Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Designed as a sophisticated anchor presence on Dubai’s Boulevard, Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture’s Burj Vista is a residential development providing residents with unobstructed, front-row views of Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building.

The complex consists of two towers, 22 and 69 stories, with the first two levels featuring high-end retail.

Burj Vista has recently been awarded a 2023 Green Good Design Award by The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies.

As part of an urban plaza that includes public sculptures, an amphitheater frames views of the Burj Khalifa between the two towers at the amenities level to emphasize the concept of a “theatrical” experience for residents.

The need to maximize views of the Burj Khalifa in each unit, minimize overall energy consumption, and maximize the comfort of residents were key design challenges.

The solution was to think about the volume, rather than the area, of the units.

A collection of duplex units on the upper floors of the taller tower features a series of double-height observation rooms that work in tandem with outdoor terraces.

The result is the configuration of an exterior wall that provides each unit with a rich combination of “observation” rooms and terraces that are aligned along the façade that faces The Boulevard in a staggered configuration, maximizing views while keeping obstructions to a minimum.

In addition to the enhanced view configuration, the exterior wall responds to orientation with specific features that reduce heat gain in Dubai’s warm climate, including insets for terraces and sloped glass exterior walls that maximize shading, reduce heat gain, and reduce the collection of wind-born sand; high-performance coatings on the exterior glass; utilizing a significant amount of GFRC cladding systems to minimize the amount of glass; orienting the towers to minimize solar exposure; and connecting landscaped event areas with shaded paths.

These architectural decisions make Burj Vista’s design specific to its program, location, and massing configuration, giving it a distinctive identity with high-performance characteristics.

The main drivers of the form, and the detail generation, are the protection from solar exposure and the maximization of views of the Burj Khalifa.

There are four main façades surfaces, each exposed to varying levels of high solar radiation and have varying views.

Views toward the Burj Khalifa are the prime objective for marketability.

In generating the plan’s geometry, the building that faces the Burj is maximized in length and the resulting surface area.

A key design concept was to maximize these focused, unobstructed views of the Dubai icon. Another important consideration was to provide this experience to every unit owner, regardless of unit size, and how the goal would affect the exterior facade.

The solution was to configure residential units facing the Burj Khalifa with at least one “viewing room” and one balcony carved out of the space.

Each outdoor terrace has framed views of the tower, which also acts as a protected shaded environment for the unit below.

Viewing rooms are clad with prefabricated, modular, locally produced Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete (GFRC) on the southmost facing surfaces.

The localized use of this solid material enhances the performance of the exterior wall system in a variety of ways.

It reduces the amount of solar radiation impacting the interior residential spaces, improving comfort levels, and reducing energy use.

The glare that is produced from the intensity of direct solar radiation is also significantly reduced.

Additionally, the thermal conductivity of the wall system is reduced when compared to a vision glass system, given that insulation levels can be enhanced within the thickness of the wall without impacting views.

The overall design intent for the south, southeast, and southwest walls was to utilize mostly solid walls, with a glass ratio that optimizes natural light and views, while controlling solar access into the units.

The surfaces with direct views of the Burj Khalifa are clad in glass and sloped toward the ground to reduce the angle of incidence and solar radiation, as well as the cooling load on the building.

The south wall features significantly smaller, sloped windows, compared to the north wall, because of its increased exposure to sun and heat.

Window opening detailing is responsive to the orientation, further enhancing solar protection.

The glass wall that provides access to the terraces is fully shaded by the “observation room” above it.

The contrast between the protruding “viewing rooms” and the shaded terraces generates a rich exterior expression.

The design of the north facade has reduced levels of solar radiation.

Therefore, the facade can be less protected, allowing for more natural light and reducing the need for artificial light.

The proportion of solid to glass walls is increased compared to the southwest elevation where the solid surface is increased.

The design intent for the northwest wall is to provide balcony areas that are shielded from the afternoon sun by using recessed glazing.

This facade receives strong levels of solar radiation that are more difficult to control because of the low angle of incidence.

A system of operable screens was conceived, which enables sweeping views during most of the day, while still protecting the interior spaces from strong solar radiation toward the end of the day.

Another factor in the design was the need to conserve water because there is no regional watershed in the United Arab Emirates.

The building minimizes potable water use through Watersense-certified low-flow and low-flush fittings.

Grey water is collected separately for future offsite centralized grey water treatment and the building is plumbed with a purple pipe system to allow toilet flushing with reclaimed water in the future.

Condensate is harvested for reuse and the cooling system uses a district plant with cooling towers that maximize water efficiency.

Additional sustainable strategies include orienting the towers to minimize solar exposure and connecting landscaped event areas with shaded paths.

These architectural decisions make Burj Vista’s design specific to its program, location, and massing configuration, giving it a distinctive identity with high-performance characteristics.

Other features of the project include high-end finishes in all interiors; a semi-protected lounge area with decorative water features open to a landscaped garden; an indoor pool; and ready access to Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall, Burj Lake Promenade, World Trade Center, and Sheikh Zayed Road.

Project: Burj Vista
Architect: Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture
Client: Emaar Properties
Architect of Record: BHNS Engineering
General Contractor: NSCC International
Photographs: Courtesy of Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture