Architects design a model of a suspended city that encircles the Burj Khalifa

2022-09-10 09:22:12 By : Ms. Ana Lin

Dubai is known for its extravagant architecture that causes envy around the world. Just when you thought its buildings could not get more futuristic, along comes ZNera space, an architecture firm with some very ambitious plans for the city.

What might these be? They have developed a design for a high-rise building that encircles the Burj Khalifa, reported an online magazine designboom on Tuesday.

The structure would be 550 meters tall (1,800 feet) and span a 3000 meter (9,800 feet) circumference. It’s appropriately called the Downtown Circle and it can simultaneously serve as both an urban and natural landmark for the United Arab Emirates.

It encompasses all the features that make up the most popular urban metropolises. It features residential, public, and commercial spaces, and even a green Skygarden to add some much-needed oxygen to the car-heavy city.

The structure would be supported by five vertical beams which we imagine would have to be extra sturdy to carry such a busy and diverse mini-metropolis. The structure is also meant to be sustainable, featuring a more humane typology that seeks to emulate nature and introduce diverse green public spaces.

The structure consists of two rings held together by a continuous green suspended belt called the Skypark. This Skypark will offer residents and visitors fresh air, abundant natural light, and panoramic views of the city.

The Downtown Circle will further boast five levels, each divided into smaller units that are separated into residential, public, commercial, and cultural programs. It will also be adorned with lavish greenery and feature open spaces that cater to the ultimate user experience.

Amongst its many landmarks, you will find offices, research centers, cultural spaces, and a 3D green ecosystem that will operate as the ‘lung’ of the ring bringing much-needed oxygen to a rather polluted city.

This green area will further be embellished by such features as canyons, sandy dunes, swamps, waterfalls, digital caves, and tropical vegetation. It will also provide sanctuaries for wild plants, an area to cultivate and produce food, machines specialized in rainwater harvesting, and solar power stations.

Finally, advanced systems will store CO2 and filter pollutants from the air.

If you fear the circle is too large to navigate, then rest assured the architects have even thought of that. A futuristic rail transport system made of suspended pods will ferry passengers back and forth from their locations at a speed of 100 kilometers (62 miles) per hour.

While using the advanced trains, passengers will also be privy to 360 views of the entire city below, making it a more enjoyable ride for both local residents and tourists alike.

No word has been given as to when this structure might be built or if indeed it ever will. But for now, the illustrations have got us dreaming of a future we would love to explore.

Anyone up for a trip to Dubai?