The world's highest tallest hotel building, the Ciel Tower, constructed by China Railway 18th Bureau Group Co., Ltd., passed its completion and acceptance on December 6.

The Ciel Tower is located in the bustling Marina area of Dubai, UAE. The building has an eave height of 373.5m and a total floor area of approximately 102,000m². Its prime location offers stunning views alongside iconic landmarks such as the Burj Khalifa, Dubai Marina, and Palm Island. When it becomes operational, the hotel will feature 1,100 guest rooms, an open-air swimming pool at a height of 306m, a Chinese restaurant at 353m, and a 12-level atrium sky garden.

According to reports, since the construction began in May 2020, the project team has faced numerous challenges, including a lack of experience in constructing super-high-rise buildings over 300m, a complex construction environment, multiple critical engineering components, and high technical demands. To overcome these challenges, the team established a Building Information Modeling (BIM) system to manage the entire lifecycle of the project. The system enabled visualized and digitalized management of the construction process, allowing them to identify risk points and technical difficulties in advance. As a result, the team successfully tackled more than ten major technical challenges, including the construction of a 1.9-meter-thick curved core wellbore fair-faced concrete wall, a 10-meter-high "Y"-shaped giant column, a 15-meter-long-span sky garden, a 50-meter ultra-high arch with full scaffold support, the steel structure of a high-altitude sky bridge crown, the decoration of a 12-level high-ceiling atrium sky garden, double-curved double-layer special shape glass curtain walls, and the installation of 10m/s high-speed panoramic elevators.

Night view of the Marina area. Provided by China Railway 18th Bureau Group.

Thanks to a highly cohesive and collaborative international management team, the project advanced efficiently. In August 2020, the team overcame the challenge of a one-time pour of 8,000m³ of concrete for a 7-meter-thick raft foundation, completing the foundation structure construction. By November 2021, the team achieved a "three days per floor" construction pace for standard floors, setting a record for the fastest standard floor construction in Dubai's building market at the time. In January 2023, all vertical structures were fully cast, bringing the project to its final height of 373.5m.

The project team integrated Chinese concepts and technologies into the construction plan, employing innovative materials such as lightweight concrete precast wall panels and high-strength self-compacting concrete. Additionally, a wastewater treatment system was implemented to enable wastewater recycling, reflecting the concept of environmental sustainability. During the construction process, a significant amount of Chinese equipment and products were utilized, promoting the global presence of Chinese manufacturing in the “Belt and Road Initiative” countries. The project also contributed to local employment and the development of supporting industries.

Zhou Lin, General Manager of China Railway 18th Bureau Dubai Company, stated, "The successful completion of the Ciel Tower marks a new achievement for Chinese enterprises in the field of global super high-rise buildings. It is a significant testament to the friendly cooperation between China and the UAE, injecting new momentum into the UAE's economic and social development."

Yahya Jan, project supervision of the Ciel Tower and president of Canada's NORR Group, remarked, "The Chinese company has delivered the project with high quality, demonstrating excellent teamwork that is both trustworthy and commendable."