dezeen

WOW!!! Its good to see that Abu Dhabi is investing in a quality piece of Architecture.

Finally Architecture has entered the 21 Century. Amazing project!

architecture has entered dark deep seasonlong twinpeaks episode…. see you later….

I think it`s a goof piece, but just as a piece, but not as a project, too fashion, too render…that project can be located in korea, usa, UK…etc doesnt have a soul at all

Oh look! My 21st century computer just vomitted out some soulless corporate luxury residential schtick for a Gulf State! Its curvy wurvy and there’s lots of glass (naturally, it being one of the hottest places on the planet - duh! Like, what else?). So revolutionary…
http://images.google.co.uk/images?hl=en&q=tower%20abu%20dhabi&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi

lilium tower’s form + turning torso’s exoskeleton = ?

sexy girls dont have any soul usually……

A current example of research and site specific investigation!

It’s too render is not an architectural criticism…The criticism that you pose is ironic because this project is not just a rendering , it is under construction right now. The question you pose of whether the project can be placed in different contexts is an interesting one. In some sense contemporary architecture today is fashion, isn’t it? This is an interesting topic of discussion…what is driving today’s forms? Is it about challenging building practices? When is it valid to create objects or “pieces” as you say that can be placed like sculptures in different contexts and when is a project entirely driven by its context? I think the project challenges many traditional notions of facade. From a building construction stance the fact that it was modeled originally in Maya and has been successfully rationalized in Digital Project to the degree that is is being built is an amazing step in architecture.

heli-pad=rad

Nice images, but this is nothing new.

^^^ agreed. but ONLY it it doubles as a tennis court!

Its a funky render shape, the type you see allll over the place. Why is it a funky shape? We are not sure, there are no drawings, only funky renders. It has very little to do with Abu Dhabi, as Brown says - I’m sure it is air conditioned throughout to offset all those acres of glass. This is architecture at its most stupid therefore - presenting a shallow vanity piece to display all those des res apartments. And please - they will build anything out there- anything. It is the responsibility of the architect to take a responsible position. Its a shame, becuase there is an interesting vernacular in the peninsula that teaches many lessons about how to sustain populations in a hostile climate. Never mind - lets keep building the mindless alien glass blobs and paying for it over and over and over.

Perhaps we have seen images of twisting forms, but it is refreshing to see a building with such elegance and complexity being realized. The design is well resolved and am excited to see this as a modern precedent in construction.

beatiful structure - skin in facade!

you’re beating the earth. ….. badly

Does Abu Dhabi have a soul?

This is pretty banal and definitely a second rate design from Asymptote. In comparison, their designs of the Millennium Tower in Korea and Penang Global City Center in Malaysia are far more interesting.

what is it tower with cantilevered helipad in dubai?

I don’t think that’s a great project…But it’s a really good one… and It’s under construction! Congratulations!

further plans could be provided??

This reminds me a lot of the “Turning Torso” in Malmö, Sweden.

nices renders…, nice form…, may be it will be a nice building…, but no more..

would be cool to see the presentation model

I’m wondering what have they done to deserve such kind of architecture(?)… It seems that all the architecture firm in the world are using UAE as pratcicing field for their stag

…practicing field for their students.

the “exoskeleton” structural members seem more like icing roses of the cake than anything particularly functional. much like oma”s cctv headquarters: all those criss-crossing beams contribute nothing to the overall structure. they just make it look pretty. i like it though.

rather Dhabi-ish

Great job Hani!
Will you be cooperating with your bro Kreemy to do the interiors and products to fill such a space?

Cant wait to see the final result!

Cheers

My previous comment got moderated for being critical, so I had better be measured this time - this is ‘Great’ and the ‘Design’ has a ‘Lot of Soul’. And I am ‘Sure’ that they will ‘Love’ it in Abu Dhabi, where they are ‘Famous’ the world over for their ‘Good Taste’ in ‘Original Design’ and ‘Forward Thinking Liberalism’.

Tommi ’stole’ my word! Couldn’t be more Dhabi’sh!

sick and tired of things like this now!!!! give us a break.

go along with christo, rather boring, no feelings, no story no fun, just another fancy picturesque and wavy clone.
where is the revolution? come on!

yawn

the design of tower is good, but not original… extrusion with torsion of the plant building… and with pretty design in facade…!

it looks like organic turning torso.

this building, like many others of this kind,
looks like a call girl with cheap make up,
obscenely twisting her body to get the attention
of bored and fat middle aged business men

poor chinese people who have to construct this.. working 18 hours a day, almost for free.. all because someone designed a great shape..
I wouldn’t sleep at night if I was asymptote (or any other dubai-masochist)

Not bad, that outer skeleton appaers to be made of trusses whats fashionable about that?
On the other hand interesting forms could have can been generated by passive cooling as opposed to just twisting it to make it ‘luxury’
Can’t say i’m complaining about human imagination suffusing city skylines as long as its not too decadent/wasteful. Also;
ecological, glass tower and UAE in the same sentence?

Well…architecture has entered a media-savvy stage since the reign of Zaha Hadid. It is not a bad thing at all, as I do agree architecture should goes with fashion, art, film and the overall social motifs. Still, I wish Dezeen could focus more on the more ‘timeless’ pieces that care more about other things and less about how the form can win a competition.

Recommended architects: SANAA, Shigeru Ban, Kengo Kuma, Peter Zumthor, Alejandro Aravena(not sure if his name’s correct), Rojkind Arquitectos, or even Daniel Libeskind is trying to do some real works.

that’s just impact..
they are try’n to answer a simple question
whit a dificult reply
that’s what became the “good” architecture.. impact

It’s a pennis! Sorry, but it’s a pennis.

Come on! it’s too much!!!

Look the interiors: NOTHING just fuzzy rendering!!!

Vanity, just vanity of the new rich

Excelentes artículos!!!!! Visito mucho este sitio para traducir información y compartirla en mi blog http://www.arquisite.com

Gracias por la calidad de la información.
Les deseo éxitos!!!!!!

Saludos desde mi país

Insert negative adjective to describe another lame super-expensive project.

Joaquin: lol, the reign of zaha hadid. wonders whether it;s because of her design or her “unique” bloodshot face.

Why does this design have sooo much glass? Does asymptote know how hot is it in the middle east? Sure the sunlight gives nice interior renders but it’ll eat up alot of air-conditioning.

It’ll be VERY uncomfortable when you step out the door into the high temperature change…

umm i don’t get it…aren’t our computer programs supposed to be used as TOOLS to help us realize our designs?? it says to me: “hey! designers! i’m a new program look how i can take a shape and extrude, twist, and warp it!”

yeah, it looks cool…but all i keep wondering is how on earth someone could be comfortable LIVING in such an interior environment?! it seems better suited to be some sort of high-tech office building or research laboratory or even a museum as opposed to a residential structure.

Apart from the fact that this building, like most of the ones going up and on the drawing boards in the UAE, is unresponsive to the climate and cultural context, when you put it in a forest of other, similarly conceived structures, what “wow” there might be (as shown in a rendering) is completely lost. Wait til they get those window washers up there…like they do on the Burj al Arab….everyday of the week….up/down/up/down…and the building will probably be running on temporary utilities for years until the service providers catch up with the glut of development. Let’s have a look at this in about 10 years…remember when Mansard roofs were all the rage?

Fling, oh behave.

YOU ARE MURDERING ARCHITECTURE.

3rd year Architecture Student.

Lastly, y’all gotta admit one thing. Architecture has always been about expressing architect’s ego towards a context. Nothing too different from artists’ work. I sure think all architects understand.

I still think projects like this are better than those commercial projects found everywhere. Most architects are just draftmen and salesmen, pleasing clients’ bad taste. GOTTA ACCEPT those who’s got gut like ASYMTOTE. They’ve been doing their things since who knows when.

This thing is hot. Good on you Asymptote

Can’t believe some of these rediculous comments from retro modernist losers. Do not judge this work on your sentimental preconceptions.
Souless?? What is soulful architecture? Mies box? Yeah right.
Non-contextual? How is that? Do you know the architects intent, read the blurb? Or do you want it ‘look’ contextual? Like a mosque? Like a hut?

Also, all you people who judge architecture negatively because it was preconcieved in a computer should just retire. Don’t push your insecurities onto the world. Its a tool. Learn it, just like you learnt how to speak, then to draw, then learnt autocad……
To the critics, tough luck if you were born ugly and can’t get laid.
Jealous ugly people are souless and boring.

Zumthor, SANAA,etc=timeless, is that a joke? What is timeless? Everything dies and needs to die….sentamentalist especially.

@ WM:

My understanding was that this an architectural blog where people are meant to express their opinions about ‘architecture’. Your comments are verging on offensive to those who have bothered to cast their opinion. Anyway in answer your questions my ‘opinion’ is as follows:

1. What is soulful architecture?
Perhaps an architecture that responds to the inner essence of each living being, something with human qualities, something that alights ALL of the senses, not just one of them i.e. candy for the eyes!

2. How is it not contextual?
Lack of consideration to climate and environmental irresponsibility is a good reason. Anonymity and lack off reason other than fanciful form making is another, however, I am glad you understand that to be contextual does not mean to look like your neighbors.

3. Zumthor=Timeless?
The fact that you see the association as a joke says a lot.

4. What is timeless?
Timeless is the quality of being ageless, or transcending one moment in time, fashion, style, taste, or indeed shallow form making. Usually applies to works of substance…something soulful (see 1.)

5. Everything dies and needs to die!
No comment!!

Another vertical airport.

Now that is sci-fi! Where do I get one of these? I want one…

sorry, but this whole discussion is getting a bit kitsch.
timeless, soulless, what’s going on?
zumthor is a product of our time such as any other,
the whole hype about him was born in the early 90s
together with HdeM on the heritage of 60s concept art.
one style, as any other. it’s very trendy and pure fashion
as well.
we are getting here in a socio-cultural thing about taste
and sanaa/zumthor seem to have changed the conventions
of our times and are accepted as such. all this is starting getting
vulgar and is on the edge of retro-cocooning-kitsch and
monastery-wellness.

abu dhabi, genius loci, vain architecture? can you please open
your eyes and look what’s going on down there? flower island
archipelagos with david beckham bungalows - i think
asymptote is very sensible in stuying this context. we are not in
Vals but in the centre of arbitraryness in terms of architecture.

and yes, can people please start using the computer as a tool
with all its capacity and not as a pencil?

i think it’s a beautiful building, playful with a nice collection of
spaces and well thought and crafted architecture that uses
all the means of designing something sustainable in our time.
rather a prostitute with character than grim old desperate housewives.

wm,
your view of the world is dangerous and cretinous.
the anger emanating from your post simply proves that you do
not possess the means to articulate simple thoughts in a constructive debate.
Luckily for you, everything is not dead yet, and the great thinkers, from Plato to Heidegger could still teach you a trick or two.

I agree with michael, sorry wm!, you must breathe in fresh air more often.

For those who are interested in knowing how to build timeless architecture, they must read “Timeless Way of Building” by Sir Christopher Alexander, and then avaluate his preachings from our own physical experiences. We’ll have to let a go bit, to really start living and observe what makes us alive. May be then we will have an understanding of what soul-lessness is all about.

I have lived and worked in Dubai (U.A.E.) for 7 years. Sure it is a great playing field for architects, but at the same time an excellent opportunity to create responsible architecture that will let you live in harmony with yourself and the space that promotes it, rather than visually sexy and enticing forms that seem to be a product of some wire frame of an alien creature with fancy attire.

Enough said guys and gals!

WOW!! THAT IS JUST AWESOME!! SOmething I can be proud of in Abu Dhabi, watchin Dubai frow made me wonder if tha Capital city would fine its touch! Great project!! Can’t ait to get my Architecture degree and work in Abu Dhabi!!!