Fast facts
Challenge• To construct the first spherical office building in the world based on green building principles, and to provide flexible office space for various tenants
Solution• People Flow™ analysis conducted to design the optimal vertical transportation for the building• High-speed, energy-efficient elevators transporting tenants from the car park and lobby to the office floors• KONE Polaris™ Destination Control System, improving elevator handling
ALDAR HQContractor: ALDAR Laing O’RourkeArchitect: MZ & PartnersFloors: 23Office space: 49,000 square metersRetail space: 3,450 square metersCar parks: 3 in basement
KONE Solutions12 KONE MiniSpace™ passenger elevators2 KONE MiniSpace™ service elevators3 KONE MonoSpace® elevators1 circular hydraulic lift2 dumbwaiters
A jewel is born
This Middle East icon combines futuristic grace with elegance. The spherical-shaped design is also a structure grounded in strong environmental principles, as witnessed by the use of recyclable glass, steel and concrete, and the incorporation of prefabricated elements.
People Flow™ analysis as starting point
KONE was selected to design and deliver the elevator solutions for this unique office building and worked closely with the customer during all phases of the project.
“During the pre-tendering phase, we conducted several People Flow studies to find the best solution to suit the building’s functionality,” explains project manager Ramachandran Narayanan, from KONE Middle East.
In addition to 3 KONE MonoSpace® elevators for the car park and a circular hydraulic lift, KONE delivered 14 KONE MiniSpace™ elevators equipped with the innovative KONE Polaris™ Destination Control System.
Improving building intelligence
With KONE Polaris, building occupants enter their destination onto a touch-screen keypad before entering the elevator. Polaris is integrated into the turnstile access control system, adding to the security of the entire building.
When the traffic spikes, Polaris switches to an optimal routine to accommodate the passenger load. The system measures the patterns and gets smarter over time by learning the traffic flows of the building.
“ALDAR is looking to use the facility for its head office and rent the remaining facilities. Even during peak traffic hours, cabin comfort is not compromised, making it attractive for renting,” says Narayanan.
Now that the building is complete and equipment is running, collaboration has taken on a new form. KONE is providing maintenance for all the solutions; and looking forward to carrying on the same high level of satisfaction as during the construction phase.