LIFE IN THE SKY

Imagine living in a skyscraper that shoots through the clouds to take you away from all the chaos, noise, and pollution of daily-life. If your imagination has already taken wings, then read our 2-part story on ‘living the sky life’.

From his spacious apartment on the 68th floor of the 101-story Princess Tower in Dubai, Alexander James can hardly take his eyes off the spectacular view of the Dubai Marina, dubbed the "Nice of the Middle East".

“We fell in love with the view, especially in the morning and evening, says James. He says the decision to pick this apartment was spontaneous. “It’s so peaceful living 68 floors up in the sky, far from the traffic, pollution, hustle and bustle,” he notes.

James’ reasons to pick a home on a high floor in a tall building resonates with many other Dubaians.

KONE’s recent Tall Buildings survey (of people living and working in skyscrapers around the world) reveals that majority of Dubaian respondents in the survey identify the avoidance of pollution and feeling of peace and relaxation as the main incentives for living high above ground level.

The survey also points to Dubaians’ love for the comfort and status of living in a skyscraper. The oil- rich Dubaians are among the keenest to brand their city with skyscrapers, with nearly 80 percent of respondents believing that landmark buildings improve the city’s image. True to the word, the city’s skyline is dotted with skyscrapers.

FLAMBOYANCE AT ITS BEST

James, a former suburbanite hailing from Wimbledon in the United Kingdom relocated to the United Arab Emirates to pursue new career opportunities as a Sales Manager at the ITP Publishing Group, but equally to enjoy the lifestyle offered.

He thinks the quality of life is significantly better in Dubai than in the UK, particularly with access to luxury residential services including two state-of-the-art gyms, two pools and a Jacuzzi. In addition, there are two games rooms with pool tables and air hockey, and a playroom for children on one of the lower floors.

“The outside pool area on the fifth floor offers a great outdoor space for residents to enjoy a breath of fresh air. We also make good use of our balcony,” says James.

BEAM ME UP

What completes the overall experience is a quick and safe ride home, once inside the building. The KONE survey indicates that Dubaians assign special importance to advanced high-rise technology, with four out of five respondents feeling it is important to have access control solutions to improve security and enable the easy movement of people within buildings.

James has that quarter covered. “The quality of the KONE elevators in our building is incredible. You don’t even notice that you’ve shot up from the ground floor to the 68th in less than a minute,” he says.

“They are fast and deliver an incredibly smooth ride. They really make living high up a pleasure,” says James.

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