Abu Dhabi’s tallest tower named one of world’s best new skyscrapers

The 88-storey, 381-metre Burj Mohammed Bin Rashid took sixth place in the annual Emporis Skyscraper Awards for buildings more than 100 metres high.

Burj Mohammed Bin Rashid (centre) is the tallest building in the capital. Mona Al Marzooqi / The National

Poking out above the Abu Dhabi skyline like a giant stick of Blackpool rock, Burj Mohammed Bin Rashid in the capital’s World Trade Centre complex has quickly become a local landmark.

The 88-storey, 381-metre tower, the tallest in Abu Dhabi, has been named one of the world’s best new skyscrapers.

Located on the old Central Market site off Airport Road, the building took sixth place in the annual Emporis Skyscraper Awards for buildings more than 100 metres high that were completed in the past calendar year.

The tower, designed by the Foster and Partners architecture firm in the United Kingdom, was built as part of the new World Trade Centre Abu Dhabi complex, which was completed last year by Arabian Construction Company for the developer Aldar Properties.

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Burj Mohammed bin Rashid is one of two towers that have been built as part of the 400,000 square metre World Trade Centre complex. It has 474 apartments and was named after Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

Wangjing SOHO in Beijing, a triple-tower complex designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, won the Emporis Skyscraper Award, marking the first such victory for a Chinese development.

Milan’s 105-metre Bosco Verticale (“vertical forest”), designed by Boeri Studio, came second. The judges praised its sustainable design that includes more than 700 trees and 90 species of plants, which reduce smog and attenuate noise.

“The results of recent years clearly show that criteria such as sustainability, efficiency and a clever design play a much more important role than reaching new superlatives”, said Daniel Schuldt, the managing director of Emporis, whose award is now in its 15th year.

In June, the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat in Chicago named Burj Mohammed bin Rashid the 2015 winner in its Middle East and Africa category.

The Abu Dhabi tower will compete with New York’s One World Trade Center, Singapore’s CapitaGreen and Bosco Verticale when the group names its world winner in November.