Proposals in Middle East, Africa, Asia and Australia

Structure Would Be Taller than Burj Khalifa

By 2020, Emaar Properties hopes to build a mixed-use tower in the new Dubai Creek Harbour development in Dubai that would be taller than the 828-m-tall Burj Khalifa, various news outlets, including the International Business Times, reported. The design is by Santiago Calatrava Valls and resembles a minaret anchored by massive cables. It is inspired by the ancient city of Babylon with landscaping boasting hanging gardens. The building would have approximately 20 floors of hotel rooms and restaurants, viewing decks and rotating balconies.

Cambodian Plan Includes Pair of 133-Story Towers

An ambitious multitower scheme in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, includes a pair of 133-story, 500-m-tall mixed-use buildings together known as Thai Boon Roong Twin Tower World Trade Centre, Global Construction Review reported. Ground has already been broken on the project, set to also have four residential buildings of 59-65 stories and an 11-story podium. Controversial business mogul Teng Boonma is the owner, and a joint venture of Thai Boon Roong Group and Sun Kian Ip Group of Macau is the developer. Architect Tous Saphoeun estimated the pair of towers to be finished in approximately three years.

110-M-Tall Hotel Planned in Kuwait

A 110-m-tall hotel with 31 floors above ground is being planned in the Governorate of Hawally, Kuwait, World Architecture News reported. Tamouh National General Trading & Contracting called on SSH, a veteran of hotel construction in the Middle East and North Africa, to design and plan the project, which would be built on 6,494 m2 of property within close proximity of Gulf Road. No timeframe was given.

Manila Development Includes Soaring Residential Towers

Sixty-four and 62-story residential towers, The Royalton and The Imperium, respectively, are being built in the Pasig area of metropolitan Manila, the Philippines, Skyrise Cities reported. Scheduled to be complete in 2018, they are part of Ortigas & Co.’s Capitol Commons, a mixed-use development on 10 ha that will include a shopping mall, entertainment venues, offices and green space. The 230-m-tall Royalton boasts curved balconies and views of the Pasig River and Sierra Madre mountain range. The development is set to have five towers in all. 

Hotel/Casino with Retail on Jeju Island

Lotte Tour Development Co. and the Greenland Group plan to build a hotel with a casino and retail on Jeju Island, South Korea, Joongang Daily reported. They planned to start construction in May and finish the project, featuring a pair of towers standing 38 stories, in March 2019. Approximately US$601.1 million is being invested. The buildings will be the tallest on Jeju Island and house more than 1,620 hotel rooms. China State Construction Engineering Corp. was selected as the main builder.

Frankfurt Financial District Eyed for Quartet of Towers

A quartet of 228-m-tall mixed-use towers is planned by Dutch firm UNStudio in the Financial District of Frankfurt, Germany, designboom reported. The buildings are set to contain approximately 600 apartments, along with retail, hotel and restaurant space. The first building is expected to be delivered in 2020. The edifices will be the tallest residential and office buildings in Frankfurt and are expected to help revitalize the site, the former location of the Deutsche Bank.

Gold-Clad Tower Proposed for Southport

A 66-story, reflective gold-clad tower, part of a two-tower development, has been proposed in the emerging central business district of Southport, Australia, brisbanedevelopment.com reported. Named The Au for the atomic symbol for gold on the periodic table, the building would house apartments, along with retail and public areas at ground level. The other tower would stand 15 stories. Together, they would house nearly 600 residences. AFD Consortium is the developer.

Turkish Firm Building Tallest Structure in Zambia

Umran Construction Ltd. of Turkey plans to develop and build a US$30-million, 35-story building in the central business district of the Zambian capital, Lusaka, which will be the tallest structure in Zambia, the Zambia Daily Mail reported. Umran said it is confident office space in the building will quickly fill. It is also to include retail and penthouse residences.

Lift Symposium Abstracts Announced, Registration Open

Abstracts have been posted and registration is now open for the Sixth Lift & Escalator Symposium, planned for September 21-22 at Highgate House in Northampton, U.K. (ELEVATOR WORLD, February 2016). Those who register before June 30 will receive an early booking discount of GBP30 (US$43). Further discounts are available to members of the event’s supporting organizations: the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers, University of Northampton, Lift and Escalator Industry Association and Institution of Engineering and Technology. Both the abstracts and registration pages can be found at website: www.liftsymposium.org.

Otis China Going Paperless, Starting in Tianjin

On the heels of China’s General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) publishing “Guidelines for Encouraging Use of Paperless Elevator Maintenance Records” in February, Otis China is rolling out the Otis Eagle Service (OES) paperless maintenance reporting system, starting in Tianjin. In support of the new AQSIQ guidelines, OES will be introduced in other major cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Hangzhou. Otis observes OES “allows mechanics to upload daily maintenance data directly through mobile terminals and complete the maintenance process by obtaining e-signatures from customers,” in turn enhancing efficiency and transparency.