It’s no secret that Dubai is a paradise for lovers of contemporary architecture. Futuristic skyscrapers and imaginative structures deck out its arterial roads, waterfront communities, glamorous islands and marinas. Whether it’s from the city’s love of superlatives or the desire to bolster its image as a forward-looking metropolis, the United Arab Emirates hub constantly broadens the horizons of engineering innovation.
We’ve curated a list of the most spectacular architectural marvels in a city full of jaw-dropping buildings and the best way to experience them.
Museum of The Future
Celebrated South African architect Shaun Killa designed the Museum of The Future, a spectacular architectural masterpiece that incorporates the traditional art of Arabic calligraphy into a symbolic contemporary design.
The stainless-steel facade of the circular structure bears window designs that feature poetry by Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, vice president and prime minister of the UAE and ruler of Dubai, in calligraphy by Emirati artist Mattar bin Lahej. The circular building symbolizes humanity, the grassy elevation upon which it rests signifies the earth and the void represents the unknown future.
The museum, spread over seven floors, opened in February 2022, and offers an imaginative glimpse of the future through the lens of scientific and technological innovations. Exhibitions, experiences and attractions relate to themes such as space exploration, artificial intelligence, wellness, augmented reality and mobility solutions. The immersive and highly engaging exhibits invite you to participate and ask questions of expert guides.
Burj Khalifa
The 2,716-foot Burj Khalifa, the Dubai skyline’s pièce de résistance, is the world’s tallest tower. Whether you’re gazing at its sleek aluminum and stainless-steel exterior up close or catching the sun’s reflection on the hand-cut glass panels just below its spire from afar, this superstructure leaves you in awe. American architect Adrian Smith based his design on an abstraction of traditional Islamic architecture, with three segments strategically arranged around a central core. Construction cost $1.5 billion and took more than six years before opening in 2010. Today, it’s the centerpiece of downtown Dubai, one of the city’s main tourist attractions and a magnet for an impressive list of restaurants and nightlife within walking distance.
For unbeatable views over Dubai and the gulf, take the high-speed elevators to At the Top on the 124th and 125th floors, where you’ll find an outdoor observation deck with high-powered telescopes and 360-degree views. Those not afraid of heights might want to splurge on At the Top Sky, where you can stroll around the 148th-floor terrace (nearly 2,000 feet high), or take afternoon tea at the world’s highest lounge spread over the 152nd, 153rd and 154th floors. The Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star Armani Hotel Dubai, on the Burj Khalifa’s first eight levels as well as the 38th and 39th floors, gives you a front-row seat (an impeccably designed one, no less) to Dubai’s most prestigious address.
The Opus by Omniyat
Late Iraqi-born British architect Zaha Hadid (the first woman to receive the Pritzker Architecture Prize) designed The Opus. The mixed-use structure features two distinct towers that converge to form a glass cube, united by a ground-floor atrium spanning four floors. A 125-foot-wide asymmetrical steel and glass bridge that connects the towers runs across three floors at 233 feet. In the center, a free-flowing void (over eight floors in the interior) makes for a visually captivating detail.
To fully admire the building’s interior, which displays Hadid’s love for bold fluid lines, pop into ME by Melia, the only hotel in the world designed by Hadid, for an espresso and tart at Sfumato Coffee or a plate of robata-grilled fish at Japanese restaurant Roka.
Burj Al Arab
One of Dubai’s most iconic structures, the sail-shaped Burj Al Arab stands on a man-made island off the Jumeirah coast. The sail of a dhow, a wooden boat used in these waters for centuries, inspired the design. The Tom Wright-conceived hotel opened its doors in 1999 and quickly earned the reputation as the city’s most extravagant property, thanks to its 24-karat gold interiors, Statuario marble floors and walls and a helipad where Roger Federer and Andre Agassi played a friendly tennis match in 2005.
At 1,053 feet, the Five-Star Burj Al Arab Jumeirah is the tallest all-suite hotel in the world. Every guest here is guaranteed to feel like a VIP thanks to opulent duplex suites, private butlers available around the clock, revered restaurants, a luxurious spa, Rolls-Royce transfers and a 107,000-square-foot beachfront terrace with freshwater and saltwater pools.
Atlantis, The Royal
Reminiscent of interlocking Legos, the modernist architecture of Atlantis, The Royal — the applauded new hotel on Palm Jumeirah island — can be best described as intriguing. Designed by New York-based Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates, the 1,640-foot-long curved structure comprises six towers stacked like a child’s blocks and linked by a 300-foot sky bridge. It looks especially stunning around sunset when the sky behind it turns orange-red. Stylish rooms offer breathtaking sea views and excellent amenities. Suites and penthouses come with infinity pools and butler service, and several acclaimed restaurants, such as Ariana’s Persian Kitchen, Dinner by Heston Blumenthal and Nobu by the Beach, cater to any culinary desire.
Dubai Opera
The creation of architect Janus Rostock, the dhow-shaped Dubai Opera is a nod to the city’s rich maritime heritage. Opened in 2016 in downtown, this contemporary 650,000-square-foot performing arts venue (about twice the area of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool) seats 2,000 and can transform into a theater, concert hall or banquet facility, making it the city’s premier venue for musical performances, the ballet and art exhibitions. And while the world-class productions on the marquee are worth the price of admission, partaking in pre-show dinner or drinks from one of the nearby Burj Khalifa eateries allows you to appreciate the Dubai Opera in all its design glory.
Stay tuned for our 2024 Star Awards announcement on February 7, 2024.
