Sunday, September 23, 2007
the growth of dubai
deputydog: "‘monster x’ (thanks - unlucky with the name) sent me these brilliant aerial shots illustrating the rapid growth of dubai over the last few decades. it’s not surprising at all but pretty cool nonetheless."
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3 comments:
Dubai is such an amazing city right now--there is so much design happening. I saw the most interesting travel show on the Persian gulf a while back that showed all the new highrise buildings, the palm tree communities built out on the water, and lots of new business taking off there. Its becomging such a wealthy place. My theory is that we are going to see a lot of new design from this part of the world. After Japan, and now India doing some really anazing stuff in fashion, it only seems fitting that new designers would come out of places like Dubai in the middle east where there is no much wealth and opportunity, especially for architecture, although I think fashion will be effected as well. This is my theory anyway, and I hope its correct, because it seems like there's an entire region of the world where art and design is completely overlooked by the public where there could be some really amazing designers and work waiting to happen.
I've been really interested with Dubai and while I enjoy the look of it, I am a little concerned about the rapidly growing city. The recent focus on tourism has created an economic boom, but there are issues with it. The cost of living with the city has expanded to the point where there are large class differences. When tourism comes around to a new place, it offers jobs to less educated individuals, but again there is the problem that these people are kept as being "lesser" than the guests/foreigners. In a place like Dubai, foreign companies and investment have played a large role in its recent development so a section of the local population is truly suffering.
The environment is also taking a huge toll due to the construction of these sand islands. They are interrupting tidal flows, which in turn are killing off the native organisms.
While it is criticized for putting money and excess ahead of practicality, I truly do enjoy following the development of a new major city. There is an opportunity here to exercise newer building practices that can be more efficient and environmentally friendly which is a huge concern these days.
So I can't even begin to imagine being the job lead for a project like, build an island. Whats on your list of thing to do today? Move rocks.... I can really see the project coming together. I know that there are levels upon levels of contractors and subcontractors, but still, this scope is out of this world.
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