MVRDV tops Dubai skyscraper with giant orb to "steal the attention of onlookers"

Dutch studio MVRDV has unveiled its design for the Inaura skyscraper in Dubai, UAE, which incorporates a "jewel-like orb" on its upper floors.

Set to be built in Downtown Dubai, the 210-metre-high skyscraper was designed by MVRDV to stand out from the numerous tall buildings being built in the city.

"The project finds itself among taller neighbours, which all compete for attention," said the studio.

"The design therefore takes a different approach to claiming its place in the city: a luminous, jewel-like orb nestled in between the building's floors, creating a novel and curious way to steal the attention of onlookers."

Being built close to the Mercedes-Benz Places in Dubai skyscraper, the Inaura skyscraper has a standard, rectangular shape. However, the top quarter of the building appears to be sat on a giant, pearl-like form.

Within the pearl will be a VIP space, while the surrounding area, which will be enclosed by glazing, will contain a residents' lounge and viewpoint with views of the Burj Khalifa – the world's tallest building.

"Inaura brings a new character to the Dubai skyline that hasn't really been explored before – something that is exquisite yet simultaneously demure, in a way," said MVRDV founding partner Jacob van Rijs.

"Beyond its visual affect, however, it is also a tremendously practical design: the tower has efficient, rectangular floorplans, and there is no wasted 'vanity height' that you see in towers with intricate crowns," he continued.

"The Sky Lounge instead serves to organise and communicate the building's programme, attuned to the city at its lower levels and to the skyline at the top, with its signature feature forming a horizon in between."

Designed for UAE developer Arada, the tower's lower and middle floors will contain 105 one- to three-bedroom apartments and a 101-room hotel. The seven floors above the pearl-like form will contain nine larger penthouse apartments.

The skyscraper will stand on a four-storey plinth that will contain the hotel's and apartment's entrance lobbies, restaurants, a gym and spa.

The Inaura skyscraper is the latest distinctive building to be unveiled in Dubai. Other recent attention-grabbing projects include a pair of skyscrapers linked by penthouse swimming pool by Foster + Partners and an "unusually narrow" skyscraper by RCR Arquitectes.

The images are by The Boundary.

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