Al Bahr Towers, Twin office towers in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Al Bahr Towers are two 29-storey, 145-metre-high cylindrical towers at the intersection of Al Saada and Al Salam Street, at the eastern entrance of Abu Dhabi City. One houses the headquarters of the Abu Dhabi Investment Council, the other the head office of Al Hilal Bank. Their facades are wrapped in a skin of 2,000 umbrella-like glass elements that open and close with the sun, inspired by mashrabiya lattice screens.

Construction of these twin towers began in 2009 and was completed in 2012, marking an important development phase in Abu Dhabi's eastern business district. The completion of the complex transformed this area into a more modern and attractive location for international organizations.

The name Al Bahr means "the sea" in Arabic. The 2,000 movable glass elements of the facade take their form from mashrabiya, the wooden lattice screens used in Arabic architecture since the 14th century to fill windows. The building management system opens and closes them through the day as the sun moves, and the lattice covers nearly all of both towers except their north sides.

The towers are easily accessible from street level and feature multiple elevators in each building for moving between floors. Visitors should note that this is a private complex, so access to certain areas may be limited depending on official business.

The exterior features moving geometric panels that automatically adjust to sunlight intensity, reducing heat absorption by roughly half. This responsive system operates continuously throughout the day and demonstrates how modern buildings can integrate environmental controls into their design.