The O-14 Tower is located in the central business district of Business Bay in Dubai. An office skyscraper is called a "Cheese Tower" in society. This is due to the fact that the concrete facade of the building looks like a white napkin with round holes of different sizes, resembling Swiss cheese.
A bit of history
The name of the O-14 tower comes from the numerical designation of the embankment section where it was built, it was not changed even after the opening. The facility was created as part of a large-scale business center project. The architects are Jesse Reiser and Nanako Umemoto.
The concept of an unusual exterior protects the interior from the sun. Construction work began in 2007 and was completed in 2010. This object won the silver Emporis Skyscraper Award in 2009. The stylish futuristic sculptural form and adaptation to the hot climate were appreciated by experts. In addition, in 2010, the O-14 tower won the ACEC National Award, which was awarded for achievements in the field of design.
Short description
The 24-storey building with 4 underground levels and 4 elevators is different from other buildings in the United Arab Emirates. The height is just over 100 meters, the area is 28 thousand square meters. The workers deliberately left a gap of 1 meter between the facade and the windows, which allows hot air to rise and cold air to flow from below. The facade is 40 centimeters thick and has 1,000 round holes of various sizes. The building is supported by a core and an exoskeleton, so there are practically no columns inside.
There is a parking lot on the underground levels of the O-14 tower, which can accommodate 416 cars at a time. There are prayer rooms and several shops on the ground floors, while the rest of the floors are intended for offices. The only exception is that there is one restaurant on the upper floors, with views of Dubai Bay and the city.
Unusual facts
The design feature makes it possible to reduce electricity costs by up to 30% for the operation of ventilation systems. Tourists from Russia say that tower 0-14 evokes associations with the fact that in the USSR they used to cover the TV with a lace napkin to protect it from dust, and the building looks as if it too was decorated with a snow-white napkin.
But most often the design is compared to Swiss cheese. The holes in this variety appear due to carbon dioxide, which forms bubbles in the cheese. When they "burst", holes are formed.
How to get
The O-14 tower is located on the shores of Khor Dubai, opposite the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world (828 meters), it is impossible not to notice it. If you take the subway, the nearest station will be "Business Bay", which is about 3.5 km from your destination. From there, you need to take the bus F14 or F19A and get off at the stop "U BORA Tower 1". The journey takes no more than 20 minutes.
Buses No. 50, F41, X22 are also suitable. You can call a taxi through the mobile app or make a phone call to stop an empty car. Drivers may not have a large amount of change, so it is recommended to take small bills. You can also pay for the trip with a bank card or cryptocurrency.
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