Dubai Frame

Dubai Frame

Dubai United Arab Emirates Landmark
At a glance
Name:Dubai Frame
Construction period:2013 – 2018
Commissioned by:City of Dubai
Design:Fernando Donis
Height:150.24 metres
Width:95.53 metres
Construction cost:approx. 44 million US dollars
Operator:City of Dubai
1 / 5

Audio guide

Listen to the fascinating story behind Dubai Frame conveniently as audio.

Notice something?

Background, facts and history

11 Fascinating Facts about the Dubai Frame

 

  1. Location: The Dubai Frame stands in Zabeel Park, a spacious urban park in the heart of Dubai. The landmark enjoys a central, well connected location between the historic district of Deira and the modern business areas along Sheikh Zayed Road.
  2. Record Holder: Rising 150 meters high and measuring 95.5 meters in width, the Dubai Frame is officially recognized by Guinness World Records as the largest picture frame in the world. Its gold decorated façade made of stainless steel and glass reflects the sunlight, giving the structure a striking glow that is visible from far away.
  3. Design Competition: The Dubai Frame emerged from an international architectural competition held in 2008 and 2009. A total of 926 designs were submitted by architects from 106 countries. The first prize was awarded to Mexican architect Fernando Donis and included prize money of 100,000 US dollars.
  4. Concept: From the Sky Deck of the Dubai Frame, the view is deliberately arranged to reveal modern Dubai’s skyline on one side and the historic old city on the other. This carefully planned contrast is a core element of the concept and allows the city’s development to be experienced within a single panorama.
  5. Construction History: Construction began in 2013 under the responsibility of the city of Dubai and continued over several years. The structure is built from extensive reinforced concrete and steel elements, large glass surfaces, and a distinctive outer shell. After several delays, the Dubai Frame officially opened in early 2018 and quickly established itself as a new landmark of Dubai.
  6. Construction Costs: The construction of the Dubai Frame cost around 160 million dirhams, equivalent to approximately 44 million US dollars. The project was financed by the Dubai city administration, which remains the owner of the landmark to this day.
  7. Legal Dispute: After winning the architectural competition, a long running dispute emerged when architect Fernando Donis stated that his design had been realized without a final contractual agreement. He refused to sign a contract that would have excluded him from the construction process and transferred all rights to his design to the city. In media statements, Donis later described the Dubai Frame as “the largest stolen building of all time.” In 2016, after all negotiations and formal notices had failed, he filed a copyright infringement lawsuit with a US federal court. The case was ultimately unsuccessful, as the city of Dubai can only be sued with its own consent, which was not granted due to its sovereign immunity.
  8. Architecture: The Dubai Frame is conceived as a walkable picture frame with two towers connected by a bridge and is based on proportions inspired by the Golden Ratio. This classical design principle describes a ratio of approximately 1 to 1.618, which is perceived by the human eye as particularly harmonious and balanced. The load bearing structure of reinforced concrete, steel, aluminum, and expansive glass surfaces is clad in more than 15,000 square meters of gold colored stainless steel, featuring delicate ornaments inspired by the Expo 2020 logo. At night, an elaborate lighting design accentuates the clear geometry of the structure and makes it visible from a great distance.
  9. Observation Deck: On the Sky Deck, a bridge around 150 meters above ground connects the two towers to form a continuous observation platform. Large glass floor panels allow a direct view straight down and make a visit to the Sky Deck an especially intense experience. A panoramic elevator carries visitors to the top in about 75 seconds, turning the ascent itself into a spectacular part of the visit.
  10. Exhibitions: The visit is designed as a continuous experience route that thematically guides visitors through the past, present, and future of the city. In the lower area, a multimedia exhibition illustrates Dubai’s transformation from a fishing village into a modern metropolis. On the observation platform, interactive screens complement the panoramic views with information about today’s cityscape. The experience concludes with a futuristically staged tunnel that uses visual effects and digital scenarios to depict Dubai approximately 50 years into the future.
  11. Name Origin: In Arabic, the Dubai Frame officially bears the name Barwaz Dubai, which literally means “Frame of Dubai.” In international usage, however, the landmark is predominantly known by its English name, Dubai Frame.