Architect: Faulders Studio (california)
Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Project year: 2009
Typology: Vertical Salt Deposit
The building features a large super structure which will, over time, grow a skin façade on its own. the system utilizes a vertical salt deposit growth systemthat uses water from the adjacent persian gulf. the water is sprayed onto the mesh of the superstructure using a gravity fed system, allowing the skin to continually grow using nothing but local materials. because the persian gulf has the world’s highest salinity for oceanic water, the sprayed water will evaporate and salt deposits begin to form. ‘the tower’s appearance transforms from a transparent skin to a highly visible white solid plane. the result is a specialized habitat for wildlife that thrives is this environment, and an accessible surface for the harvesting of crystal salt.’ the water would be pumped in using a long underground tube, hence the project’s name.