Dubai...

[SandmanNinja]

Over the past few months, I've been reading up on Dubai and the current boom happening over there.

 

And (almost) everything I see on documentaries on television or read about in a magazine has a 'foreign', non-native influence. For instance, the world famous Burj Al 'hotel'. The shiek flew in an Interior Decorator from Asia to design/decorate the suites and atrium. And the construction teams looked to be non-locals as well.

 

I mean no disrespect to anyone from that region, but it almost seems that they are screaming, "We have no native culture so we will buy yours".

 

And I realise you cannot 'grow' native skills in just a few years, but the Shieks have been selling oil for a long time. India is well-known for sending their citizens to other countries to learn skills and then take those skills and experience back to India and then either teach or create industry with those skills. Why do I mainly see Europeans and Americans as Architects and project leaders and engineers?

[afterglow]

It's a mostly expat city... less than 20% of Dubai's population are national Arabs.

[Thiago de Andrade]

They just have a few more years of oil left, so they are preparing their future as turistic, comercial, business point or center in the middle-east, and therefore, not looking forward to building a new arabian urban culture, in my humble opinion.

So, the real-estate business is being showcased everywhere, attracting tourists and masses of workers from all over with a very low aesthetic quality of urban and architectural spaces, it´s a kind of second-hand wannabe-avan-garde architecture. Let´s see how long it will hold and stand as a new geopolitical center for the region.

But one thing is right, many other countries in the region don´t seem to care if the oil is going to end, as long as their sheiks or kings still sit on top of billions of petrodollars, so the Emirates are aware of that risk.

[Andoy]

I think there are now less than 17% locals living here, however the new places that are being built do have an Arabic type heritage style to them, the canals are being constructed along the lines of the old style Dubai Creek.

A lot of the building complexes are using an Arabic style with Wind towers and suchlike.

It is difficult to see this unless you visit here because on TV and in most of the glossy magazines only the extravagant buildings and projects are shown.

check out some of the coastal villa complexes being constructed and you will see they have the Arabic influence in the design.

 

I think you see mainly European and American architects because they are the ones that put in the best designs for the tenders..

 

They say the Oil will be depleted within 20 years or so here in the Emirates but countries close like Bahrain and Qatar are also developing at a high rate, Bahrain has been at the front of Middle eastern banking and Finance for the last 50 years or so... and they do not rely on Oil for revenue so much.

 

All that said however it is a pain living here due to the traffic and rent prices on apartments are scandalous..

[SandmanNinja]

There is a small town in the middle of the desert here in Australia. House prices (to buy or to rent) were (literally) dirt cheap. Then a big company opened a new Mine there and people from all over the country flocked there. House prices and rental rates went through the roof! Like, 1000% increase. People that had property there before the Mine were sitting on a gold mine (forgive the pun).

 

I can only imagine Dubai is about 1000 times worse, and on a global scale.

 

Andoy - you wouldn't happen to have a photo gallery of some of the more 'traditional' architecture of your region?

[Andoy]

I don't have a personal photo gallery online but here are a few places to search for on google..

 

this is Al Hamra Fort hotel in Ras Al Khaimah which is about an hours drive outside Dubai..

 

there is a new development in the "old Town" Dubai... forget the skyscraper in the distance but focus on the new villas in the forefront..

search for Al Barari

 

there are a more Spanish style villa but to be honest the arabic style villas are very similar to Spanish/Italian/ Greek style housing.. to get the large airy rooms that keep the air cooler..

 

There is also Dubai, Old Town development.. just search for that

 

And there is a place called Zaafaran also in what is also in the Old Town part of Dubai..as you can see there is again high rise blocks in the background..

 

I think because there are so many foreign investors here now that each real estate developer has his own idea as to what will sell and out do the competition.. so some are going for the more traditional style whilst others are appealing to foreign buyers more..

 

hope the images help a bit.. feel free to drop me an e-mail if you want anything more..and next time i'm out with my camera i'll try and grab some snaps for you..

[IHAB]

actually, yes. they are focusing on the commercial orientation of that city,dubai i mean was planned in the early 90's to that particular pupose.upploaded some samples of the islamic architectural

[IHAB]

sorry for inconvinience

[amer abidi]

look at the difference in the first 2 photos between the desert road in 1990, and the same street now. Incredible!!

 

http://www.dubai-architecture.info/DUB-GAL1.htm

[IHAB]

some more.........................................................

[lyca]

actually, yes. they are focusing on the commercial orientation of that city,dubai i mean was planned in the early 90's to that particular pupose.upploaded some samples of the islamic architectural

 

wow...!! amazing, they even installed a whol new Sky in a very nice blue

[landrvr1]

Dubai is the Las Vegas of the Middle East (minus the gambling and showgirls, I suppose). It's literally been grown right out of the desert in a very short amount of time.

 

The reason that there's been so many American and European architects and engineers is that people seek out those with the most expertise. When you want to build the new world's tallest building, are you going to call SOM or a local firm that's basically designed nothing over 20 or 30 stories?

[innerdream]

Just amazing!

[taran0]

things are going crazy there at the moment, i have cousin working over there in construction and he says its non stop construction, there are like construction sites the size of small towns.

 

taran

[Michael J. Brown]

Population-wise, Dubai doesn't sound too much different from San Diego where almost no one there is a native of the area. People flock there from every other part of the country for the great living.

[alias_marks]

Just got back from visiting dubai and thought I would throw a little contrast in here. There are definitely some amazing projects going on there, but not a lot of what we see all over the internet and in the news shows some of the other sides of the developing city.

 

As far as smart urban development, well, I just don't see it happening out there. Huge wasted spaces and no pedestrian scale. huge lanes of traffic and not really much for a zoning department, as far as I can tell. Not trying to be a stick in the mud here, but just thought it might be interesting to see some images of the "not so glamorous" side of dubai.

[SandmanNinja]

Thanks Michael.

 

I think the only way Dubai could have started and continued on it's course is to not have a democracy. I mean, these projects have tight deadlines, but still takes years. In an elected government, hands change and policies of one party get (literally) torn down by the new party when it comes into power.

 

So, lots of oil money (for now), combined with the vision of a single person who's decisions cannot be questioned, and ya get Dubai.

 

Without any sort of formal building restrictions or zones, the upper management of the various contractors have to make Codes up ad hoc. And obviously subject to change and voluntary enforcement, and then a single word from the Sheik can disturb it at the lowest level.

 

I'm not knocking the Sheik, I'm just saying their type of government makes it happen.

 

At least that's my view of it.

 

Thanks again for the photos

[Ky Lane]

Isnt that funny. I recently completed some renderings of a new building here in Brisbane, Australia - which has been designed and financed by a Dubai'n architect and financier. Mind you, my rent too has gone up 200% in 5 years, so I think we're sitting on something we dont know here (probably the weather, beautiful women etc).

 

The new building is going to be STUNNING. Def going to blow away anything here already.