OMA in the Middle East: Office for Metropolitan Architecture have sent us some new renderings, plans and sections of Porsche Design Towers I and II, which they are jointly designing with Porsche Design.

The two towers, one cylindrical and one a hollow slab, are being built at Business Bay in Dubai.

Below is the press release issued by OMA when the project was announced in October last year:

–

OMA and Porsche Design jointly design towers in Dubai

(Munich, 23 October, 2006) – Porsche Design and Dubai Properties announced today that the Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA) has been commissioned to design, in co-operation with Porsche Design a high quality office tower and a luxury residential tower in Dubai. Completion is due 2009.

Dubai Properties, one of the largest real estate developers in the Middle East, has commissioned OMA to design a 85,000sqm office tower and a 30,000sqm residential tower in Dubai. The buildings will be situated next to each other at the waterfront of Dubai’s Business Bay development.

The office building will also comprise retail, recreational spaces and a parking garage whilst the residential building will be situated above a sunken plaza with retail and cafes. OMA’s designs of both towers take into account the climate conditions in Dubai and are designed to allow minimal impact of the sun. The office tower is framed by side wings and an overlap to create its own shadow, thereby protecting the tower from sunlight and reducing the need for air conditioning. The centred external wall is of reflected glass as an additional feature for the Dubai climate. The residential tower adjacent to the office tower will be cylinder shaped, an interior atrium following the entire height of the tower will provide natural air circulation and additional light.