Dubai towers above the competition with world-class architecture

From revolving towers and the world's tallest building to signature projects by everyone from Brad Pitt to Donald Trump and celebrated architects Rem Koolhaas and Zaha Hadid, Dubai is fast becoming an iconic destination, leading the field with its architectural prowess.

Ian Scott, director of the UK and Ireland Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing, commented:

"From its modest roots, Dubai has transformed itself into a landmark destination with a host of iconic buildings to match. With each new project, the architectural high-bar is raised with the emirate leading the field in terms of design and execution of new developments. Aesthetics are an underrated, but undeniably important factor to both business and leisure visitors. Dubai has an unrivalled proposition to visitors - everything from year-round sunshine to state-of-the-art facilities, and world-class spas and restaurants -and its distinctive horizon is a further asset that sets it apart from other cities around the world."

In many areas, Dubai is pushing boundaries; and its architecture is undeniably pioneering with other countries often replicating its ambitious projects.

And this has been the case with the recently unveiled two revolving towers.

55 Degrees Time Dubai will rotate a full 360 degrees over seven days, a precision timepiece building powered by the sun.

Ultimately it is hoped that a similar rotating tower will be located in each of the world's twenty-four time zones, with Dubai serving as the inaugural host.

Hot on its heels, news of the Tower in Motion came to light - this is a project which uses Dynamic Architecture to ensure that each of the 68 floors (including a retractable helipad) rotates at a different pace.

Again, Dubai will be home to the first tower - which is self-powered using wind turbines - with later buildings planned for Moscow and beyond.

In a city where architecturally anything goes, it is little wonder that so many big names have chosen Dubai as a canvas for their most daring projects.

Development of the eponymous Trump Towers on the Palm Jumeirah begins soon - these will be two freestanding towers that straddle the central line of the Palm, serving as a gateway to the heart of the project.

Brad Pitt - who has a lifelong love of architecture and design - is also planning his first Middle Eastern venture, working with LA-based architects GRAFT to create a socially-conscious and environmentally sustainable five-star hotel in Dubai.

Architectural heavyweights are also choosing Dubai: Zaha Hadid is creating the Dubai Opera House and Rem Koolhaas' Waterfront City is nearing completion. Waterfront City will have, as its centrepiece, an island which is isolated from the mainland by all but four slender bridges; the moated metropolis serving as a microcosm of city life. Elsewhere, renowned firm WS Atkins is creating Iris Mist in Dubai Maritime City; set to be unveiled in 2011 the development will be 200m high and the first in the region to be shaped like patterned sea waves, paying homage to its nautical surroundings.

Competition to design projects for Dubai is understandably fierce, and Emirati firm Tameer is exploiting this by staging an inter-organisational challenge with WS Atkins to produce a proposal for a 125 floor, mixed-use project on Sheikh Zayed Road.

Entries will be submitted from the firm's Dubai, China and London offices, with the winning design due to be unveiled shortly.

And when Burj Dubai is unveiled later this year, it will be the world's tallest building.

This, coupled with the myriad other exciting developments in Dubai, will be the crowning glory for one of the world's most architecturally aspirational destinations.