Soaring above Dubai’s city center, One Za’abeel is a symbol of modern engineering and sustainable design. Conceived by Nikken Sekkei for the Investment Corporation of Dubai and completed in late 2023, the mixed-use development redefines what a landmark can achieve, blending luxury with structural genius.
The project consists of two towers: the 305-meter commercial tower and the 235-meter residential tower, dramatically joined by The Link, a 230-meter-long sky bridge suspended 100 meters above the ground. Extending 67.3 meters in cantilever, The Link holds the Guinness World Record as the longest cantilevered building in the world. Far more than an aesthetic gesture, the structure acts as a brace between the towers, reducing wind sway while providing column-free interiors for restaurants, event venues, and Dubai’s longest suspended infinity pool.
Equally groundbreaking is the façade system. Delivered by Al Abbar Group, with façade consultancy from Inhabit, the towers and The Link feature a unitized curtain wall with high-performance low-E insulated glazing, designed to reduce solar heat gain while maximizing daylight transmission. Laminated glass with SGP interlayers enhances strength, resilience, and safety, while triple-laminated glass floors in The Link intensify the sensation of hovering above the city. To refine the visual identity, glass fins treated with ceramic frit patterns control glare, limit reflectivity, and give the façade a distinctive architectural depth.
Holding LEED Gold certification, One Za’abeel is not only a new icon for Dubai but also a model of sustainable progress, demonstrating how luxury architecture can meet the highest standards of environmental performance. 
Source: ArchDaily with additional information added by Glass Balkan
