UNS completes 302-meter Wasl Tower with twisting ceramic facade in Dubai

UNS has completed Wasl Tower, a 302-meter skyscraper on Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai, near Burj Khalifa. The tower features a twisting contrapposto form and a full-height ceramic facade made of thousands of terracotta fins that filter sunlight and channel airflow, reducing cooling demand. The mixed-use program includes a Mandarin Oriental Downtown hotel, residences, offices, and public amenities, organized as a vertical city with separate lift systems. The base connects to metro, pedestrian routes, and adjacent structures. Structural systems include post-tensioned slabs and hybrid columns for slenderness. Environmental strategies integrate solar thermal panels, district cooling, and daylight-responsive lighting. Interior spaces use stone, metal, and filtered daylight. The project team includes Werner Sobek as engineering consultant, Arup for lighting, and GA Design for hotel interiors.