Muraba Veil: Dubai's wafer-thin skyscraper

The Muraba Veil skyscraper in Dubai has two peculiarities that make it not everybody's cup of tea: it will be surprisingly narrow and, obviously, will have a prohibitive price.

The promotional material claims that this slender edifice will emerge from the desert, as if rising out of the dunes.

Photo: Muraba Web - Muraba Veil

And rise it will –  to almost 400 metres over 73 floors and a total of 131 apartments, but with a width of only 20 metres, which is the same width as a single apartment

Photo: Muraba Web - Muraba Veil

This original ultra-thin skyscraper will be built next to Dubai's main transport network, the Sheikh Zayed Road, so, besides its views, it will have a privileged location.

Photo: Muraba Web - Muraba Veil

The Spanish architectural studio RCR Arquitectes was responsible for the design, making it the fifth collaboration between Muraba and the studio.

Photo: Muraba Web - Muraba Veil

The project is scheduled to be completed in December 2028, by which time all the real estate within should be sold.

Photo: Muraba Web - Muraba Veil

According to Muraba, the apartments' starting price will be 18 million dirhams, or around $4.9 million dollars. From there on up, it's a vertiginous climb.

Photo: Muraba Web - Muraba Veil

The company says that the building will have an oasis that will be visible under a vast dune-shaped structure at the base of the skyscraper, ias well as a spa inside the building.

Photo: Muraba Web - Muraba Veil

As expected, each apartment will occupy the entire width of the building, as its construction is inspired by traditional Arab houses, which revolve around an interior courtyard, boasting the shade and greenery of the interior gardens.

Photo: Muraba Web - Muraba Veil

And yes, as the name suggests, the first layer of the building, known as the 'veil', "will be a custom-made, porous and responsive stainless steel mesh, reflecting the different shades of the sky," as described by the creative team.

Photo: Muraba Web - Muraba Veil

RDR Arquitectes confirms that its idea was to adapt the building to its location. "It must communicate with nature and be imbued with the atmosphere of the local culture," commented Rafael Aranda, founder of RCR Arquitectes, in a press release.

Photo: Muraba Web - Muraba Veil

The Muraba Veil will join a growing forest of iconic skyscrapers in Dubai, such as the Burj Khalifa, which will stand at 1,200 metres and which could also be completed in 2028. Without a doubt, this is a difficult city for anyone who suffers from vertigo.

Photo: Muraba Web - Muraba Veil