Modern architectural masterpieces never cease to amaze. Yet, our world is changing rapidly, with hundreds of skyscrapers rising skyward every year, intricately shaped buildings becoming tourist attractions, and perhaps many years later, the world will never look like the one we see now. So-called cities of the future are emerging, with ultra-developed infrastructure, automated control systems, and all the amenities for a peaceful and comfortable human life.
Today I want to talk about the architecture and infrastructure of one of the fastest-growing cities in the world, which holds hundreds of records and is changing at an unimaginable speed. And also to delve a little bit deeper into its history. So, meet the city of the future: the most important commercial and financial center of the UAE, great and powerful Dubai.
A Brief Glimpse into History
Originally, Dubai was neither a wealthy nor a tourist city, and it had to depend on neighboring Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, which was oil-rich and had a more developed economy. But that all changed in 1966 when oil was discovered in the emirate, and after a while, the oil rush swept the Middle East, and immigrants began flocking to get jobs in the oil plants. Already by 1977, the emirate’s population had quadrupled. Revenues from the oil and gas industry helped develop the city initially, but the government decided to pursue a strategy to develop the city as a tourist and economic center of the Middle East. Thus began the history of the city of the future, the city of dreams, an oasis in the lifeless Arabian desert.
Now oil revenues account for only 5 percent of the emirate’s total income, with aviation, tourism, real estate, and the emirate’s financial markets as the main sectors of the economy of Dubai.
Postmodernism or Lack of Cultural Influence on Dubai Architecture
The government set itself an almost impossible goal, but 50 years later, the city’s appearance has changed from dunes to skyscrapers visible from any part of the city.
And of course, the first thing people remember about Dubai and the first thing I want to tell you about is the Burj Khalifa, a futuristic structure that holds the record for being the tallest building in the world. The construction lasted 6 years, and it was officially presented to the public in 2010. The height of the building is 828 meters, and its construction cost 1.5 billion dollars. This building has absolutely everything – restaurants, gyms, observation decks, private apartments, offices, hotels with swimming pools and of course the best views of the city.
There are three separate entrances to the building – one for tourists, one for office workers, and one for residents. Despite its incredible height and whimsical forms, the building has been criticized several times because its style and shape are in no way related to the classic architectural style of Dubai. The building is designed in a neo-futuristic style, and its architects argue that Dubai’s history is being created right now for the whole planet to see.
The next building on our list is no less eye-catching than its famous neighbor. The Opus is built next to the record-breaking Burj Khalifa skyscraper and the Business Bay district. Its bizarre forms attract the attention of tourists and photographers, as the building is divided into two towers, which are connected by a large crossbar on its upper floors. In this way, the architects of the project were able to achieve the so-called emptiness inside the building.
Another tourist attraction is the Burj Al Arab, the world’s only 7-star hotel in the shape of a sail. The building is located 280 meters from the shore on an artificial island connected to land by a bridge. This hotel has become a significant tourist destination in Dubai because of its location as well as its bold architectural design.
It is also impossible to imagine the modern look of Dubai without the triangular peaks of the Emirates Towers. These two buildings are located on the famous Sheikh Zayed Road, along which other architectural symbols of the city are lined up. In this case, the design of the skyscrapers incorporates traditional Islamic motifs, but the basic style is still neo-futuristic.
Dubai loves and strives to be the best in everything, so there is another stunning location in the city, which has already attracted tourists all around the globe – Dubai Frame. As we can see from its name, the shape of a building is a huge gold-colored frame of 150 meters high. From the height of the building, you can see the Old City and the Creek area, as well as the new part of the city, so the Dubai Frame is a kind of bridge between the past and the future.
The list of architectural masterpieces of the city is endless, and hardly two weeks are enough to see everything. But I would like to say that this place is unique in that its history is happening right here and now, in front of the local residents and hundreds of thousands of tourists, so despite the arguments about the cultural heritage of the city, Dubai is the city of the future that everyone should visit.
