Dubai Frame 🇦🇪

Situated near the Star Gate in Zabeel Park, the Dubai Frame—formerly known as Al Berwaz Tower—is an observatory, museum, and monument in Dubai. Reaching a height of 150.24 meters and a width of 95.53 meters, it holds the record for the world's largest frame structure. Built from reinforced concrete, steel, aluminum, and glass, the exterior features embedded patterns based on the Expo 2020 logo, with structural proportions designed according to the golden ratio.

The architectural concept was created to frame the city's ongoing transformation rather than simply introducing another isolated monument. Positioned between contrasting parts of Dubai, the monument offers two distinct viewpoints. Gazing through one direction presents views of older historical districts such as Deira, Umm Hurair, and Karama, while looking through the opposite side provides a view of contemporary skyscrapers along Sheikh Zayed Road.

Inside the monument, guest access is structured around three main augmented-reality sections: the Mezzanine level, the Sky Deck level, and the Vortex Level. Lower levels feature a museum that utilizes special effects to depict traditional Emirati heritage, illustrating how a modest pearl-diving and fishing settlement evolved into a major modern destination. A high-speed elevator carries visitors up 48 floors to the Sky Deck in 75 seconds. Bridging the two vertical towers at the top, the observation deck includes transparent glass floors situated nearly 150 meters above the lower structure. The experience also includes a video display projecting the city's development 50 years into the future.

The project originated from a 2009 international architectural competition organized by ThyssenKrupp Elevator and Dubai Municipality, where an international jury selected the design by Fernando Donis from 926 global entries. Following subsequent disputes regarding copyright and project licensing, the building was completed by Hyder Consulting, part of Arcadis NV, and officially opened in January 2018. Operational guidelines limit entry to 200 visitors per hour, with guests moving through the interactive stops in groups of 20.

Dubai Frame in pictures