Designed by renowned architecture firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, the tower is located in the heart of Dubai’s main business district and comprises 25 floors of two- and three-bedroom apartments, as well as 30 floors of office space for rent.
The Chicago-based architects behind the Rolex Tower were also responsible for designing the Burj Khalifa, currently the tallest building in the world, as well as New Providence Wharf in London’s Docklands.
Delivering the building was down to the Dubai Contracting Company (DCC), which has been involved in a number of similar large-scale constructions across the city-state in recent years.
“Our mandate was to achieve the highest levels of distinction from both a residential and commercial perspective, and to create the benchmark in our portfolio of turn-key properties,” explained Abdallah Yabroudi, chief executive of DCC.
“With custom-designed interiors, superior materials and a unique architectural design, the Rolex Tower is a work of art that is reflective of the impeccable standards that have been set by Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons.”
Seddiqi & Sons backed the development financially and decided to name the tower Rolex because of their long-standing relationship with the world-famous watchmaker, being that they are one of the Middle East’s leading timepiece retailers.
Abdul Hamied Seddiqi, vice chairman of Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons, said: “The launch of the Rolex Tower demonstrates our conviction that quality and service are among the most vital considerations whether buying a watch, finding a home, or building a business.”
The Burj Khalifa is an unmissable landmark in downtown Dubai, standing some 828m tall on Sheikh Zayed Road, the same route through the city on which the Rolex Tower has now been established.
Editor’s notes: Designed and engineered by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, the development attracted several awards, including Best Tall Building Middle East & Africa 2011 Award of Excellence (CTBUH Awards 2011), Project of the Year Middle East Architect Magazine (2011) and Regional Design Award: Architecture AIA – Middle East Chapter (2014).
As of May 2023, the Burj Khalifa remained the tallest building in the world, standing at 2,717 feet or 828 metres.
However, research in June 2026 found that Middle East neighbour Saudi Arabia had the Rise Tower in its Riyadh development pipeline. This was planned to be the world’s first two-kilometre-tall building, and the world’s tallest. Construction was proposed to commence in 2026, with completion scheduled for 2030.