While buildings must reflect the social and cultural mores of the region, experts feel sustainability is soon becoming a contributor to the UAE architectural signature.

According to Dr Shams Eldien Naga’s of Naga Architects, the Burj Khalifa is an impressive creation. “It is a clean building and an icon but does not take any articulation that is not required and hence, it is successful. Again, the Index Tower works in terms of proportion. It has a simple but elegant design and yet thinks forward,” says Naga.

Bab Al Shams, he says, is a good project but it is still traditional and could have benefitted from a slightly modern approach. “Royal Mirage is a good building in terms of proportion. Even after so many years, the Dubai Municipality is still a good building that is standing for its time, so also the World Trade Centre. These are iconic for Dubai — for the time that they have been built and still remain very well respected.”