Enabling Works
One Za’abeel is just as impressive below ground. Going down 38.5 metres and spanning 7 floors, the basement will be in the deepest in the Middle East with space for over 2500 car parks, storage and maintenance rooms – maximizing above ground efficiency. The enabling works for the basement took 24 months to complete, and the unprecedented depth required new techniques to dehydrate, cure and stabilise the concrete.
The two towers and associated basements are connected by two underground tunnels at basement 2 and basement 1 levels. The design and construction of the Tunnel was complicated due to the proximity with the existing overhead highway bridge piers and its foundations.
Sustainability
Our client, Ithra Dubai, is targeting LEED Gold certification for the building. The development is designed to incorporate high standards in sustainability with a focus on energy and water efficiency, improved indoor air quality, thermal comfort and waste reduction. This commitment supports the Dubai vision to be one of the top sustainable cities in the world.
For example, the building façade is engineered to reduce heat gains, thereby reducing the cooling energy demand necessary to maintain comfort in the building as compared to typical developments across the region. In addition, there is an efficient irrigation system, and Treated Sewage Effluent (TSE) is used to further reduce potable water consumption.
Moreover, the fresh air supply rates have been designed in line with the international standard ASHRAE 62.1, to guarantee sufficient air exchange. Products with low-volatile organic compounds (materials, paints, adhesives) have been carefully selected during the fit-out to reduce the impact on human health for end users.
Being such a unique project, One Za’abeel has had a number of technical challenges that the WSP team played a key leadership role in developing innovative solutions for including offsetting both buildings, building the one-of-a-kind cantilever launcher on site and accommodating a live highway going right through the middle of the two connected towers. This was a major achievement as the teams were fully aware of the requirements and limitations.
The WSP scope for One Za’abeel is:
- Architect of Record
- Geotechnical Engineering
- Structural Engineering
- Building Services (MEP) including AV/IT
- Utilities
- Security
- Fire & Life Safety
- Vertical Transport
- Acoustic
- Waste management
- LEED
We would like to thank the developer, Ithra Dubai, for having the foresight to deliver such a bold world-first project.
