CTBUH Annual Award 2011

Located on a prominent corner site within the ‘Dubai International Finance Centre,’ The Index is a continuation of Foster + Partners’ exploration of the skyscraper in the twentyfirst century. The mixed-use components of the 80-storey, 328m tower are clearly defined, and combine 520 luxury apartments with 25 floors of office space, as well as shops, restaurant, a pool and a health club.
The distinctive form is generated by a desire to reveal the structural system and internal organisation of the tower. The upper-level block of apartments are supported by four attenuated A-frame ‘fins’ at 27m centres, which are buttressed at each end elevation. Twenty-five levels of column-free office accommodation are held within from these fins, separated from the residential levels by a glazed sky-lobby. The tower is orientated east to west to maximise views over the Finance Centre and to the coastline and desert beyond.
This orientation also reduces solar gain, as the building’s core mass absorbs heat and reduces its reliance on mechanical ventilation. A system of sunshades shelters the interiors on the exposed south elevation.
The Index sits on a generously landscaped plinth level – with sculpted pools of water and an underground car park – and is entered through a dramatic four-storey foyer. The main lift cores, which serve the office floors, are located to the east and west extremities of the tower. A small central lift core, serving 40 levels of apartments, rises to a double-height sky lobby above the office levels and provides accesses to a variety of facilities for residents including a reception, lounge, restaurant, and fitness centre with a swimming pool. A local lift core then transports residents to their individual apartments. The tower is crowned with 12 luxurious duplex and triplex penthouse apartments with spectacular views over Dubai.




Location: Located on a prominent corner site within the Dubai International Finance Centre

Programme
• 520 high-end residential apartments, including, 12 penthouses 25 floors of office accommodation
• Mid-level sky lobby with recreational facilities, e.g. swimming pool, managed gymnasium, bar and restaurants
• Low-level retail

Gross Internal Area:
Office: 75,908m²
Residential: 94,492m²

Net Internal Area
Office: 57,625m²
Residential: 78,719m²
Retail: 5,985m²

Site Area: 20,000m²
Typical office floor plate: 1,953 m²
Building Height: 326m
Number of storeys: 80

Apartments: 520 apartments
• 264 one-bed
• 208 two-bed
• 36 three-bed
• 12 penthouses

Structure
• Four large tapering A-frame concrete ‘fins’, which are buttressed at the East and West elevation, forming the basis of the building structure.

• 25 levels of office accommodation and 48 levels of residential apartments are held within this structure

Cladding
It is designed to minimise adverse climatic effects on the building. It is orientated so that the East and West cores shelter the floor plates from the intense heat of the sun in this region. Sun shades are used on the South façade to minimise the effect of solar gain.

Features
• Each office floor plate is comprised of three 27m x 27m column free bays. These long span structures allow maximum flexibility for space planning. It is suitable for large international financial corporations and can also be subdivided for multiple tenancies.

• The design features a fully glazed double height sky lobby in between the offices and apartments, occupying an entire level of the building. This accommodates spaces for recreational activities such as a swimming pool, a managed gymnasium, bars and restaurants, emphasising views towards the city and coast.

• The building is strategically designed to accentuate the metropolitan view of Dubai International Finance Centre on the North side and the Dubai cityscape on the South.

Landscape
The landscape concept at podium level aims to provide an integrated layout comprising formal boulevards and open spaces as public and pedestrian links to the DIFC Master Plan. Expansive, elegant pools of water at entrance level, together with planting and shaded areas are adopted to create a comfortable and calming environment. Integrated into the landscaping will be areas providing high quality restaurants, bars and cafes to be used by both offices and residents during and after office hours.

Parking: 2,442 car parking spaces
• 568 residential spaces
• 1,665 office spaces
• 191 visitor spaces

Lifts
• 16 passenger lifts for offices
• 4 high speed residential passenger shuttle lifts
• 4 residential local passenger lifts
• 2 office goods lifts servicing office floors
• 1 goods lift servicing all floor



Architect: Foster + Partners

Team

Norman Foster
David Nelson
Gerard Evenden
Toby Blunt
Dara Towhidi
Viktor Udzenija
Bob Atwal
Ho Ling Cheung
Emanuele Mattutini
Andy Miller
Gary Owen
Jarrett Pelletier
Sunphol Sorakul
Wing Kei Wong
Edson Yabiku

Client: Union Properties
Collaborating Architect: Khatib & Alami (Post contract: Woods Bagot)
Project Manager: Edara Confluence
Cost Consultant: Currie & Brown
Structural Engineers: Halvorson and Partners (Post contract: BG&E)
Services Engineers: Roger Preston & Partners (Post contract: WSP)