Dubai – September 08, 2026 -- Al Habtoor Tower, a 350-meter (1,155-foot) residential skyscraper on the Dubai Water Canal, was inaugurated in September 2026, ranking among the world's tallest residential buildings and relying on PENETRON ADMIX crystalline waterproofing to protect its below-grade concrete structures.
Tower delivers 1,740 apartments across 85 residential floors
The Al Habtoor City development spans a built-up area of over 25,000 square meters (274,000+ square feet), with three below-grade basement floors, a ground floor, and 85 residential floors. Units range from one-bedroom apartments (78-141 m2) to three-bedroom apartments (162-229 m2), with Ultra Residences and Sky Villas occupying the top six floors. The tower runs 24 high-speed elevators capable of 7 meters per second, described as the world's fastest.
Contractors chose top-down construction over basement demolition
MAK Engineering, the project's engineering consultant, and general contractor China Railway 18th Bureau Group opted to pile through the existing basement rather than demolish it, using 100-meter deep Barrette foundations as load-bearing elements against vertical and horizontal loads. The approach allowed simultaneous above-ground construction, achieving six-day floor cycle times. Within eight months, crews completed approximately six kilometers of 90-meter deep Barrette shear walls and one kilometer of circular piles.
Crystalline admixture specified to counter groundwater pressure at depth
Sam Annous, Managing Director of Penetron Saudi Arabia, said the depth of the below-grade structures and resulting groundwater pressure required a reliable waterproofing solution, leading to the specification of PENETRON ADMIX for the tower's raft foundation and retaining walls. The admixture's active ingredients generate an insoluble crystalline formation in the presence of moisture, blocking water entry through microcracks, pores and capillaries even under high hydrostatic pressure. Cracks forming during the structure's service life self-heal, according to the company, providing permanent protection for the concrete.
The tower's amenities include a wellness spa, fitness gym, padel and tennis courts, multiple indoor and outdoor pools, a children's playground, library, event rooms, concierge desk, on-site restaurants, and what the developer describes as the world's highest terraced gardens.