Michael Schumacher gets his own high-rise tower

The firms unveiled their proposal for the Michael Schumacher World Champion Tower (MSWCT) – to be located on the wharf in the central business district of Reem Island, Abu Dhabi – at this week’s Cityscape Dubai conference.

Plans include a 240m high tower, with 400 apartments, leisure facilities, a tower-top garden observatory and a marina with a capacity for 30 yachts. A two-year construction programme is scheduled.

When asked about the dangers in associating a building with a celebrity brand, PNYG Architect Tobias Wallisser replied: "I think you have to be very, very careful of the specific celebrity that you choose. You can’t select anyone.

"You need someone who has achieved extraordinary performance and marry that with the fact that they have an intriguing personality. Michael Schumacher is a person that achieved unprecedented success in his racing career and what we have also discovered is that he is a great character.

"Creating a permanent tower for an individual cannot be an idle gesture. Too many times you witness quite ordinary buildings that have had someone’s name simply slapped on. This project is very different. We are talking about co-branding; there has to be a mutual dependability between Michael Schumacher the person and the MSWCT."

But this building won’t be the only dedicated to the racing champ – in fact, the developer has plans for seven Schumacher towers around the globe. One for every world championship the now-retired driver won during his career.