OP-EN proposes wrapping world's tallest building in fabric

OP-EN proposes wrapping world’s tallest building in fabric
all images © OP-EN

dubai-based interdisciplinary creative practice and think tank OP-EN, has proposed a site-specific installation to cover the world’s tallest man-made structure, the burj khalifa in dubai, united arab emirates. interacting with the 828 meter tower, the ‘exo-burj’ project seeks to complement and enhance the building’s existing reflective façade. the desert superstructure would be wrapped with a super-lightweight, reflective and semi-transparent fabric material suspended off its central spire.

visitors would not only be able to view the temporary installation from a distance, which would reflect the high-rise and its surroundings, but also walk up-close and experience the encasement first-hand. the proposal aims to offer a fluid, urban ambiance that amplifies the visual perspective of the city’s skyline, augment the ‘burj khalifa’ symbol as a defiance of gravity and highlight the immenseness of its architectural scale.

the installation proposes to wrap the ‘burj khalifa’ in dubai in a reflective fabric

concept diagram

drawing showing the urban relationship with its surroundings

diagram explaining amplifying the reflective nature of the tower

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.