Abu Dhabi Investment Authority Tower, Abu Dhabi

Investment Authority Tower, just as the name suggests, is the home of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, and is one of the most impressive skyscrapers in the city. Its construction was completed in 2006.

The tower has a total of 40 floors and an eight storey car park adjacent to it, with a leisure center on its roof top. Designed by Kohn Pedersen Fix on the verdant coastal zone of the city, the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority Tower skillfully combines traditional Islamic and modern international elements.

It took a lot of effort and genius of the design team to come up with a plan for this building. There are two wings resembling fingers that enclose a central atrium. This resembles an Islamic courtyard. A layer of micro-perforated blinds is placed between two low-E glazing layers. These layers - referred to by architects as “sails” - unfurl and furl in keeping with the movement of the sun.

The superstructure is made of steel and post-tensioned floors. The atrium is enclosed by the Western elevation and has a net of frets that resemble Islamic motifs. Be sure to include a visit to the Investment Authority Tower in your Abu Dhabi itinerary.