Dubai, Mumbai vie to build world's tallest commercial tower

The developer of Burj 2020, billed to be the world’s tallest commercial tower, has commenced the groundwork on its mega skyscraper in Dubai.

Though Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC) has laid claim to the title, yet not disclosing the tower height, or number of storeys, an Indian federal government ministry has unveiled its plan to build a 130-storey commercial tower in Mumbai – the tallest in the world.

Currently, One World Trade at 541.3-metre in New York is the world’s tallest completed commercial tower. The 568-metre-high Global Financial Center Tower 1 in Shenyang, China, will take the crown in 2018.

According to the Economic Times, an Indian financial daily, the Ministry of Shipping is proposing to construct a towering 'business district' on Mumbai Port Trust land to monetise the asset and ease the space crunch in the city.

“It will be a 130-storey building and will house mostly offices along with other amenities. We are working on the plan and it's still in initial stages," Minister of Shipping Nitin Gadkari told the newspaper.

The project, which may cost more than Rs100 billion, will come up in the vicinity of Nariman Point, a business district and the Fort area in south Mumbai, the newspaper said.

711-metres Dubai One tower is part of Meydan One master development.

Emirates 24|7 reported earlier that DMCC has appointed Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture (AS+GG) as architect for the tower, while WATG, a destination creation consultancy, is working on the master plan for Burj 2020 district.

Construction is set to start this year, the developer has said, with plans to complete it before 2020. The emirate is the host of Expo 2020.

117-storey World One (442 metres) tower in Mumbai.


World One, Mumbai, nearing completion

As for the tallest residential tower, Mumbai is likely to take the crown from Dubai next year.

The 117-storey World One (442 metres) tower in Mumbai, if completed in 2016, will become the world’s tallest residential tower, beating the 97-storey Princess Tower (414 metre) in the emirate.

But Meydan, a local developer, has already announced plans for a 711-metres Dubai One tower, claiming to make it to the top of the tallest tower list and even hold the record for the world’s highest observation deck at 655 metres.

Dubai has built nearly 190 skyscrapers (350 feet high) since 2000 and is home to 828-metre Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest tower.

As per Emporis, which collates data on building worldwide, the emirate alone has 917 high-rises and 465 skyscrapers.

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