to respond to some of your questions:

1) Dubailand is a particular development within the state of Dubai. it is a part of Tatweer, one of the main master developers in Dubai, which is itself one of the divisions of Dubai Holdings. Dubailand is a physical destination or site, as well as the name of the development management authority.

2) Dubailand is located to the south of the older parts of Dubai. all together, it covers a vast area. it is a site of 3 billion ft2, or 107 miles2. see Wikipedia article at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dubailand

3) Dubailand is made up of a number of different developments; some are residential based, some are commercial, some are sports and some are leisure and entertainment. they are all commercially driven.

4) A number of the developments witin Dubailand are entertainment and tourism focused - so there are theme parks, sports facilities, shopping, adventure playgrounds, etc. as well as a large development of hotels.

5) there were 5.4 million visitors in 2004. it is expected to be 15 million by 2012. tourism generates 30% of Dubai's GDP.

6) many of these visitors come from Europe, to have a pleasant, but warm winter. or they stop off in Dubai on the transfer from Australia to Europe, Africa to China or Russia, India to Europe or America, or from other Gulf and Arab states where there is not so much entertainment infrastructure and breadth of shopping, eating, drinking and entertainment.

7) Dubai is a major conference venue. much of it is for trades and activities that are currently expansive in Dubai and the Gulf - construction, civil engineering, medical, education, aviation, food processing and tourism itself. these trade show are usually very large and bring in vast numbers of participants from throughout the region. Dubai acts as a very central transit hub for Africa, Indian sub-continent, Middle east, Europe, Russia and CIS, as well as connections to Australia and Far East Asia.

8) Dubai and much of the Gulf region is experiencing an up-turn in economic activity, exactly because the US is suffering. price of oil is up, and even if Dubai has very little petroleum, much of the region's available funds enter Dubai for investment and to fund projects such as Dubailand. there are excessive amounts of money floating around right now, all looking for a place to be parked and to make more money through investment. Dubai is that place. this is money not just from oil-rich Gulf states, but also from Russia, India, Iran, and increasingly China.

9) the government of Dubai has just initiated a new Emirates Green Building Council and is in the process of instituting a Green Building code, based on the US LEED rating. it is expected that within the next 6 months, ALL new structures will be required to be Silver LEED or better. Nahkeel, master developer of The Palm and Dubai Waterfront has announced that all new buildings within its development zones must be LEED Gold.

There is probably a good chance that you've never been to Dubai before (I love how everyone is going around criticizing the place and speaking about Dubai as if they were experts).

That said, the UAE is an expatriate society that thrives on that community. Consequently it has become a huge financial and tourism hub which the country will vastly depend on down the stretch -- that is once the oil has gone away (which is expected to happen within 20 years).

As much as I hate to say it, the country is playing their cards right if you look at the grand scheme of things. Crappy Dubailand-type shit sells and there are enough morons on this planet to eat that up in a heartbeat. Unlike some of the Arab world they are one of those counties that aren't squandering every penny on wars, weapons, and a military industrial complex.

People should really worry more about the Shitshow Americans cities are becoming and leave places they know little about and have no direct ties with alone.

BTW, I'm referring to the first poster.

If anything, it just so happens that people in the Arab world think of the place as an example of how they want to become eventually. I say let the place be a kind of litmus test of what they are doing right and what they are doing wrong.

I can already tell you that the biggest problem I see is that they were quick to structure the city around the automobile and consequently sprawl began at alarming rates. Traffic is horrible. For example it takes a person almost an hour to get from Burj Al Arab to Dierra.

First off DLB thanks for your informative and long post.

Arch Med
First off i am the first to recognize the crap fest that is development in much of America or the world at large.
And no i haven't been to Dubai however, i don't have to experience something to know it's faults. I am not even the first to or last to criticize Dubai..

I am aware that Dubai is doing all this building so as to further shrink their already small (proportionally) GDP coming from oil.

And i am glad to hear that they are adotping LEED..
Yet neither of those facts address my fundamental point, which is that they are not, have not and even if they build with LEED ratings, will not fundamentally anymore sustainable than they are now. Green point(s) systems are not creating fundamentally green buildings. They are at best, better than nothing. Are all those tall skyscrapers being cooled with AC? Are the building materials going to be recyclable when the non functional style/form is is no longer fashionable??

As you yourself pointed out they have been and contineu to be building a city focused around the car. And yes i am aware that they have just signed a contract for construction of a metro system...

My general point is that while i understand and appreciate the rush to modernity in the heart of the Middle East i do think these people and countries need to think much more carefully about what kind of development they want to model themselves after. My perspective is that Vegas-Max is not the model i would want for my country-city state.
Although granted Vegas is one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas in the USA. I am not a simplistic Dubai basher. I just wish they would be a little more concious and authentic when it comes to the choices they are making with regards to modernization.

In America who are WE to be criticizing what a country should do in terms of its national interests? If the UAE wants to develop their society in such a way then so be it. Patronizing a people and a country that you appear to know very little about isn't going to make it all go away.

As it happens the place was nothing more than a flea-infested sweltering shit-pit as early as a 50s with not more than a few tribes battling for whatever scraps the Ottomans and British left over after the end of colonialism. There was hardly any history too or even any great civilizations that had ties to the area -- only a few quaint fishing villages and rusty Ottoman forts here and there. You get where I'm going with this? I'll give you an example: "Old Town" Dubai is really the modern Dubai that started around the 60s while the newer town is the sprawl that surrounds it.

It really is misleading to be describing the place as "Las Vegas." The only similarities between the two cities are the shinny new buildings, and the desert. And that's really it. Culturally it's far from Las Vegas. Dubai is generally a dry place -- no booze in other words, it's not a gambling city, the water comes from natural underground aquifers and desalinization, not Lake Tahoe, and there is a huge Islamic religious establishment in effect.

What is the alternative? You may want to redirect your history to Baghdad circa 1950 where King Faisal wanted European and American architects like Corbu, Mies, Gropius, Ponti, and all the other modern guys to come up with the plan. Together with the government, they took an actual city with great history and turned into a draconian and brutalist nightmare.

As for the LEED thing... Yeah, we have a lot of room to talk. Especially when we have a political-religious establishment that ties eco-friendly anything to politics.

Episode 18
07/25/05
abracadabra, faia


mo. the ruler of dubai. I am interviewing him for archinect.

abra- selam aleykum greatness MO.

mo- aleykum selam.

-mo, we see a project shaped like a pair of palm trees and another one, a world map of islands, what's gonna be next?

-habibi, you are asking a difficult question. there are couple of themes we are, I am, considering for the next project. first one is called "Blonds Have Mo Fun" and the second, "Mo Better Music," get the idea? sort of personal this time.. first two projects were too political. this time I want to sell to the less serious mo fun people. copy?

- like a laser jet sir...
my next question is; how are you financing all these endeavors?

-bismillah.. people think it is oil money. simply it ain't. we give oil money to yankees and brits for protection. the real cash comes in from foreign investments and real estate. people think we are stupid, but they don't know their silk underwear is made by one of our companies... hahaha... do you know I have a waiting list for "the world atlas islands? what a gas, hahaha..

-what about the tallest skyscraper? do you need it ?

-another interesting question.. gaabra?

-abRA.

-whatever.. getting back to skyscraper, that project is completely financed by Ruperta Murdocki that is.. when it is 'erected,' you'll be able to see eastern Afghanistan on a clear day. geraldo rivera of fox tv wants to be the one who catches osama on a red alert day..

-what about osama?

-nice family, bad apple.. we gave, some 'palace models' as gifts to his brothers and sisters in 'the islands' and 'palms' and I believe geraldo will have his ass anyway..

-mo, do you swim?

-when allah permits.. only with sharks.. hahahahaha!

-Thanks.. do you want to buy some ad space in archinect ?

-you wanna buy a duplex?

from the airport, I send an e mail to mike davis..
"mike, you were dead wrong...
abra"

mike davis' article


meanwhile on boards in dubai;



Blonds Have Mo Fun - plan



Mo Better Music - plan

Dear god.... What a tangential bag of absolute drivel, Abra.

thank you.

Abra...
Perfect.

Ah yes, who are we to criticize a country that censors the internet and proscribes the death penalty for homosexuality?

in terms of traffic, Dubai reminds me a lot of Houston in the late 70's/early 80's.

difference is, that even with the difficult traffic situation in Dubai, there has also been a concerted effort to deal with it by way of municipal metro system.

work on the metro (currently 2 different line; Red Line- running parallel to Sheikh Zayed Road, Green Line - running from the east side of Dubai and back along the Creek to the south) started in Oct 2005 and will open in Sept 2009.

the red line is 52 km in length, and the green line is 22 km.

there are already plans for 3 more lines, each approx 50 km or longer.

which means that by 2015, Dubai will have one of the largest metro systems after the major cities of Europe. all of this in a 10 year span.

i remember in London it took 24 years just to decide to add a new subway line.

and it took more than 20 years for Houston to produce a trolley service, which has been replaced by a metro rail line. this line, which took about 5 years to install, is 12 km long. a new line is planned by 2012, which would add to a total of 48km.

DLB as i said...
I was aware that this was under construction...Obviously it is a good thing because as even ArchMed pointed out, one of my main concerns is the traffic situation/urban sprawl..Hopefully the metro system will halt or reverse this style and pace of development.

It is definetly impressive though that they can put up a metro system that fast...

The Metro system sounds great, but His Excellency Hussein Lootah, head of the municipality of Dubai was quick to admit that the Emiratis (locals) are unlikely to use it. Not because they so love their cars (he has 4), but because to spend any amount of time outside walking to or from it in 50degree summer heat makes for rivers of sweat. They will air-condition the bridges that link the metro on one side of the road to the other. The metro is a tourist transport system. Airport to hotel to mall. Ironically its path above and along Sheikh Zayed road obscures much of the shop-front signage.

The traffic problem is enormous, and Lootah admitted so. However he pointed out that in making Dubai so quickly (the economic imperative) there would always be some problems. It is in their interest to sort these out, and at some stage they will, somehow.

As pointed out above when LEED (UAE) is introduced, it will be an across-the-board requirement. In a dictatorship laws change at the click of his excellency's fingers.

My recent view of the city, full of horrors, must be taken in the context of the perceived necessity of building. The entire city is a building site, with all associated traffic, immigrant labour (and human rights issues), construction dust and debris, lack of landscaping or footpaths, unoccupied buildings held as investments. When this is finished, it will require a second viewing. It might even look like the saccharine-sweet renderings that so many properties have been sold on. Quasi-Disney City of the future.

Also (as above) while it is not to my taste, there are people I (will admit to) know who think its air-conditioned mall/beach/ex-pat combination is glamour itself.

They might penalize homosexuality. They also don't allow co-habiting between unmarried heterosexuals. Porn is a no-no, and booze hard to come by. Drugs will land you in jail. But your earnings are tax free and the sun doesn't stop shining (not always good).

They are driving the entire construction industry, and doing it better than the Chinese. We will all be using (sustainable) technologies that were developed in/for Dubai for decades to come.

Watch out for Qatar which will soon be the wealthiest (per capita) country on the planet, and Abu Dhabi which is wealthier than Dubai (and stricter on alcohol) and riding the green wake from its sister Emirate.

Thanks for the informative and non-combative view PsyArch...

Definetly true that they are driving the construction industry..

And hopefully you are right with the Masdar Institute and other such coming ventures perhaps they will do what the Chinese haven't done (yet) and develop and mas sproduc (to make it cheap) green technologies...

One can hope.
Also, i think your right when you say that people will need to take a second look in a decade or so. In order to really see how it all shakes down..

However, i must say that i am a little dissapointed in the Excellencies admission that the metro will be for tourists and not widely used by locals..
Public transportation should be pushed more. Unless they are going to invest in hydrogen cars or something else along those lines...

And even then there are only so many highways one can build before you reach saturation point and can't build any more.

Although they arent' anywhere near that sort of Density yet...Are they?

In fact, no one is sure what will happen with the metro system once it is running. not even the officials. after all, what was the initial (and current) ridership for the LA metro??

while it is true that it is difficult to walk for many meters outdoors from about may to end of october, from november to mid-april is extremely pleasant outside. Dubai actually does have an outdoor culture - but more in the older areas of Bur Dubai and Deira.

so, there may well be a seasonal ridership, with many classes of people taking the metro during the cooler months, then switching to more private transport in the hotter months. everyone is waiting to see what happens.

but Dubai is also implementing secondary transit services in association with the metro lines. each station will have taxi station (taxis are quite cheap in Dubai and form a major part of travel plans for many strata of society), be linked in many cases to bus routes, and for some stations, are connected to other modes such as trams (for the Knowledge Village area), the monorail connecting the Jumeirah Palm, the monorail connecting the Bur Dubai area, and other projected secondary transit systems.

it is somewhat ad hoc, somewhat "suck it and see" attitude, and mostly it follows the general Dubai principal of " it is better to do something and have it fail and need to be fixed/replaced, than it is to spend 20 yrs contemplating if it might work or if it might be wrong, and end up doing nothing".

in terms of density, there are numerous developments in Dubai that will in fact create denser urban or semi-urban zones than anything in the States outside of New York. Bur Dubai, Business Bay, the Marina, Marina Lake Towers, Culture Village and part of Jumeirah Village will have densities much greater than any part of Houston, LA, Chicago, or San Francisco. they will still be car-dominated, but they will also set in place the possibility of other forms of transit and urbanity.

interesting psyarch!

to speculate on the sorts of technologies driven by a humid/sweltering/arid location will develop seems to point at variations of low energy air conditioning, solar thermal electricity, photovoltaics, desalination/water treatment, selective spectrum glazing, and no-sweat clothing (with built in cooling). The more futuristic stuff that may emerge
may include phase-change materials (for cooling), carbon-capture-algae biofuel refineries, andd ocean bases algae farms.

Since most construction materials are imported and produced elsewhere (other then sand), i doubt dubai inspire a revolution in low carbon concrete or steel manufacturing. Maybe new glass factories should be built with all that sand and petrochemical energy available...

in my comments about, in reference to both secondary monorails and to density, it should have read: "Burj Dubai", as this is the new development zone, whereas 'Bur Dubai' is the area where Dubai was first founded along the Creek.

I hate to say it, but Archmed is right, American cities are pretty shitty as far as design is concerned. Hate on Dubai all you want, at least they are investing in a certain degree of design.

Excerpt from article in Times of London,\

This list of stellar architects marks a shift, according to the director of planning for Dubai, Rashad Bukash. “We want to change what people think of us. Dubai would like to be taken seriously.”

Since when does staritecture equal "better or serious architecture" (read more environmentally or socially more responsible, or for that matter better design)

it certainly does in Dubai. not guaranteed, but on the whole much better than what was produced in the last 5 years.

one problem in Dubai has been than ANYTHING would sell. there is no discrimination between great quality, good quality or even mediocre quality, as the market is so hot that everything finds a buyer. in these circumstances, there is no market distinction between good design or not, between serious architecture or not, between environmentally or social responsible or not. it is a product investment market.

but with the influx of some "stellar" architects, the shift to an acceptance of more than must building stock has moved to considerations of design as an attribute worthy of consideration and even its own market value - as either new spatial arrangements and forms or longer term value-adding.

this may or may not be about "star-architects". it is certainly about new ideas and new spatial investigations.

I love how you can hide your money there no questions asked. Pay US taxes? Fuck it - lets move to Dubai.

Why does the banner ad say Filipina Gallery on top of this page?

Emarati porn?

DLB,
While the developers may have decided that big name architects etc is good from a marketing/profit perspective ,
I am not sure i would agree that it equals better design(s)...

Unless as you said one thinks purely in square footage/density and market/pr value terms...

Namhenderson, let's set aside your own bigotry and ignorance about the people in th region. I still can't see why this is "disappointing" you or how this is affecting you in any way. You've never been there and it doesn't appear that you know a lot about the country's history in any way. Why are you getting so bent out of shape about this particular city when we have enough problems of our own. You are talking about a small population of people that is historically sprawled. Furthermore the Emirates themselves are but a handful at best of aristocrats and nobles. Their factor in all this is pretty much meaningless. Any development of any public infrastructure will always be geared towards the expats and the working class. It's good enough that they are even considering a Metro system for such a sparsly populated country. (I happen to think it's long overdue).

As for the people the metro is targeting, it is what it is. Not only will Emirati natives shun the system, but Arabs from most of the gulf countries like Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, and even Iraq will as well -- no matter what their wealth or social status is. Unfortunately, for them it's a social status symbol and the Arab world is a very gossipy, aristocratic, and a fledgling elitist society even though many of these countries are Middle income countries. When I worked in Amman, and later Dubai, fellow architects would buy very fancy and expensive cars that we all knew that they simply could not afford. It's all about status unfortunately. The good news is people are slowly growing out of this phase and begining to understand the realities on the ground.

If you really want to see good architectural movements in the Arab world, Amman is a very successful example, as well as Beirut, Doha, and Manamma, Algiers, etc. Some Arab cities that have good potential: Baghdad, Damascus, Cairo, etc.

When I was in Dubai this summer one thing I appreciated seeing more of since the last time I was there was all the urban density programs everywhere. Back to the point, all this criticism towards the city by those who have never been there or have no ties to the region should worry more about American cities and the absolute walmart-ification that has bastardized everything.

Sexenfive, that was just a SAD response.

Archmed, respectfully, nam hasn't posted anything that could be interpreted as bigoted or ignorant? Why are you so defensive? Why would you criticize nam for his perceived bigotry and ignorance when you permit yourself to say things like '... the Arab world is a very gossipy, aristocratic, and a fledgling elitist society ...'

The Emirates _does_ censor the internet, and there _are_ laws on the books there that proscribe the death penalty for homosexuality. Is this not the case?

I would never try to characterize the people of the Gulf, but surely the bigoted and ignorant actions of the Emirati government, indeed _any_ government, are not above criticism?

It's not bigotry on my part at all because the people in question are my relatives after all. :) I'm just speaking to you out of a first-hand perspective not a jaded, typically ill-informed Western perspective.

All of these countries are full of flaws and that is mainly why I have distanced myself from them over the years. However, these are different countries with different religions, cultures and histories. You can't expect them to have the same level of "tolerance" as every other developed western country. Remember that a mere 40 years ago it was illegal for a black man to drink out of the same water fountain of a white man. It will take many many more years for the Arab world to tolerate homosexuality at least to the level that it is right now in America because as I said things are totally different. As for the internet, funny stuff that you imply which is very typical from Western points of view-- that the internet is completely illegal. As far as I was able to tell, pornography was the only thing censored. I was able to get onto CNN, FOX, and other sites that were very critical of the Emirates.

1n 1980, the city council in Houston, Texas finally repealed a city law against "cross-dressing". up until this time, men or women, seen in public in "clothing designed for the opposite sex" were subject to arrest - and they were arrested.

this meant, even a woman wearing a pair of front-zipper or front-buttoned jeans could be arrested for wearing "men's clothing".

27 years is not a long time in the transition to equality and openness. let's see where the Gulf and Middle east is in 27 more years.

Archmed,
Although i do not have the extensive personal connections and experiences that you seem to have with regards to Dubai and the Arab world i am far from a bigot. Furthermore, i have read much about the region and would argue that i have a pretty accurate picture of the current situation there...
In fact if you read my previous statements, you will see that i am all for these countries becoming part of the "modern" "developed" (whatever those terms may mean) world.

However, i would prefer to see them take a more enlightened path, one that learns from the many mistakes the West and America in particular have made over the last century. Expecially, with regards to how they develop (ie; density, public transport non-sprawl et al).
Trying to compare their path to ours in the West is silly and mor eimportantly besides the point.
If they are trying to develop a modern society from scratch why not avoid mistakes that have been made in the past.

Additionally, i have not even made an ethical or moral arguement explicityly about who is doing the construction nor have i referenced (because it is to easy) the many human rights failings of those states (besides it would be as you pointed out somewhat hypocritical).

To end. It is not about comparing to the West. I would liek to see Dubai and the other countries in the region take their own path. Perhaps one that is more authentic and not just a Western import....

On a side not i personally, don't see any difference between the bog boxification of the american city and the importation of bigname/big box architecture plunked down..They are both repugnant in my view....

One last thing.

It may not effect me directly however i am dissapointed because they could and im my opinion should be doing more and better...

Even if it comes out all right in the end......

Agreed, this is my point, all societies and cultures can improve, especially our own, whatever 'our own' happens to be.

There are behaviors and attitudes that all of us exhibit and take for granted everyday, some of things we do and say and think now will be reprehensible embararsments to our grandchildren. This is a certainty.

just to add a slightly different gloss on Dubai and the UAE:

The BBC's security correspondent, Frank Gardner, can reveal that Arab soldiers have been taking part in dangerous missions alongside US troops in Afghanistan.

Troops from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have been delivering humanitarian aid to their fellow Muslims and, on occasion, fighting their way out of Taleban ambushes.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7318731.stm

I also wouldn’t assume a fundamental similarity between dubai and las vegas (admittedly, I’ve only been to the former for a short short while). Singular minded commercialism, architectural imagery fetishization (the kitch of iconicity…this is an ailment that, to a large extent, the whole arab world suffers from and foreign companies are cashing in on…compare designs being proposed within a European context and those in the Gulf context)…yes, perhaps….however, the cultural bedrock should be very different. I’m not acquainted with its history, however I think Las Vegas only achieved its brand identity after its formation as a node of red-district activity (it would be nice if someone could shed some light on that)..whereas Dubai ’s formation coincides with its self-branding..in fact, it could be argued that the Dubai brand precedes Dubai proper via the architectural renderings, the quoted amounts of money invested, the highlighting of international architecture and real estate names. Was Las Vegas as acutely aware of what Las Vegas would (wanted) to become as is Dubai ? The entities behind dubai already have the money and they started big, very big….and they’re not so different in catering to their clientele from one another (many of them operate in the Saudi Arabia, where I work…Emaar, SAMA, Tameer..). Dubai is still equal to the sum of its developer companies … and the state’s land is parceled out amongst them. Dubai has excelled at procuring foreign abilities (whether western or otherwise) in coming up with an en masse imagery, then production, of Dubai ...whereas this is not the case with las vegas ..me thinks. As such, Dubai is, to a large extent and within certain cultural bounds ( basically Islamic), a fabrication of a global upper middle-to upper class’ imagination that must be, at least on the onset, bland. It is family and work centered; its definition of fun is largely tame and directly proportional to your budget (sea related sports, cinema, shopping shopping shopping ..etc) and all cultural events are like polite pedantic zoo exhibitions… this is film (festival), this is painting, this is fashion… Perhaps, this has to be the case for now…since it’s a city in presto making….perhaps, the real dubai lags behind ‘dubailand’ simply because imagery is a swifter thing than human inhabitation. A really interesting city to live in is one that exceeds any singular purpose or markeatable slogan,, it is composed of distinct neighborhoods with their own patina and charisma…that add up to a resonant whole. Perhaps this would take place at the foot of those bland towers anyways, inspite of the blandness. The incorrigible spirit of the human being to be seedy might still subvert dubailand :o)

noctilucent,

Lovely bit of writing. And i think your points re: self branding and Dubai being less than the sum of it's parts are key..

Visited the DubaiLand showroom in Dubai in January this year. The showroom (building) was disneyland hideous, both inside and outside. There was a poor tiger trapped in a glass cave.

At first look, it was ridiculous. The Las Vegas-like strip, the GrandPrix Racecourse, the largest zoo in the world, the huge science parks and themeparks. They were gated communities within a gated community (DubaiLand) I find that it lacked civil facilities and any sort of free space. It was heavy..tense..impatient.

But, the mindblowing thing is that only in context like these, does 'architecture' rises above itself and enters a new dimension. Where is no longer just a building, but caught in an attempt at globalisation and achieve a contact with other infrastructures in the city. It is neither here nor there. Noone is going to critique building design but what we are looking at (as proven in this thread) is urbanism as whole.

free the tiger!