90-storey twin towers.
Our design called for a series of four-storey-high link bridges, which would structurally connect the slender, elliptically-shaped towers. These linkages would provide the required sway control and resistance to overturning.
Ultimately, another design was chosen that referenced the Arc de Triomphe (a landmark in Paris, France) for its symbolism as a gate between past and future. The square design also references the finance centre’s square logo.