Dubai Megaprojects
From Mw
Dubai a small sleepy fishing village in the 1950's has embarked on a path to transform itself into a knowledge based metropolis, under the leadership of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Using its strategic location next to a region rich in oil reserves, and India and China where a third of humanity is based Dubai has marketed itself as initialy a major tourist destination, but increasingly a business and trade hub, and a city that is expected to attract the world's movers and shakers, the skilled and the unskilled. As part of the vision, the influx of knowlege and commerce is expected to drive Dubai's non oil industries, such as it's Media, Technology, Healthcare, Chip manufacturing, Biochemistry , aviation and financial centers. And to help maintain its position, Dubai investment companies are exporting its vision of growth and expansion to regional allies that share a common Islamic culture and history. This has led to companies such as Emaar investing $100 billion dollars in infrastructure in Pakistan[1], $30 billion in Saudi, and similar sums in Morocco[2], Istanbul[3], Syria[4], Egypt ,Palestine[5], Tunisia[6]
The vision has been realised by various components, of which its Mega Projects play an important role.
The megaprojects range from the creation of 36 supertalls, the creation of huge reclaimed land islands such as The World Islands , Dubai Waterfront and the The Palm Jumeirah creation of huge themeparks and hotel resorts such as Dubailand, Al Balwadi, business centres to rival London and New York in the Dubai Business Bay, Cities within Cities such as The Lagoons, Dubai Cultural Village, and Festival City, the worlds largest airport, 3 times larger than the current largest airport in Chicago, contained in a dedicated logistics center - Dubai World Central. And to top it off, huge mega projects for the facilitation of a diverse industry, such as Dubai Media City, Dubai Silicon Oasis and Dubai Healthcare City
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Dubai Iconic Mega Projects
Dubai has long recognised that all major cities are best known for their iconic infrastructure and impressive buildings. These icons attract people, commerce and industry. As such, following the footsteps of the impressive architecture of Al Andalus, Istanbul, London and New York, Dubai has invested billions of dollars in creating the worlds premier iconic structures such as the The World Islands, The Palm Jumeirah dubbed the eighth wonder of the world, and impressive Supertalls such as the soon to be tallest building and structure in the world , the Burj Dubai.
The World Islands
The World is a land reclaimaition project. It is made up of 300 clustered islands within a nine kilometre zone, which combine to form the shape of the world's continents and land masses. This grouping is clearly visible from an aerial photo. The initial phase of the project is expected to be completed by - 2013 CE (1434 AH) . Once completed the world is expected to have a total population of between 150,000 and 250,000 during peak seasons
The World masterplan incorporates an intricate network of canals which allow access to every island and defines the overall traffic order. The canals represent the 'streets' or 'waterways' and have a draught of four to five metres allowing ships up to 200 feet to navigate the interior areas of The World. The network of canals provides a comprehensive system of access ways to the islands that will service customers, visitors and services, while not intruding on island privacy.
Water taxis and ferries will handle a large portion of the transportation; however, it is also anticipated that a majority of property owners on The World will own or operate a boat. There are four distinct strategies to meet marina demand on The World: Island Marinas will service estate or customers of resort islands; Commercial Marinas are situated along the open water or major waterways and have the capability to integrate larger marinas; Public Transportation Hub Marinas comprise the space to accommodate public marinas with a percentage of berths designated for island owners; Mainland Hub Marinas will accommodate various requirements of The World such as vehicle parking with a designated number of slips available to customers who require a permanent mainland dock.
The Palm Jumeirah
The Eighth wonder of the World. A vision of waterfront homes and luxury living on a sun drenched paradise island extending out into the Arabian Gulf.The Palm Jumeirah the vison of Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
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A residential, tourism, and boating paradise, The Palm Jumeirah is set to become one of the world's premier resorts, with 32 beachfront hotels joining Atlantis and the Trump Tower Dubai to offer visitors and residents alike the ultimate access to the ultimate playground. Comprised of two-kilometre long trunk, a crown made up of 17 fronds and a surrounding crescent, the idland boasts more than 4000 luxury villas and apartments, over 30 of the world's top hotels and over 75 kilometres of pristine beaches. Just five years in the making, The Palm Jumeirah is a stunning feat of design , engineering, and creativity. Located between The Palm Jebel Ali and The World Islands, it is an icon of Dubai and the world's newest landmark.[7] |
Burj Dubai
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The goal of Burj Dubai is not simply to be the world’s highest building. It’s to embody the world’s highest aspirations. Burj Dubai looks different depending on where you’re standing. For those living nearby, it is a shining accomplishment – tangible proof of Dubai’s central role in a growing world. For those standing in other global capitals, it is a shining symbol – an icon of the new Middle East: prosperous, dynamic, and successful. In fact, Burj Dubai is both. It is a fact – an unprecedented example of international cooperation – and a symbol – a beacon of progress for the entire world. It is not by chance that it is being built in Dubai. In less than thirty years, this city has transformed itself from a regional center to a global one. This success was not based on oil reserves, but on reserves of human talent, ingenuity and initiative.[8] |
Dubai Tourist Mega Projects
Recognising the importance of foreign investment, and the income that tourism generates, along with desire to place Dubai as one of the worlds top locations to live, raise a family, and prosper, Dubai has embarked on an unprecedented program to make Dubai a major tourist destination. Huge projects such as Falcon City of Wonders, Al Balwadi, City of Arabia, Sports City and Golf City within Dubailand a theme park expected to twice the size of Disneyland in Florida , are just some of the major projects expected to attract tourists into Dubai for the foreseeable future.
Falcon City of Wonders
The Falcon City of Wonders is one of the many theme projects in Dubailand. Costing an estimated $1.5 billion . It is built around the iconic structures of the modern world and the wonders of the ancient world. The iconic structures, all of which will be built to a larger size than the originals, include The Eiffel Tower from Paris, The Pyramids from Egypt, The Leaning Tower of Pisa from Pisa, The Taj Mahal built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan from India, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon one of the ancient wonders of the world, Venice modeled on the real Venice in Italy, and the LightHouse, another ancient wonder of the world.
The project is to be built upon 40 Hectares of land, and will incorporate many Residential villas as part of the project, styled as Mediterranean Aegean, Spanish Andalusia, American New World and Latin\Mexican Santa Fe
Al Balwadi
To cater for the huge theme park that is Dubailand, a strip of themed hotels Al Balwadi is being built to a cost of AED 100 billion, 60 billion of which is invested by private investors. The hotels are to be built on 139 million sq ft(12.9 Million m²), and are expected to cater for the large number of tourists attracted to Dubai and Dubailand.
The Hotels are to be themed and grouped by location. The groups include Asia, Americas, Europe, Africa , Middle East and Universal to reflect everything else.
Dubai Sports City
Sports City, the world's first purpose-built sports city, will incorporate state-of-the-art sporting venues and academies along with residential and commercial developments. These will combine to offer a world class venue for sports events and activities at all levels with a residential lifestyle unrivalled in the region and possibly the world.
Construction of Dubai Sports City is well under way and with the first sports facilities and homes being completed by late 2007, the future of sport and the future of living is nearer than you might think.
Dubai Financial Mega Projects
Dubai Business Bay
Dubai Business Bay will be a freezone business, commercial and residential district that will cover an area of 64 million square feet (5.95 million square metres). Dubai Business Bay is intended to maintain Dubai as the region's business capital and will be similar to New York's Manhattan and Toyko's Ginza business centres. It is intended to provide a conducive environment and infrastructure for businesses from around the world to set up their local, regional and international headquarters. Dubai Business Bay
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The Business Bay is part of the vision of His Highness HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashed Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, and ruler of Dubai, to make the UAE a global commercial and business centre. Business Bay will be a new 'city' of Dubai and will be created as a commercial and business cluster along a new extension of the famed Dubai Creek extending from Ras Al Khor to Sheikh Zayed Road.[9] |
Commercial City
Commercial City is expected to house over 850 towers, and is expected to hold around 130,000 people. The city will also include over 25 hotels for all budgets The taller blocks will have a view of the Arabian Canal project, and will complement the luxury villas and homes being built as part of the city
Dubai Industrial Mega Projects
Dubai Silicon Oasis
Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO) is a 7.2 million square meter technology park dedicated to the microelectronics and semiconductor industry. Driven by innovation and featuring a western lifestyle at eastern costs, DSO offers technology business the leading edge in the region.
DSO features a technology community, housing microelectronics and optoelectronics related enterprises, a state-of-the-art Microelectronics Innovation Center (MIC), fabrication plants, research and development centers and specialized academic institutions and residential areas. So far investment in the development is estimated to exceed USD 10 billion
Dubai Media City
Dubai Media City (DMC) part of Dubai Holding is a tax free zone within Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It has been built by the Dubai government to boost UAE's media foothold, and has become a regional hub for media organizations ranging from news agencies, publishing, online media, advertising, production, and broadcast facilities. The ground work for infrastructure (Such as fiber optic cables) was already laid for firms to setup easily and its visa and operational procedures are relaxed for firms operating within DMC.
Dubai Internet City
Dubai Internet City was daunched in the year 2000, DIC now features a dynamic international community of ICT companies including global giants like Microsoft, Cisco Systems, IBM, HP, Dell, Siemens, Sun Microsystems, Computer Associates, PeopleSoft and Sony Ericsson. Many small and medium businesses (SMBs) and promising entrepreneurial ventures are also part of the community. The cluster comprises companies from a variety of sectors - Software Development, Business Services, Web Based and e-Commerce, Consultancy, Sales and Marketing and Back Office.
DIC provides an environment that attracts all elements of the ICT value chain, and in addition, has developed several programmes that can be leveraged by the community to explore and expand channel development opportunities. Companies are privy to an advanced Metro Ethernet broadband infrastructure and a range of business-enabling services including government transactions. DIC also has the world’s largest commercial IP Telephony network.
Dubai Healthcare City
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As an integrated centre for medical services of international quality standards, DHCC will be the regional hub for patients, healthcare professionals and medical businesses for a catchment area of 1.8 billion people – a potential healthcare market estimated at US$74 million. To be the world’s first centre for medical excellence, it takes investment and endorsement by the best medical names in the business. Backed by a capital expenditure investment of AED350 million to construct a foundation worthy of a truly world-class facility, along with strategic alliances with some of the most highly respected medical names in the world (Harvard Medical School Dubai Center, Mayo Clinic)[10] |
Dubai Cities within Cities
Dubai Cultural Village
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Culture Village is a unique project conceived by Dubai Properties in recognition of not just the artists among us but also the important role of the Creek in the cultural landscape of the UAE. Situated on the creek, it offers a platform where all the components of a higher lifestyle can take place, satisfying the intellectual as well as the practical needs of residents and visitors. Visual Arts, Performing Arts, and Literary facilities contribute to the higher standard style of living. Culture Village proposes a wide variety in styles and in content of art galleries, museums, theaters, public exhibition spaces, fashion activities, institutes specializing in different disciplines, gardens, and many other activities pertaining to the promotion of the Arts in society and in the community in general. Restaurants and specialty stores offer a mix that contributes to the eclectic and creative mood of the location.[11] |
Dubai Marina
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Dubai Marina, formerly named Westside Marina, has been referred to as the world's largest man-made marina and is amongst the world's largest master planned waterfront developments. The development project was started in 1998 and will cover an area of 53 million square feet (4.9 million square metres). It was carved along a 3.34km (2 mile) stretch of Dubai's shoreline and is a mixed-use canal-city inspired in the Venetian tradition. It will accommodate over 120 thousand people in their luxury apartment towers and villas, with a unique waterfront view. The first phase of Dubai Marina's development covers 10 hectares (25 acres) and was built from 1999 to 2003 at a cost of AED 730 million (US$ 200 million). Included in the phase are six freehold waterfront apartment towers (Dubai Marina Towers) and 64 luxury villas connected by a spectacular network of rooftop gardens. Underground parking for 2,000 cars, six swimming pools, 2,800 square metres of sports facilities, 2,000 square metres of themed restaurants, 4,000 square metres of retail space and a 200 square metre prayer hall that surround the apartment towers and villas. The second phase of Dubai Marina's development will include the development of the five Al Mejara Towers that offer 1 to 3 bedroom units, along with the development of the Al Sahab twin tower that is also offering 1 to 3 bedroom units. Dubai Marina is located in Dubai's new growth corridor and was designed to create an awe-inspiring city-within-a-city. Dubai Marina is located near Interchange 5 on Sheikh Zayed Road, next to the Dubai Media City and opposite to the Jumeirah Lake Towers.[12] |
Dubai Waterfront
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The world’s largest waterfront development in the world’s fastest growing city. Introducing Dubai Waterfront, the result of two years of work sessions and feasibility studies by world-renowned architects, planners, engineers and consultants, all led by Nakheel, Dubai’s premier development company. An unprecedented offering at an unimaginable scale, Dubai Waterfront is bigger than Manhattan and Beirut, and offers investors over 250 master-planned communities. The vision behind Dubai Waterfront is to create a world-class destination for residents, visitors and businesses in the world’s fastest growing city. This ambitious development is organised around key components of the master plan, encompassing a new downtown, Madinat Al Arab, which is anchored by Al Burj – one of the world’s tallest buildings. Surrounding the harbour is a series of zones with mixed use, commercial, residential, resort and amenity areas. Together they form the symbol of Dubai’s meteoric rise, and the grand intent of this truly unprecedented master plan.[13] |
References
- ↑ http://www.thenews.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id=1125
- ↑ http://www.albawaba.com/en/countries/Morocco/196376
- ↑ http://www.turkishweekly.net/news.php?id=22090
- ↑ http://www.ameinfo.com/69710.html
- ↑ http://www.emaar.com/MediaCenter/PressReleases/EmaarPalestine.asp
- ↑ http://www.emaar.com/MediaCenter/PressReleases/2006April15.asp
- ↑ http://www.thepalm.ae/
- ↑ http://www.burjdubai.com/content/tower_vision.asp
- ↑ http://www.businessbay.ae/
- ↑ http://www.thegatewaydhcc.ae/dhcc.html
- ↑ http://www.dubai-properties.ae/culturevillage/overview/
- ↑ http://realestate.theemiratesnetwork.com/developments/dubai/dubai_marina.php
- ↑ http://www.dubaiwaterfront.ae/po_ov.php
Dubai Mega projects
 Madinat Al Arab |
Burj Dubai tallest skyscraper in the world |
 Hydropolis The worlds first underwarter Hotel |
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 The Palm Jumeirah Island |
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Dubai Sports City |
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