Burj Azizi - Technical Challenges in Planning a Vertical City

At 725 meters high, the Burj Azizi in Dubai will be the second tallest building in the world and one of the most ambitious skyscraper projects upon its planned completion in 2028. This article explores the structural challenges, wind analyses, and engineering solutions.

This vertical city concept places high demands on planning, design and logistics. "With Burj Azizi, we are moving beyond traditional typologies," explains Matthew Fineout, Burj Azizi Project Director at the architectural firm AE7, Dubai. The AE7 design team relies on parametric design, digital simulations, and wind tunnel testing to harmonize structure, aesthetics, and functionality.

Extreme Height in a Tight Space

What makes the Burj Azizi special is its uncompromising focus on vertical density. With a footprint of just 57 x 57 meters and 139 floors, the tower is one of the slimmest skyscraper in the world. The result: high demands on the basic structure, particularly with regard to vibration behavior and structural stability.

The Burj Azizi's height makes it a veritable plaything of natural forces - especially on the upper floors. The taller a building, the more it is subjected to wind. Wind tunnel tests show that pressure conditions vary greatly along the façade, especially at the edges. To simulate and analyze wind forces, the architects are working with wind engineers from RWDI, who were previously involved in the design of Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building, also located in Dubai. "Wind pressure increases significantly with altitude," explains Suresh Kumar, a fluid mechanics specialist at RWDI. "The pressure is highest in the center of the façade, while the edges experience lower pressure due to the turbulence effects." This can lead to unwanted vibrations and movements that.

"The behavior of the façade in different wind directions, pressure distributions at corners and in the center, and turbulence must be tested in hundreds of test scenarios using wind tunnel models," explains Suresh Kumar. "These tests are standard to ensure structural safety and comfort in high-rise buildings." Typically, models on a scale of 1:300 to 1:500 are used with hundreds of pressure sensors on the surface. Based on this data, not only structural elements are adjusted but also the shape of the building itself is fine-tuned.

Minimizing Wind Forces: Tuned Mass Dampers vs Tower Shaping

To minimize movement caused by wind forces, Tuned Mass Dampers (TMDs) are typically used - huge moving masses that reduce tower vibration through controlled counter-oscillations. The pendulum systems, weighing up to 800 tons, are installed at the top of the building and counteract vibrations caused by wind or seismic activity. The systems act like shock absorbers for the tower, reducing movement in strong winds and thus increasing living comfort on the top floors. This technology is well established in slender skyscrapers, but is usually not mentioned in the marketing of luxury penthouses to avoid deterring potential buyers. "In a building of this height, the upper floors can move several inches in strong winds. The damper reduces this movement to a level that is barely noticeable to residents," explains Kumar.

However, due to the excessive weight of a TMD this was not an option for the Burj Azizi. "Instead, control of building movement was achieved through the exterior shaping of the tower" explains Matthew Fineout. "We have conducted iterative studies to 'tune' the shape of the tower to minimize building accelerations due to adverse effects from the wind. The notched corners and the stepping of the tower all act to mitigate the forces of the wind on the building."

Building Core as Structural Backbone

The structural heart of Burj Azizi is a multifunctional concrete core that simultaneously houses elevators, emergency exit stairs, and technical rooms in a minimal space. "We had to carefully calculate every inch. Every square foot must be functionally optimized to maximize usable space while maintaining structural integrity," says Fineout. "Every additional inch of technical space reduces the usable area for residential or commercial use. It's all about precise dimensioning to ensure a balance between function and space. A core that's too large compromises valuable usable space, while one that's too small compromises efficiency and safety."

The core structure not only serves as a means of access but also as the structural backbone of the entire building. The core reaches over 600 meters in height and is made of high-strength concrete with prestressed steel components. Additionally, the core is stabilized by diagonal mega-columns and perimetric beam systems that enable controlled movement of the building under wind loads. "We developed a compact core structure that acts as a skeleton while reliably distributing the static loads across its entire height," says Fineout.

Another challenge in planning the building in such a confined space is separating the different user groups. "We're not talking about a purely residential tower here. We have multiple-entry requirements - you have the entrance for the hotel; you also have penthouse residences that will require to have own entrances. Then, there is the vertical mall and an adrenaline zone that has to have its own entrance. How do you make all of these happen in a very small area?" explains Fineout.

"We're not just designing a building - we're creating a vertical ecosystem," says Fineout, describing the ambitious project. "Our goal is not simply to build tall, but to develop a functioning vertical city - with all its requirements for accessibility, comfort, and structure."

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Matthew Fineout and Suresh Kumar will present the Burj Azizi mega-project together with architects and engineers from Eckersley O'Callaghan (London), Meinhardt Façade Technology (Dubai), and Neapoli (Kuala Lumpur) at the Advanced Building Skins Conference in Bern, Switzerland, on November 3 + 4, 2025.

Further information and conference registration at https://abs.green

Andreas Karweger
Advanced Building Skins GmbH
CH-6003 Lucerne, Switzerland

Tel. Lucerne: +41 41 50 8 70 36
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info@abs.green
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The Advanced Building Skins Conference & Expo has been running for 20 years and is the premier international event for innovative building envelopes for architects, engineers, scientists and the construction industry. The conference offers high-caliber presentations and productive networking opportunities with a wide mix of industry specialists from more than 50 countries across the world.

The event is held in English and will take place 03-04 November 2025 at the Kursaal Conference Center in Bern, Switzerland.

This release was published on openPR.