Dubai Creek Tower remains in the planning and procurement stage after Emaar Properties delayed the main construction tender in June 2026. The developer postponed the process by approximately three to four months because port closures affected construction material costs and overall project pricing. Mohamed Alabbar, Emaar’s founder, said the company would reassess prices before proceeding. However, the latest available reporting does not confirm that the tender has reopened or establish a revised construction schedule. The delay leaves the redesigned landmark awaiting further procurement decisions.
The proposed tower forms part of Dubai Creek Harbour, a major waterfront development planned by Emaar. Initially unveiled in 2016, the project gained international attention through ambitions to create a structure taller than the 828-metre Burj Khalifa. However, Emaar subsequently revised the design, shifting attention towards architectural appearance and the surrounding urban environment.
Dubai Creek Tower Project Awaits Revised Tender
In January 2026, Alabbar announced that Emaar expected to issue the tower’s construction tender within three months. He confirmed that the company had redesigned the project but did not disclose its final height, construction cost or detailed delivery schedule.
By June, the developer had postponed the tender because of pricing uncertainty. The decision highlighted the impact of supply-chain disruptions on major construction projects, particularly those requiring substantial quantities of steel, concrete and specialist building materials.
Emaar has not publicly confirmed a new tender date in the available reporting. Therefore, contractors, suppliers and investors must await further information before assessing the revised procurement timetable.
The tower’s foundations were completed during the project’s earlier development phase. However, the available reports do not establish that above-ground construction has resumed. The revised design also leaves the final height and technical specifications unconfirmed.
Dubai Creek Tower Project Retains Landmark Ambitions
Spanish-Swiss architect Santiago Calatrava designed the original tower concept, drawing inspiration from a lily flower and traditional minaret forms. The earlier proposal featured a slender central structure supported by steel cables anchored to the ground.
The original concept also included observation decks, landscaped spaces, restaurants and hospitality facilities. However, Emaar has not confirmed which elements will remain in the revised design. The developer has emphasised aesthetics and visual impact rather than pursuing height records alone.
Dubai Creek Harbour provides the wider setting for the landmark. The master development combines residential, commercial, retail and leisure uses across a major waterfront district. Emaar announced Dubai Square, a large retail, hospitality and commercial destination, in late 2025 and reported that construction had commenced. The developer expected the project to take approximately three years to complete.
Dubai’s wider development pipeline also includes commercial property conversions. AHS Properties, for example, plans to transform the Shangri-La Dubai hotel into a $1.3 billion Grade A office development, with completion targeted for 2028. The project illustrates how developers are pursuing different approaches to accommodate demand, from adapting existing buildings to advancing new landmark structures.
Dubai Creek Tower Project Timeline Remains Unconfirmed
The next major milestone will be Emaar’s decision on tender pricing and the appointment of construction contractors. Until the company releases further details, the project’s revised construction start and completion dates remain uncertain.
The delay does not confirm cancellation. Instead, it indicates that Emaar is reassessing costs before committing to the next stage of delivery. Further announcements should clarify the redesigned tower’s height, technical scope, procurement arrangements and construction programme.
Dubai Creek Tower design overview
The Dubai Creek Tower is designed by world-renowned architect and engineer Santiago Calatrava, a Spanish architect, sculptor, and structural engineer, and his team, in collaboration with Aurecon, engineering, management, design, planning, project management, consulting, and advisory company.
The Tower’s design is inspired by the natural shape of a lily bud and takes the image of a minaret, a slender tower, typically part of a mosque, with a balcony from which a muezzin calls Muslims to prayer. ChapmanBDSP, an independent design consultancy specializing in building services engineering and environmental design, served as the mechanical, electrical, and public health consultant during the tower’s designing phase.
Also Read: One Chicago Tower facts and timeline.
The central column of the tower is shaped in the form of a slender stem, and a net of steel cables stays will anchor the reinforced concrete column to the ground to provide structural stability. The steel cables will be the longest ever used on a structure.
Damper systems and shock absorption systems will be placed at different locations and heights of the tower to improve its structural safety and stability.
The top of the tower will be oval-shaped, featuring ten observation decks that include two garden decks, which are designed on the lines of the hanging gardens of Babylon, and the Pinnacle Room, which will offer unprecedented 360-degree panoramic views of the city and beyond.
The Dubai Creek Tower will also feature rotating balconies that extend outside the tower’s façade, a high-end hotel, green spaces, restaurants, and event spaces. A planned 500m-diameter central plaza will house retail spaces, a museum, educational amenities, and an auditorium.
The highest point of the tower will emanate a beacon of light at night. The main structure and steel cables will also be illuminated to highlight the tower’s design, and movement lighting will be used to enhance the structure’s visual appeal.
Dubai Creek Tower is planned to be constructed in three phases. The first phase consists of the piling work and the second includes the concrete base. The third phase involves steelwork, including the fabrication of the steel cables.
Upon completion, the tower will be the tallest in the world at a height of not less than 1300 meters, overtaking the current tallest tower in the world, Burj Khalifa, which is located approximately 8 kilometers from the Dubai Creek Tower.
Project Fact Sheet
Name: Dubai Creek Tower, also known as The Tower.
Location: Dubai Creek Harbour, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Type: Landmark observation tower and mixed-use development.
Developer: Emaar Properties.
Original design architect: Santiago Calatrava.
Original estimated construction cost: Approximately $1 billion; the current budget has not been confirmed.
Foundation status: Earlier foundation works were completed; the latest above-ground construction status remains unconfirmed.
Latest procurement update: Main tender delayed in June 2026.
Reason for delay: Construction material pricing and supply-chain concerns.
Revised tender date: Not confirmed.
Construction start date: Not confirmed.
Completion date: Not confirmed.
Wider development: Dubai Creek Harbour.
Project Team
Developer: Emaar Properties.
Founder: Mohamed Alabbar.
Original design architect: Santiago Calatrava.
Original engineering and design collaborator: Aurecon, now operating as Zutari.
Earlier foundation contractor: Soletanche Bachy.
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