Local developer Wasl has set 16 October as the new tender closing date for the contract to build its high-rise tower project on Dubai’s Sheikh Zayed Road.

When tender documents were issued in June the deadline was in late August.

The 60-storey tower, that is planned to be completed before the 2020 Expo, will be about 300 metres tall and will feature the world’s tallest ceramic facade.

In May this year, Wasl approached contractors and invited them to express interest in bidding for the contract. This approach followed meetings with contractors to discuss the development in 2015. The firms that attended those talks were understood to be:

• Alec (local)
• Arabian Construction Company (ACC; Lebanon)
• Arabtec Construction (local)
• Bel Hasa Six Construct (local/Belgium)
• Brookfield Multiplex (Canada)
• Samsung C+T (South Korea)

The tower has been designed by sustainability expert Werner Sobek and architect Ben van Berkel. The local APCC is working on the foundations package.

Dubai is planning to build a series of other landmark tower projects ahead of the Expo. They include Emaar Properties’ 928-metre tall tower and One Zabeel that is being developed by the Investment Corporation of Dubai (Dubai).