(2001) Al Dhahery Tower

client : HE Sheikkh Mohamed Bin Sultan Bin Sroor Al Dhahery
typology : Residential
services : Architecture
where : Abu Dhabi, U.A.E

Postmodern Urbanity with a Gulf Accent

Rising gracefully from the coastal fabric of Abu Dhabi’s W8 Sector, Ocean Tower asserts itself as a bold reimagining of Gulf residential architecture. Framed by panoramic views of the Arabian Gulf, this 25-story mixed-use development embodies a striking synthesis of cultural reference and modernist ambition. Designed with a measured postmodern sensibility, it is both a landmark and a living structure—where geometry, material, and memory converge.

At the heart of its architectural identity lies a tripartite composition: a central cylindrical spine wrapped in bronze latticework is flanked by twin vertical wings, evoking a restrained classical symmetry reinterpreted through the prism of contemporary urban form. The tower’s sculpted crown—part observatory, part architectural folly—anchors its silhouette in the skyline, a beacon of aspiration and civic presence. This vertical core, reminiscent of traditional majlis towers, also houses the vertical circulation, lending cultural depth to a functional gesture.

Beneath its composed façade, Ocean Tower accommodates a dynamic program. Eighty-eight sea-facing apartments are arranged across 16 residential levels, each offering expansive layouts, generous balconies, and natural light-filled interiors. These are supported by three levels of premium office space and a ground-level retail arcade designed to activate the urban frontage. A private health club and spa—exclusive yet discreet—occupies a full podium level, providing wellness and social infrastructure for a select membership. Underground parking across three levels ensures seamless vehicular access, with a total capacity of 70 cars.
The building’s material palette reinforces its contextual relevance and architectural clarity. Warm sandstone cladding, brushed aluminum detailing, and copper-toned accents reflect both the desert environment and the city’s evolving architectural language. The base is grounded in textured arcades and colonnades, bestowing ceremonial gravity, while upper floors lighten in articulation, allowing air and light to soften the form’s vertical ascent.

Measured in both experience and economics, the tower spans a total built-up area of 32,202 m². The retail component includes six double-height storefronts, each approximately 112 m², while the health club integrates both service and retail dimensions. With a carefully calibrated mix of programmatic elements and a projected operational logic supporting long-term viability, the tower is designed to perform as well as it inspires.

Ocean Tower is more than a residential address—it is an urban proposition. Rejecting the homogeneity of curtain-walled skylines, it asserts an architectural voice grounded in place, memory, and proportion. It invites its residents not just to inhabit space, but to experience it—elevated, composed, and unmistakably Abu Dhabi.