RMJM’s leaning Capital Gate building in Abu Dhabi opened its doors today when hotel group Hyatt opened for business.

It has taken floors 18 through to 33 of the 35-storey building which has been designed to lean 18 degrees westwards.

The building was completed earlier in the autumn with Hyatt confirmed as the first major tenant offering 189 luxury guestrooms. The lower floors, which will be given over to office space, cover 15,000sq m and will be up and running next month when the entire 160m-high building is given a formal opening.

Because of its lean, guests are made to feel as though they are floating in mid-air since they cannot see the ground directly below them.

The building, which has been built next door to the Gulf emirate’s exhibition centre, sits on close to 500 piles which have been drilled 30m underground.