The local/UK Dutco Balfour Beatty (DBB) has been selected for the contract to complete the raft foundation for the world’s tallest building in Dubai.

Work on the raft will start as local developer Emaar Properties negotiates with contractors for the contract to complete the superstructure for the project, which is known as The Tower at Dubai Creek Harbour.

Two groups submitted bids for the contract in November. They are a joint venture of Lebanon’s Arabian Construction Company (ACC) and Lebanon’s Consolidated Contractors Company (CCC), and a joint venture of South Korea’s Samsung C+T and the local/Belgian Belhasa Six Construct.

It is understood that DBB together with Tishman Construction of the US may also submit an offer the main construction works. The joint venture had earlier withdrawn from the tender process.

The superstructure comprises three key elements. They are: a concrete core, a steel frame structure on top of the concrete core, and cables descending down from the tower to the ground.

France’s Soletanche Bachy is understood to be in the final stages of the piling works. The tower is designed by Spanish/Swiss architect and engineer Santiago Calatrava Valls. Calatrava is working with the local office of Aurecon as the consultant, supported by the UK’s RMJM. The project manager for the tower is US-based Parsons.

On 10 October, Dubai officially confirmed the tower will be the world’s tallest tower when it is completed in 2020. The final height has not been disclosed. To become the world’s tallest tower, it will have to be more than 1,008 metres in height, which is the expected height of the under-construction Jeddah Tower in Saudi Arabia.