Nakheel Tower

Nakheel Tower, also known as Al Burj, was a proposed supertall skyscraper planned by the developer Nakheel in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Intended to surpass the Burj Khalifa as the tallest building in the world, Nakheel Tower was designed to reach a height of around 1,000 meters (approximately 3,281 feet), with initial plans suggesting heights ranging from 700 meters up to 1,500 meters at various stages of its conceptual development.

The tower's architecture drew inspiration from Islamic design elements and was structured with four cores, allowing strong winds to pass through and enabling unique features such as sky villages appearing every 25 floors, creating communal spaces with gardens, pools, and residences.

The design included high-speed elevators that could ascend to observation decks offering panoramic views and the ability to experience multiple micro-climates within the building due to its immense height.

The tower was to be the centerpiece of Nakheel's Harbour & Tower master plan and aimed to include cultural, retail, and community facilities within its podium. However, the project was put on hold in January 2009 due to financial difficulties stemming from the global economic crisis, and it was officially cancelled in December 2009 as Nakheel faced significant debt challenges.

Despite advanced planning and consultations with major construction firms including Samsung C&T, Shimizu Corporation, and Grocon, Nakheel Tower never progressed to construction and remains one of the most ambitious yet unrealized architectural projects in Dubai’s history.