Ambitious Circle Skyscraper in Dubai Feels Wildly Futuristic

Renderings for the Dubai’s Downtown Circle project feel appropriately space-age and futuristic, with an enormous ring 550-meters tall and 3,000 meters in circumference. It stands in the midst of Dubai’s skyscraper, encircling the Burj Khalifa, which still stands as the tallest building on the planet.

Designed by architecture studio ZN Era, the massive structure would be the first of its kind, leaning into a design that feels visionary and forward-thinking. Indeed, visions of science fiction metropolises come to mind when seeing the designs.

The ring would be composed of multiple layers, comprising residential, public, commercial, and cultural spaces. The circle would also contain a ‘green lung’ layer that houses trees, plants, and other green spaces.

The massive scale and resulting cost make this project a challenging one to approve and build, but the ideas within it will surely influence the city’s growth and building plans.

The renderings showcase e-VTOLs approaching, while a pod system of transportation whisks people to various places along the ring’s exterior.

“Architecture firm ZN Era calls Downtown Circle “a continuous metropolis” and feels it would provide a novel solution to the rapid urbanization and population growth in Dubai.”

“The proposed megastructure offers an alternative to the singular and unconnected high-rises found in most metropolitan areas”

“With a circumference of 3,000 metres, the downtown circle functions as a continuous metropolis which is flexible and forward-looking.”

-ZN Era

The transportation system alone is a novel idea, but when accompanied by the circle’s extreme height, make for a design that looks straight out of science fiction.