Massive Ring-Shaped Structure Could Encircle Dubai’s Burj Khalifa

The design for the tower is inspired by the geometries of a regional desert flower and the patterning systems embodied in Islamic architecture. Built of reinforced concrete and clad in glass, the tower is composed of sculpted volumes arranged around a central buttressed core. As it rises from a flat base, setbacks occur in an upward spiraling pattern, which reduces the building’s mass as it reaches skyward. At the pinnacle, the central core emerges and is sculpted to form a spire.