To infinity and beyond

Kasem points out how the rotation of the Infinity tower is achieved.
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Camber formwork was also supplied to the project to counteract the effect of deflection caused by heavy reinforcement and concrete.

“We built the core so it was slightly tilted, so when the slabs were put in place, it was pulled back into a straight line. When you rotate, everything is pulled towards the core,” explains Kasem.

The rotation of the slabs and columns are so complex that they need to be checked much more regularly than they would in a traditional building.

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“In a normal building, the four corners are monitored every five floors or so. At Infinity, we have hundreds of points that have to be checked every single time we form and are monitored again after the form is taken away. We have to make sure that the columns have been constructed in accordance with the original design.”

Cladding work commenced in Q1 2009. In such a complex structure, it should be a difficult process, but Kasem has a trick up his sleeve.

“The cladding is prefabricated in the factory and you just bring it in, slap it on and your done,” he says.

“When you have a stick system, you have worry about constructability and workmanship. Two labourers can do something different to the two workers on the other side and there might be problems with sealants and the installation process. With a unitised system, like ours, things are a lot simpler.”

Before Infinity’s curtain wall could be implemented, however, it had to go through some rather vigorous tests.

“The trouble with a spiral building, is that nobody knows how it will behave, because a building like this hasn’t been constructed before. There were a lot of concerns and we want to make sure that the building was over designed, if you will,” states Kasem.

A curtain wall prototype was exposed to a typhoon situation, where jets of water were sprayed at it and strong winds were blown on to it using a propelled engine.

“It was proven to be 100% water-tight,” says Kasem. “The cladding also underwent pressure, suction and destruction tests. Further, the building has been designed in accordance with the seismic requirements for Dubai.”

The shape of the structure has also created challenges for Cayan when it comes to cleaning the tower.