Country Review

United Arab Emirates (UAE): my cultural experience in Dubai
Created on: Jan 26, 2012
Reviewer is American, French
Lived/have been to United Arab Emirates (UAE), : Yes. Currently in United Arab Emirates (UAE), : No. From United Arab Emirates (UAE), : No.
Dubai, a showcase of architecture

Dubai, which totaled tens of grandiose projects, is packed with architectural follies and delusions, known for their daring. Fans of futuristic facades and resorts to the "Disneyland" Dubai is a fine specimen and a destination of choice.

On the waterfront, at the end of Jumeirah Road, the major attraction is the Burj Al Arab (the "Arabian Tower"), the most luxurious and highest in the world (7 star, 52 storey 321 m in height), shaped like dhow sail inflated by the wind. With its 202 luxury suites in duplex, its panoramic restaurant and upscale interior, the Burj Al Arab has become the symbol of Dubai and the most photographed hotel in the UAE.

The Burj Khalifa (formerly Burj Dubai) was inaugurated in January 2010. It has since March 2008, the tallest building in the world, and should remain so for another few years (before the construction of the Kingdom Tower in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia). It culminates at 828 m (antenna height) for a total of 162 floors, smashing the record held by the Taipei 101 Tower in Taipei, Taiwan (its antenna peaking at "only" 508 m). The Burj Khalifa is part of the new district in the heart Downtown Burj Khalifa. Luxury apartments, offices, shops, hotels, libraries, swimming pools and spas occupy the interior of the Burj Khalifa. At the 124th floor, we can embrace the city View from a viewing platform.

An air of Manhattan blowing across the city dominated by skyscrapers in the U.S., like the two towers of Emirates Towers profiled rising above the business district and symbols of the economic breakthrough the emirate, or the tower in the shape of the Empire State Building Fairmont Hotel ...

The Jumeirah Beach Hotel is a huge building in the shape of giant wave, Madinat Jumeirah and a hotel complex consisting of a small city with restored Venetian canals and gondolas.

Dubai starts

Skyscrapers

The Signature Towers (formerly Dancing Towers) are still in draft form. This concept is articulated in three towers connected at the base of which 2 are joined at the top. An architectural revolution.

Artificial archipelagos

The Palm Islands (Palm Jumeirah, Palm Deira and Palm Jebel Ali), these three islands forming palm-resorts are actually peninsulas. Ultimately, this project would add 450 km to 50 km beach today. These islands include hotels, residential villas, apartments on the beach, marinas, or amusement parks.

Always in search of brilliant shots, Dubai has also undertaken the construction of 300 small artificial islands reproducing the world map at 4 km offshore. Started in 2003, the construction of the leisure complex called The World was stopped after the 2008 financial crisis.

All these artificial islands are sand.

Leisure complexes

Influenced by American culture, Dubai has launched the production of a mega entertainment complex Dubailand, a sort of Disneyland on a larger scale (more than 80 million square meters). Other follies already under construction, the Hydrol, hotel submerged submarine off the coast or Bawadi, a city hotel with the world's largest hotel, Asia-Asia (6,500 rooms).

Malls (Malls)

Next mega shopping malls, Dubai is working on the construction of new malls even more gigantic: the Dubai Mall in Dubai Durj, a commercial complex of 1 000 stores in 11 million square meters, and the Mall of Arabia Dubailand in the future including a station summer with shops, entertainment venues, a 5-star hotel and restaurant ...

Cultural sites

Dubai, a cultural desert? It's a little criticism is heard here and there when we are there. It is true that the cultural, the emirate is a bit poor. Recognizing this gap, the municipality's priority is to restore and enhance the cultural heritage of Dubai - or at least what's left.

Culture Village

A village dedicated to the culture, situated on the banks of the Creek (Creek), called Culture Village is intended to reaffirm the history of the Middle East and to explain the rich cultural heritage of Dubai, between tradition and modernity. It includes museums, docks to see the construction of dhows (traditional dhows), wind-towers (the dock), souks, of rivers. An area must also bring together cultural institutions and schools (schools of fine arts, dance, music, pottery ...). The project will also craft shops and contemporary design.

Dubai Museum

Located in Bur Dubai in the oldest quarter, the Dubai Museum is located in Al Fahidi Fort (built in the late nineteenth century). With a modern set design and a faithful reconstruction of the past, this museum traces the daily life of the emirate before the oil era and returns to the meteoric rise of the emirate in modernity. Very well done, it offers a dive into the authentic history of Dubai, the time of the Bedouins and pearl.

Jumeirah Mosque

Located near the waterfront, at the beginning of Jumeirah Road is an outstanding example of modern Islamic architecture. This is one of the largest and most beautiful in Dubai. Built in stone, according to tradition Fatimid minaret with a double and a majestic dome, it is one of the city's attractions. To visit at dusk, when the front lights and where the call to prayer is heard.