Dubai Crystal Dome

[DarkBlueBoss]

A German consortium is planning to build a massive $1 billion residential, leisure and commercial development on Dubai's Shaikh Zayed Road near the Emirates Towers.

The Crystal Dome is a modern concept which will symbolise the hi-tech and touristic activities of Dubai as well as being a world benchmark in architecture, said a spokesman.

The Crystal Dome will be the biggest 'exterritorial' of the world. It will touch a height of 455 m, with a gross area of about 2.3 million sq m.

The InterGlob Euro-Arab Consortium is developing the property, which will also serve as a main station for the Dubai Magno Metro, when implemented.

Construction work will start in January or February and the project will be implemented in stages in five years, said Prof Alexander Wagner, chairman of the group.

He said the project has secured provisional approval from Dubai authorities and financing has been arranged from a German real estate fund.

The dome will have unique features that offer fast access to the building; new elevator technology (tilted diagonal spiral elevators); emergency slides (spirals) instead of endless stairs; Safety against air pirate terrorism; Comfort car parking at personal floor-level - own cars are parked in the backyard of the apartments.

Instead of building two separate buildings - one as a parking house and one for business and living - with the disadvantage that the walking distance is long, the Crystal Domes combines both areas. This gives a maximum comfort to the inhabitants.

The Crystal Dome will provide space for about 3,000 residences or luxury apartments and 500,000 sq m of space for business offices.

It will have clinics, sport facilities, conference space, and a six-star hotel, food and other shops, as well as a leisure park for children of the working parents and a wellness centre.

The project is estimated to cost around $1 billion. Most of the costs will be covered by the sales of the luxury apartments.

The Crystal Dome will be optically 'wrapped' by a golden colour glass spiral-ramp (enclosed like a tube) forming a 'necklace', while going up to the top. (The most modern magnetic transportation facility will run upwards on the inside).

The Dome is wrapped by two spirals (one upward, the other downward) at a distance of 10 m. Considered a gradient of 1:15 it takes 3 km to climb up the 450 m. With a speed of 60 km (which is low) it takes 3 minutes to the top, which is very comfortable.

One turn of the spiral is about 600 m with a gain in heights of 90 m. This gives 5 windings of the spiral up to the top if a steepness of 15 per cent (8.5