Dubai: A company based in New York is looking to build a U-shaped tower that will surpass the total length of Dubai’s most popular landmark.
A project recently unveiled by Oiio Studio, the Big Bend is envisioned to stretch 4,000 feet long, beating the length of Burj Khalifa, which currently holds the crown as the tallest tower in the world at 2,720 feet.
The skyscraper has created quite a social media stir, with a record-breaking length and a design that clearly defies conventional building norms. It is currently being advertised as an architectural masterpiece that seeks to transform the skyline of Manhattan’s Billionaire’s Row, a prestigious location on the southern end of Central Park.
However, while its total length is longer than that of Burj Khalifa, The Big Bend will still be a bit shorter in height: it will rise only up to a certain point then curve back down.
When asked whether the project, once completed, will take away the crown from Burj Khalifa as the world’s tallest tower, the proponents agreed that the matter will definitely be subject to discussion.
“Should the project become a reality, there is certainly going to be an interesting debate about that. It should be interesting because people would have to take sides,” said Ioannis Oikonomou, the skyscraper's designer, in an email sent to Gulf News.
What’s unique about the skyscraper, though, is that it will have a lift that can travel in curves, horizontally and in continuous loops.
“The innovative track changing system allows for the horizontal connection of two shafts on the top and bottom to create a continuous loop,” the company said in a statement.
Oiio Studio said the slender building is actually designed to work around the height limitations in Manhattan.
“If we manage to bend our structure instead of bending the zoning rules of New York, we would be able to create one of the most prestigious buildings in Manhattan. The longest building in the world. The Big Bend can become a modest architectural solution to the height limitations of Manhattan.”
The project is still looking for investments.
