Burj Dubai set to influence generations of architects

Burj Dubai set to influence generations of architects
“…Burj Dubai, the world's tallest building, will influence and inspire future generations of architects and engineers, said Mr Mohamed Ali Alabbar, Chairman of Emaar Properties… Mr Mohamed Ali Alabbar, Chairman of Emaar Properties said: 'When Burj Dubai was first planned, it was to be a 90-storey structure, but Sheikh Mohammed asked us, 'Why stop there?'' Alabbar said. 'As Dubai and its economy expand, as our achievements grow, we must constantly ask ourselves: 'Why stop there?' Sheikh Mohammed has inspired us to dare, to dream and to achieve what would once have been considered impossible. With Dubai playing a leading role, Alabbar said, the Middle East has the potential to reclaim its age-old role as a global source of scientific and engineering innovation, a fact underscored by the vastly sophisticated building rising from Dubai's desert sands. In every aspect of Burj Dubai, there is a new set of learning. No one has ever tried to construct a building like this. This learning will be vital for the next generation of enterprising individuals…”



City on the Gulf: Koolhaas Lays Out a Grand Urban Experiment in Dubai
“…It has been 12 years since the Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas unleashed his concept of “the generic city,” a sprawling metropolis of repetitive buildings centered on an airport and inhabited by a tribe of global nomads with few local loyalties. His argument was that in its profound sameness, the generic city was a more accurate reflection of contemporary urban reality than nostalgic visions of New York or Paris…”



Burj Dubai hit by four-month delay
“…Emaar Properties' Burj Dubai is four months behind schedule and may now not be finished by the end of this year as originally planned, it has been revealed… Emaar Chairman Mohamed Alabbar said on Tuesday the world's tallest structure would not be finished on time, without giving further details as to the reason for the delay… Emaar said last month construction on the tower had been stepped up to meet an "accelerated schedule", without giving further details… An Emaar official said in July the Burj Dubai would open sometime before Christmas this year, which means the tower may not now be finished until spring 2009… Work on the Burj Dubai was delayed in November when around 40,000 labourers employed by Arabtec, one of the construction companies working on the project, went on strike for a week over pay and conditions…”



Dubai's Monstrosities: Still Scheduled for Completion
“…With last week's announcement of Busch's four-park deal in Dubai -- they'll be running a Busch Gardens, SeaWorld, Discovery Cove, and Aquatica water park -- it's worth revisiting what's been going on with all the developments we've covered in Dubai before. And there are plenty of new schemes in the offing as well. Someone somewhere really should maintain an obsessive blog about what's popping in Dubai real estate (hello Curbed?), but failing that, here's a roundup of some of the biggest, weirdest, and most expensive skyscrapers and manufactured metropoli in Dubai and environs. Not comprehensive by any means, because I have a life, you know?...”



All that Glitters
“…In the late 1990s, as Dubai experienced unprecedented economic growth due to being in control of the world’s third-largest oil reserves, hordes of Russian tourists followed. Some would get so taken by the region’s growing business opportunities and relaxed visa policies that they decided to move there. Others invested in the Emirates’ booming enterprises or bought real estate. Today, as the data from the Russian Federation Consulate in Dubai indicates, about 10,000 Russians reside in Dubai permanently, and more than 800,000 visit the Emirate each year. Four airlines—Aeroflot, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines and Emirates—fly there several times a week in addition to four weekly charter flights…”