Princess Tower set the precedent for all-residential towers, both in Dubai and around the world. Its prime location puts it in near a number of amenities including several malls, entertainment venues, and cultural attractions. An adjacent tram connects the tower to the rest of the sprawling city. At the time of its completion in 2012, the building was the tallest all-residential tower in the world, a title that is destined to change hands rapidly in the coming years given the number of tall residential towers due for completion.

Like many of its nearby counterparts, Princess Tower is lavishly adorned in a style that reflects the region’s emerging architectural formula, with a façade that is broken up into several discernible sections. Its main body is punctuated by a series of gently bowed balconies inset into the center of each wall, while the buildings corners are lined with windows. At higher floors, the exterior pattern changes, with glass cladding broken up by crosscut vertical and horizontal panels. The crown of the tower is perhaps the building’s most remarkable feature. As the crown steps back, two series of crenellated teeth ring around a vertically striped dome that is topped with a compact spire.

The tower incorporates several strategies to manage the safety of its occupants. High-tech fire detection and suppression systems manage risks in the building, exceeding most jurisdictional requirements. To increase comfort levels, a tuned sloshing damper tank was integrated at roof level to compensate for lateral movement of the tower. Additionally, a wind-speed alarm was installed in each apartment on upper floors to warn residents of high winds prior to opening balcony doors. By combining world-class luxury and safety performance, Princess Tower set the standard for supertall residential structures.