Trump Tower Dubai Podium Work Begins; Gulf Asia Contracting Tapped for 2026 Delivery
Contractor appointment signals transition from site prep to active structural work on Dubai tower.
Gulf Asia Contracting has been appointed to execute podium construction for Trump International Hotel & Tower in Dubai, moving the project from site preparation into active building work. Dar Global, the London-listed luxury developer behind the scheme, confirmed the selection as enabling works on Sheikh Zayed Road push toward a September 2026 completion target.
The sequencing is straightforward. Enabling works, which prepare the ground for main construction, must finish before Gulf Asia Contracting can begin raising the podium structure that will carry the tower’s superstructure. That handover point, expected in September 2026, is the next hard milestone the project must clear. Ziad El Chaar, CEO of Dar Global, said the contractor selection reflects the developer’s strategy of partnering with leading regional firms to maintain quality standards across each construction phase.
What the podium will eventually support is a 350-metre, 80-storey tower introduced to the market in April 2025. The development combines hotel operations, branded residences, and a private members’ club. Among its headline features: Dubai’s highest outdoor swimming pool, two signature penthouses modeled after Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue in New York, and sightlines across Burj Khalifa, Downtown Dubai, and the Arabian Gulf.
The project sits at the gateway to Downtown Dubai, one of the city’s most prominent addresses. Getting the podium right matters, because it is the structural foundation on which everything above it depends.
Dar Global operates across 14 international cities in nine countries, with a portfolio spanning 4,200 units completed and under construction. The company holds licensed partnerships with more than ten luxury brands, including Trump Organization, Aston Martin, Automobili Lamborghini, Fendi, ELIE SAAB, Marriott Residences, Missoni, Mouawad, Pagani Automobili, and W Hotels. Beyond residential projects, the developer is building luxury hotels in Dubai, the Maldives, and Oman as part of a broader push into hospitality operations.
Sales and customer service offices in nine cities, including New York, London, Marbella, Athens, Dubai, Jeddah, Riyadh, Muscat, and Doha, serve the developer’s international client base. Dar Global is listed on the London Stock Exchange.
With enabling works still months from completion, the September 2026 handover to Gulf Asia Contracting will be the clearest early test of whether the project’s delivery timeline holds under real construction conditions.
Q&A
Who has been appointed to execute podium construction for Trump International Hotel & Tower Dubai?
Gulf Asia Contracting has been appointed to execute podium construction for the project.
What is the next hard milestone for the project?
The handover from enabling works to Gulf Asia Contracting, expected in September 2026, is the next hard milestone the project must clear.
What is the height and number of storeys for the tower?
The tower is 350 metres tall with 80 storeys.
What are the key features of the development?
The development combines hotel operations, branded residences, and a private members' club, and will feature Dubai's highest outdoor swimming pool, two signature penthouses modeled after Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue in New York, and sightlines across Burj Khalifa, Downtown Dubai, and the Arabian Gulf.