Dubai: The famous rooftop Toyota sign in Dubai is going to stay part of the city’s history even after the building under it is taken down, Al-Futtaim Toyota has said.
The Nasser Rashid Lootah Building, which is often called the Toyota Building, is going to be taken down in 2027. Al-Futtaim Toyota says it wants to keep the memory of its famous red and white sign alive, even though it has not said where or how it will appear next.
Jacques Brent, the Managing Director of Al-Futtaim Toyota & Lexus, told Gulf News that more details will be shared in the coming months.
“The building might change. What the sign stands for will not, ” Brent said, adding that the company wants to keep the sign’s importance for Dubai.
The Toyota sign became a landmark in Dubai
The 15-story building was built in 1974, just three years after the UAE was formed. The Toyota sign was placed on its roof in 1981. Soon became a well-known landmark along Sheikh Zayed Road.
For people who live in Dubai, the sign was not just a business symbol but also a way to find their way in a city that was growing fast. The original sign was taken down in 2018 after its ads ran out. Al-Futtaim Toyota put it back in 2022 because people asked for it.
“The response showed how much the sign had become part of Dubai’s look and people’s memories of the city ” Brent said.
What will happen to the sign next?
Al-Futtaim Toyota has not said if the current sign will be moved, put elsewhere, or kept differently.
Brent suggested that people might not have to wait until the building is gone to find out what comes next.
“What we can say is that Al-Futtaim wants the final part of the Toyota Building to be as special as the building itself ” he said.
The building’s end is another change on Sheikh Zayed Road, where the low buildings of years have been replaced by tall buildings. Even though the Toyota Building is ending its time, Al-Futtaim Toyota says the famous sign will still be part of Dubai’s shared memories.