Dubai’s iconic sail-shaped hotel, the Burj Al Arab Jumeirah, is about to undergo a dramatic expansion of its footprint with the addition of a huge deck extending out over the waters of the Gulf.
In a “world first” in marine design and engineering, the so-called North Deck has been manufactured at a shipyard in Finland and is now undergoing an 8,000-nautical-mile journey by ship, in six sections.
Made from steel and weighing around 5,000 tonnes, the deck left Finland on 9 January and is expected at the hotel in mid-February.
When the ship arrives, the deck’s sections will be lifted by crane and lowered onto a grid of 90 steel piles, each 914 mm in diameter, stretching from the hotel out into the Gulf.
Designed by UK-headquartered consultancy Atkins, and built on an artificial island, the Burj Al Arab Jumeirah is one of the tallest hotels in the world, and was an early iconic building for booming Dubai when it opened in 1999.
The North Deck, at 10,000-sq-m in area, is bigger than a FIFA-regulation football field. It will boast two large swimming pools, a restaurant, bar, 32 cabanas, with enough space left over for 400 sun loungers.
“This is the first time a structure of this nature and size has been built in one country and then transported to another country to be assembled and operated,” said Robert Swade, Jumeirah Group Chief Operating Officer.
“We are pushing the boundaries of innovation and demonstrating our commitment to making Dubai the world’s most exciting destination and Burj Al Arab Jumeirah as the finest provider of luxury experiences.”
Jumeirah Group says the off-site construction process will mean minimal disruption to guests.
The North Deck was developed in Finland by marine construction experts Admares, which specialises in “floating real estate”.
