The National

When the world’s tallest building was officially opened on Monday, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, had an 828-metre surprise up his sleeve.

The Infinity Tower in Dubai Marina stands out among the more creative buildings across the Emirates with a new twist to architecture. When completed, the high-rise will be the world's tallest twisted tower, at 73 storeys and 307 metres. It may come as no surprise to learn that Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (Som), the architectural firm behind the Burj Khalifa, designed the striking tower.

Now that Emaar Properties has written off its Dh172 million investment in Dubai Bank, investor attention is turning to the prospects of its much larger stake in Amlak, the troubled mortgage company. Amlak is carrying about Dh4 billion worth of property on its balance sheet at the original acquisiti0on costs.

Reebok, the sportswear brand owned by the German giant Adidas, is stepping up its presence in the Gulf with trainers tailored for a trip to the Burj Khalifa.

"A fantastic and very rare opportunity in Dubai and in the world. This huge, four-bedroom apartment with stunning views over Dubai is located above the 100th floor. (Residential units in the Burj Khalifa are only up to the 108th floor.) "From all rooms of the apartment the owner enjoys views over the blue sea, the skyline of Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai Creek, Zabeel Palace of Skeikh Mohammed, the Dubai Mall, Old Town with the fountain, the desert and Business Bay.

The lights of the Burj Khalifa will go out and cities across the nation will be plunged into darkness this evening as the UAE's landmark buildings join the Eiffel Tower, Sydney Opera House and New York's Times Square in observing the biggest climate change awareness event in the world.

Many members of the Pakistani community also attended the event at Burj Khalifa's Armani Hotel on Friday. Sheikh Nahyan, who described the relationship between Pakistan and the UAE as one of "common heritage and culture", donated Dh1 million to the cause.

About 80 per cent of the completed office space in the project is empty, property agents say. And offices are renting for as much as 50 per cent less than space in nearby Downtown Dubai, where the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building, is located.

Depa, the Dubai-based interiors contractor that worked on the Burj Khalifa, is becoming a favourite among construction stock pickers in the country. While many builders have been hurt by project cancellations, payment delays and reduced profit margins, Depa’s balance sheet looks more solid.

The Missoni hotel, reflecting the designs of the Italian fashion house, has bold colours and striped and floral patterns throughout. Missoni, along with Versace, Armani and Bulgari, is part of a trend that has emerged in recent years for fashion names to move into hospitality.