Dubai managed to become the center of attention with the construction of one of its most emblematic towers. It’s The Link in Dubai, by Nikken Sekkei, a horizontal building measuring 230 meters in total that serves as a bridge between two other impressively sized skyscrapers of the One Za’abeel line.
The Link is one of Dubai’s construction milestones with an incredible structure, forming this first horizontal and floating building in the world. This Japanese work serves as a connection between a residential tower and a mixed-use tower, housing residences, a resort, a hotel, and offices.
What the unique vertical building in Dubai is like
The union that The Link forms with the two enormous towers in Dubai’s skyline creates a unique modern landscape in the world, true to the Emirates style. From afar, these constructions look like three rectangular prisms where The Link surprises with its incredible construction. This horizontal construction rotates 90 degrees, remaining suspended at a height of 100 meters, touching one of the two towers with each of its long facades.
The studio defined this enormous structure, which is covered with Low-E glass, and revealed the details of this incredible Japanese work of art. “It’s a robust exterior tubular structure system, with its main steel members arranged in a diamond grid pattern along four sides to minimize torsion while generating a contiguous, column-free interior space,” mentioned Nikken Sekkei.
The real function of The Link in Dubai
The Link has a privileged location and, besides being the connection between two important buildings, it’s built over a busy city highway which will allow the best view of the enclave’s skyline. Additionally, restaurants, leisure spaces, and infinity pools will be located there for tower residents and anyone who wishes to visit this incredible horizontal building.
Besides these utilities, The Link also has a primary function which is to ensure the safety of the other two skyscrapers as it mitigates wind-induced swaying, a frequent concern among engineers who carry out these pharaonic works. This space also features premium offices, 263 high-end residential units, three floors of commercial space, 497 ultra-luxury hotel rooms, and serviced apartments.
Another record in Dubai
Since the announcement of its construction, developer Ithra Dubai had a huge goal: to break a new record in Dubai. “The Link is destined to break the record for ‘Longest cantilever building’,” said the engineers in charge of this complex that includes the most emblematic horizontal building. This site has a precedent in the Busan Cinema Center roof in South Korea, with a much smaller size than The Link: 85 meters, but with similar characteristics.
One of the most important challenges established when construction phases began was raising the structure. One of the most important phases in this regard was completed in September 2020, when workers in Dubai raised a 192-meter-long section with a weight of approximately 8,500 tons to a height of 100 meters, being one of the “heaviest lifts in the world.” The operation lasted 12 days. The second section, weighing 900 tons and completing the platform’s 226-meter length, was fixed in place a month later.
