< Previousevoke a woven texture, created through the use of double- glazed floor-to-ceiling windows and balconies. “Emaar wanted to provide a level of variety in the towers’ designs that reflected their mix of offerings,” Pennes said. “Hence the two service apartment towers match visually, while the hotel tower located at the centre has been treated differently. “The original woven texture of the buildings is inspired by the curvature of the façades opening toward the Downtown Fountains. As the outer face of the buildings was bent to open toward the main view, the woven texture became an expres- sion of this orientation. The slab edges were oriented in an al- ternative sequence, which provided the façade’s intertwined texture both horizontally and vertically.” Pennes added that the Address Residence Fountain Views is one of the largest (and first of its scale) single mixed-use de- velopments in the UAE to incorporate all of the country’s lat- est regulations related to high-rise towers, such as fire safety, security and façade treatments. MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT / 05.19 / WWW.MIDDLEEASTARCHITECT.COM 40 / PROJECTSWith a built-up area of one million square metres, the Address Residence Fountain Views maximises its viewing angles, with corner units able to enjoy 270 degree views. Furthermore, the top of the podium is a “prime spot”, said Pennes, that has been developed for public space use that can be enjoyed by residents and visitors, and features a large land- scaped area with access to recreational facilities and food and beverage offerings. Additionally, private terraces were built into the stepped rooftops that crown the buildings, offering exclusive views of the surrounding urban context to end-users of the pent- house units. “Fountain Views is also integrated into the larger public realm of the downtown area and the boulevard itself,” he said. “The project’s strategic location places it in the heart of the city’s central district, just minutes away from Dubai’s corpo- rate nexus.” MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT / 05.19 / WWW.MIDDLEEASTARCHITECT.COM PROJECTS / 41The economy of space planning is essential. Expansive masterplan developments have taken root in Dubai, juxtaposed by their efficient unit sizes. Fortuitously, U+A has had the opportunity to grapple with some of these masterplans, such as the Dubai South development, which is ever growing and enveloping the Al Maktoum Airport’s growing horizon. An investment based economy provokes the enquiry of the end-user supply and demand. Bill Gates states this in his 2019 open letter – “The world will build an entire New York City every month for 40 years” – and it’s echoed by Jim Krane’s words, “No one thought the village [Dubai] would become a city.” There is a huge capacity for growth, but it does require vision and trust. Recently, Dubizzle, a classifieds app in the UAE, indicated that “Instagrammable” was among the top searched keywords for property. The global social media phenomenon plays an enormous role in shaping the expectation of the market’s vision. Accommodating this fabled media utopia is at times frustratingly more Disney than we might be comfortable with. It does although empower the realisation of dreams, which may have remained within the elusive Neverland. One such project imagined the Dubai Creek Harbor’s waterscape populated with houses – a spark of imagination produced the iconic Floating Homes project. The utopian dialogue between media and design may be our modern collective expression in search of meaning. We have observed market trends of communal co-living units, hybrid office living units, such as the Parkridge project at DHE and family enriched public space narratives reinforced in the legacy of Arabian Ranches III. These projects, which U+A has been privileged to be part of, have been shaped by a vision of emerging trends, but they also require trust in order to flourish. There is no better way to foster trust than to deliver quality; this fuels the competition for excellence, ultimately enriching the built environment. Trust is essential for the end-user to imagine how houses can become homes, as well as between designer and builder to realise their vision. We can see how the market actively and positively implements new regulations and procedures to bolster trust. When the market is under pressure, as it goes through its cycles, those who have not earned trust may be the first to be forced from it. Dubai is a vibrant market with the capacity and vision to grow into one of the best quality built environments globally, if we can continue to nurture trust. Dubai’s market is a unique blend of economy, vision and trust By Victor Salzmann, design manager at U+A Victor Salzmann, design manager at U+A MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT / 05.19 / WWW.MIDDLEEASTARCHITECT.COM 42 / LAST WORDKey to Markets Venetian blind Blinds Glass door Perggolaa Inspiring solutions for the indoor and outdoor areas! 28.-30.11.2019 www.rt-turkey.com Istanbul Exhibition Center CNR Expo 4th International trade fair for roller shutters, doors/gates and sun protection systems “THIS FAIR IS ORGANIZED WITH THE AUDIT OF TOBB (THE UNION OF CHAMBERS AND COMMODITY EXCHANGES OF TURKEY) IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAW NO.5174”Middleeast@Lindner-Group.com www.Lindner-Group.com Lindner Group offers an extensive range of high-quality ceiling systems that meet even the most sophisticated demands with regard to appearance and functionality. CEILINGS CREATE FORM AND FUNCTION © Stefan SchillingNext >