Iconic Glass Structures – Cayan Tower

Dubai is fast becoming the “go-to” city for iconic architecture. The city is home to some of the most unusual and challenging new building designs. The glass and concrete Cayan Tower is in good company. Initially called the Infinity Tower, Cayan Tower is a 73-story building with a twist – a 90° twist, to be exact.

Cayan Tower opened in 2013, and at the time of its debut, was the tallest “twisted tower” in the world. It has since been eclipsed by the Shanghai Tower, another twisted tower in China. It is currently the 86th tallest building in the world and the 23rd tallest building in the Middle East. Construction on the tower began in 2006 and was interrupted for about a year and a half to correct flooding problems in the tower’s foundation.

Cayan Tower is a luxury apartment and condominium project. Each above-grade floor is identical, but each floor is offset by 1.2°, giving the tower its distinctive helical shape. The twist is more than just a visual gimmick. The offset of each floor is enough to provide a self-shading building, which reduces the building’s overall energy consumption. In addition, the building’s twisted shape helps to shield the building from airborne sand, which can be carried by daily winds in Dubai.

The building’s concrete superstructure is specially cooled to help the building discharge heat that may have built up during the day. The overnight cooling system helps reduce the building’s daytime energy consumption. The windows in each unit are operable, which enables residents to take advantage of natural ventilation when the weather conditions permit.

Although the Cayan Tower provides exceptional views of the Dubai Marina and the Arabian Gulf, not all urban buildings are blessed with beautiful views. If that describes your situation, you can improve your view by using Glassprimer™ glass paint to coat your windows. Glassprimer™ glass paint provides translucent coverage, to permit light transmission and effectively transform an unpleasant view.

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Photo Credit: Guilheim Vellut, via Flickr.com