this is getting old

for $14,000 Emirates airline is allowing their most affluent passengers to take showers above the clouds.

Anara skyscraper

What fun the skyscraper architects must be having with the oil money in Dubai. It seems that if it can be imagined, it will be funded and built. The latest wild skyscraper is Anara, which will be 125 floors high and have multiple uses, including offices, hotel, apartments, galleries, and shopping. The building will only have one apartment that was built for the sole purpose of being dubbed the most expensive in Dubai.

British firm Atkins, who are erecting many structures in Dubai, are responsible for the Great Exhaust Fan of Dubai.

so not necessary

nov 4, 2008

DUBAI — The highly anticipated Dubai Mall opens today, unveiling the first phase of a new retail, fashion and entertainment mecca.

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At 5.6 million square feet of retail space, the mall is considered the largest in the world. There are 1,200 stores plus 160 food and beverage outlets, and the mall is expected to attract 30 million visitors in its first year. And while Dubai, like the rest of the world’s economies, is experiencing a slowdown, the mall is poised to do business in this major shopping and leisure destination.

Capital Gate Tower is Four Times as Crooked as the Leaning Tower of Pisa

If you thought the Leaning Tower of Pisa was messed up, get a load of the Capital Gate tower currently being constructed in Abu Dhabi. Actually, saying it is "messed up" is incorrect given that the 18 degree westward incline was completely intentional. In fact, the project's architects have submitted a joint application to the Guinness Book of Records to recognize the tower as the 'most inclined in the world.' In order to support the awkward angle of the 35-story structure, the design called for a foundation of extremely dense reinforced steel mesh and 490 piles sunk nearly 100 feet into the ground. We can only wonder how many slaves will die or get injured building that.

Keep feeding them

UAE shoppers ranked second internationally as the biggest fans and purchasers of Gucci (31 per cent) and Chanel (21 per cent), and third globally for Giorgio Armani (19 per cent).

UAE also topped global rankings in believing that designer brands are of significantly higher quality than standard products (43 per cent). Three in five (59 per cent) of UAE consumers said people wear designer brands to project social status.

Full article [HERE]

Unbearable demands: Broken promise

The dreams of middle-class Asian expatriates are losing their sheen as they quietly toil away and battle with the rising cost of living in Dubai. Meeting the great expectations of their families and relatives is causing great anguish to many.

This struggle to satisfy the demands of their people back home is leading to great distress for many expatriates – in some instances even forcing them to take extreme steps.

Full article [HERE]

DJ talks to God

A Dubai DJ was "let go" after he mocked religion and impersonated God on the air. The sketch involved quoting from an article about a US court throwing out a lawsuit against God.
Read it here

A new generation for a new world

There is no such thing as a composite Arab youth. In an ongoing series, The National will cross borders to discover the individual hopes, realities and issues that face this booming generation, while reflecting on the historic opportunity that unites them all, Craig Nelson and Hamida Ghafour set the stage.




Read the whole article [HERE]

Healthy mind and body

Abu Dhabi: The UAE Cabinet, during an extraordinary meeting on Tuesday, approved an amount of Dh42.2 billion as annual budget for 2009. The amount represents an increase of 21 per cent to the 2008 budget. The education and services sectors have been allocated 23 per cent and 37 per cent respectively of this year’s budget, which reflect the great priority the government gives to these sectors, particularly the health sector.

/Finish reading [HERE]

top 10 Dubai nail salons

If weekends on the beach and work days in heels have left your toes looking less than an attractive and your talons torn to shreads only a mani/pedi will do. But where?

Tips And Toes Nail Haven

A hidden gem in the bustling new JBR complex. Expect complete relaxation in this nail haven and the results are nothing short of superb – but be aware you’ll always need an appointment!

24 hour mall experiment

[T]he one thing I don’t do, weirdly, is shop. But then Dubai’s malls are about way more than shopping. As Tom Miles, senior general manager for the retail division of Dubai Festival City, points out, ‘If you look at the major players in the market place, each one of them has chiselled out what their unique selling points are.’ The likes of MoE, Ibn Battuta, DFC and Wafi have worked hard to become destinations in and of themselves by ‘creating an environment that makes it enjoyable for people to spend time there’.

Read the rest [HERE]

Dubai's Agriculture

Several research projects are studying how to best utilize the land in the UAE. According to the Minister of Environment and Water, the UAE has reached 100% self-sufficiency in production of dates and fish, 92% self-sufficiency in dairy production, 32% in vegetable cultivation and between 10-25% self-sufficiency in meat and poultry production.
Agriculture accounted for only 2% of the country’s GDP last year.
Click here!

Dubai Mallrats

Here's an article about what the youth are spending the free time doing in the UAE. The most popular places for young people to go with friends are to the mall and the movies.
Article

Free the shark!

Many are demanding that the whale shark, which is being kept at the aquarium of The Atlantis in Dubai, be set free. While it was originally said the endangered animal was "rescued", former employees have come forward saying it was always the plan of the hotel to get a whale shark. Now the hotel is refusing to say if or when the shark will be released.
Article

interactive map of dubai

here is a link to a site with an interactive map super full of information. there is also a pdf version for your own fun.

Still Climbing

The villa segment of Dubai's real estate market has seen prices spiral by almost 50 per cent in the past two years. An estimated 13,800 villas are set to be completed within the next two years in various locations of the emirate, according to experts. A majority of these villas will be in Nakheel's Al Furjan development, while others will come up in Waterfront, Jumeirah Village, Dubai Silicon Oasis and Jumeirah Golf Estates.

Read the rest [HERE]

Partner Up

Popular choice

Instead, commuters depend heavily on approximately a million private vehicles registered in Dubai. There are 1.6 passengers per vehicle in Dubai, according to Mohammad Bin Fahad, Director of Planning and Business Development at the PTA.

Also, mass transit – in the form of the Dubai Metro project – is not due to open until September 2009. While the road toll is Dh4 per crossing, the Metro ticket is speculated to be under Dh10. Al Hassan said the price would be announced in two months.

Fines for sewage dumping

Dubai will start charging fines for dumping raw sewage illegally. The consequences include a fine that could exceed AED100,000 ($27,000).
Article

Sheikh wins big!

All The Good, a horse co-owned by Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum and a 50-to-1 outsider, won Saturday's Caulfield Cup. The race is a lead up to the November 4th Melbourne Cup.
Article

New airport terminal

A new terminal will be opened at the Dubai International Airport which will increase the airport's capacity by 50%.
Article

Bridge to (no)where???

On why Dubai would want the longest arch bridge in the world and spend lots of money on it, I wouldn’t know. The most publicized emirate in the UAE has already chosen the New York architectural firm FXFOWLE to design the longest arch bridge that will be 205 meters tall and 667 meters long.

The Dh3 billion project is targeted to be completed by the end of 2012. It is said to be longer than the reigning world’s longest arch bridge-the Lupu Bridge in Shanghai, China.

According to xpress4me.com, “The design is based on an “acoustic wave” and will depend on an artificial island built just to the north of the existing Creek Island where the proposed Dubai Opera house is planned in coming years.”

Just down the road...

Not content to be the fashion and financial center of the world, Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, wants to become the media center of the world with the launch of twofour54 media park.

The city already has some heavy hitters committed to locating to this burgeoning area. The companies working on the twofour54 Abu Dhabi media park expansion are CNN, the book publishers HarperCollins and Random House, the British Broadcasting Corporation, The Financial Times and the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charity arm of the financial news giant Thomson Reuters.

Extremely Dependent on the Water

Nakheel is the force turning the vision of Dubai into reality. When complete, projects such as the Palm Trilogy, the World and Waterfront will add more than 600 miles of beachfront to the Dubai coastline and cover over 2 billion sq ft.

HATERS! and on x-mas!

Dubai Want Helicopters For Taxis!
25/10/07

Only in Dubai could someone be taken so seriously enough after reports that Dubai Taxi Company said it plans to start a helicopter taxi service for VIP travellers by 2009.

That is right, congestion is a big problem in Dubai, with many people spending most of their days on the Sheikh Zayed Road, waiting for the standstill traffic to move an inch. The government even tried Salik in a bid to ease the congestion, but eventually someone has thrown in the towel and decided that the only way to beat the traffic is to go over it!



There were no "details regarding the implementation of the service or how much the service would cost and where passengers would be picked up and dropped off" said sources,.

Of course not, no one would think someone's hair brained scheme would be given the thumbs up let alone envisaging things like cost, infrastructure or the viability of such a service.

PKN Princess Resort

The princess resort is a 50/50 partnership between the UAE government and the PKN Group. The resort is being compared to something belonging to Las Vegas.

http://yaarproperties.wordpress.com/2007/08/13/pkn-princess-resort-uae-a-middle-eastern-las-vegas/

Never Set Foot on Earth

This isn't about Dubai, but it is an interesting idea for what we are doing and deals a great bit with where I would like to take my project...



With land area shrinking and population growing, Japan has decided to take its urban development strategy to the next level. Welcome to Sky City – the most massive super-building on earth and certainly one of the most daring feats of engineering ever attempted.

With its 14 steel, concrete and glass "plateaus," each 40 stories high and stacked on top of each other, Sky City will rise a full mile into space – more than twice the height of any existing building! The towering, vertical city will house more than 100,000 people and provide for every aspect of modern life with parks, schools, homes, offices and shops all housed within the "city's" ample walls.

Only one problem: No one knows for sure if it can really be built! Join leading engineers from Japan, Taiwan and Canada as they try to tackle the immense mechanical, structural and logistical issues behind such an enormous project. Architects have drawn up plans for a truly majestic edifice, but can they protect the city from earthquakes, typhoons and the very worst disaster that can strike a tall building – a raging inferno?

Preview The Special on Extreme Engineering: http://shopping.discovery.com/stores/servlet/viewFlashVideo?storeId=10000&langId=-1&catalogId=10000&productId=37553&FlVidURL=netstorage.discovery.com/ecommerce/EX_ENGINEERING_TOKYO.swf&encFlVidName=Extreme+Engineering%3A+Tokyo%27s+Sky+City+DVD

Cohabitation

Hydra Properties, the leading UAE-based international property developer, and leading real estate agent Cubic Real Estate today announced the prelaunch of a premium commercial tower concept in Abu Dhabi during Cityscape Dubai 2008. The state of the art high rise tower will be named Hydra Cubic One and is to be located in the Central Business District of Al Reem Island, Abu Dhabi.

Hydra Properties builds’ beyond possibilities and has a firm belief in the humanizing factor. Hydra properties always aspire to create spaces that nurture and accommodate the human aspect of real estate.

Hydra Properties has captured the hearts and minds of real estate investors through its innovative and iconic projects across the continents, stretching from Hydra Waves in Mexico to Al-Aqeeq Marinain Kuwait. Hydra Properties is foremost mantra is eco-friendly projects and Hydra Village in Abu Dhabi is a case in point for a successful Green Building initiative.

The Most Expensive Pearl Not To Be Worn

Dubai Pearl is an AED15 billion mixed-use luxury project located adjacent to TECOM Investments’ knowledge clusters. It is being developed by Pearl Dubai FZ LLC, a consortium of investors led by Al Fahim Group. The deal takes the total sales at the luxury Dubai Pearl development to more than AED10 billion.

Dubai Pearl is a premier business and lifestyle destination that aims to create climate-conditioned pedestrian walkways, conveying a street café ambience with international restaurants, boutiques and urban landscaping, it is the only development overlooking Palm Jumeirah.

Expected to be completed by December 2011, Dubai Pearl will combine an active business district with quality urban lifestyle, offering easy access to premium commercial and residential areas such as Dubai Media City and Dubai Internet City, as well as Jumeirah. It will be linked to Dubai Metro and other modes of public transport.

As a final component of the Desert Trilogy, the students at Latifa College were asked by Emirates Bank to create a falcon as part of the Flight of the Falcons public art project. This time the project was undertaken by two students, Omaima Hidmi and Mariam Al Mazroui, who collaborated on the concept development, design and painting of the falcon in the Summer of 2006. The 21st Century Falcon was painted in an abstract graphic style, depicting the modern image of Emirates Bank. On the underside of the falcon the familiar logo suggests the security and stability the bank continues to provide, whilst the striking abstraction of the same logo across the back of the wings represents the bold and innovative way in which the bank meets the constantly-changing demands of its contemporary customers.

The 21st Century Falcon was displayed on the World Trade Centre roundabout on the Shaikh Zayed Road in Dubai.

Following on from the success of the Camel Caravan, Emirates Bank commissioned the students to create a horse as part of the Celebration of the Arabian Horse. Using the concept of collaged antique money, which had been introduced with the Emirates Banker, the students created a horse that was completely collaged in reproductions of obsolete currency, recoloured to graduate from blue to gold, the colours of the Emirates Bank logo. Omaima Hidmi again initiated the design. The Arabian Stallion now stands outside the Emirates Bank in the Al Wasl Road, alongside the Emirates Banker II.

The students were later approached on behalf of A-1, the motor racing company launched by Sheikh Maktoum Hasher Al Maktoum, to create a horse representing the spirit of this new venture. Latifa Saeed designed the horse that was painted with exposed engine parts and swathed in motor racing’s iconic chequered flag. The finished horse was displayed in the foyer of the company offices in Dubai.

A third horse was painted as the result of a private commission from HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum. A team of five students painted this horse in a contemporary, graphic style as a tribute to Sheikh Hamdan and his commitment to progress in Dubai.

Keep Your Banker Close and Your Camel Even Closer

In Spring 2004, students of Latifa College were commissioned by Emirates Bank to paint a camel sculpture for part of a public art project (Desert Trilogy) and charity auction. A competition was held between the students, with representatives of the bank making the final selection of the winning design. The competition was won by Omaima Hidmi, with her design of the Emirates Banker, a humorous interpretation of the traditional British banker. All students participated in painting the finished sculpture.

The original Emirates Banker was stolen from the streets of Dubai shortly before the charity auction was held, resulting in the work being recreated at short notice by the College as Emirates Banker II. The camel went on to attract the highest bid of 350,000 dhs at auction, and a children’s book, The One That Got Away, was written about the disappearing camel. The camel is now on display outside the Emirates Bank in Al Wasl Road, Dubai.

With more new regulations introduced, which holds developers accountable for delays in projects, investors in Dubai's real estate sector will no longer have to worry about frustrating project delays, reports the Gulf News.
The Law No.13 and 14, intends to increase transparency in the property market. According to officials in the Dubai Land Department, following registration and approval, all property information will be fed into the system. Hence all details of the project will be readily available and there will be no reason for delays. Law No.13 mandates all developers to pre-register their off-plan properties with the Land Department to form a full database of property transactions. Law No.14 makes it easier for Banks to obtain proof of land titles.
Both Law No. 13 and 14 were made effective last week. Law No.13 ensures that developers register all their projects before launching sales. No one can release a project unless approvals are done, and the approval must be sought from five specified government bodies including Dewa, RTA, Dubai Municipality, Land Department and RERA, said Bin Galita, the CEO of RERA.
Currently few developers are seen demanding a deposit on the unit prior to giving a purchase agreement. As per Law No.13, as soon as the deposit is paid, the sales and purchase agreement should be given immediately.

The project, worth more than Dh.2.4bn, will consist of all associated civil, structural and electromechanical works, commissioning and external works.

The project, covering more than 3million square feet, will include three basement levels and 68 storey residential towers.

The project will be complete by 2013.

Arabtec, together with Emirates Sunland, a joint-venture group betweenSunland and Emirates International Holdings, is now working on two major projects in Culture Village.

One of these projects is the D1 Tower - an 80 storey luxury residential building, and Palazzo Versace Dubai - a 215 room luxury hotel and 169 condominiums.

Dubai Properties, a subsidiary of Dubai Properties Group (DPG) has announced that it will release details about its new projects and display existing developments at Cityscape 2008, one of the largest business-to-business realty investments and development events in the world.

One of the developments to be released during the event is the Dh.40bn Mudon master development, which will be displayed on one of the stands of Dubai properties. The first phase of Mudon, the 348 Cairo Townhouses will be made available for sale during the event.

A leading UAE-based international property developer, Hydra Properties, has announced the completion of excavation work for Eve's Tower at Business Bay, the first exclusive tower for women entrepreneurs in the world.

Eve's Tower forms a part of the iconic Hydra Towers that consists of five unique shaped high-rise towers that forms the 'core' of largest commercial hub in the Middle East. Growing 20 storeys and facing Burj Dubai, Eve's Tower will resonate with the aspirations of businesswomen.

The Dubai-based property developer Timelinks, also a pioneering environmental design company, is all set to tackle issues such as population growth in Gulf Cities, and issues such as infrastructure pressure and environment carbon neutral solutions, through its proposed eco-city, the Zigguarat project, hoped to cater to a population of one million by harnessing power of nature.

The unique pyramid-shaped city could support an entire community by employing a car-less environment with a transport system powered by solar energy, wind and steam. The carbon emissions within the city is hoped to be reduced by 90 percent.

Property prices in Dubai are unlikely to decline by 2010, as against predicted in the recent reports, but, there will be a correction in profits, revealed the top officials at Dubai Land Department (DLD).

Although several reports and analysts are predicting a dim future for Dubai's property sector, optimists are still of the opinion that it is just the beginning of success for Dubai.
According to CEO of RERA(Real Estate Regulatory Authority), Marwan Bin Ghalita, there will be correction in few places, but only in profit. Instead of making a profit of 20 percent, may be, several investors will make a profit of 5 percent, but they are not losing anything.
A 10 percent decline in Dubai property prices is likely towards 2010, said a recent Morgan Stanley report.
Even the investment Bank, EFG Hermes, in their report mentioned that a 20 percent decline in property prices is likely towards 2011.

The Kuwait-based developer, Dar Al Dhabi Real Estate, has disclosed plans to develop 'The Wings' project in Abu Dhabi.

Located along the southern part of Reem Island, the mixed-use development will feature towers of 300m in height. Situated along the Najmat Marina on Al Reem Island, the Wingles include one residential and one commercial tower, apart from a striking five-storey glass atrium, all of which spreads across the 6000 square meters of space.

Just a day prior to the launch ofCityscape Dubai 2008, the leading Dubai-based property developer Nakheel, announced plans to create a new record by building a tower that is about a kilometre in height, thereby competing with the friendly-rival Emaar Properties.The tower will form a part of Dh.140bn project, which will include the world's first inner city harbour, an official of the company said.

The Central Business District of Abu Dhabi's Reem Island will be home to the World's first Micahel Schumacher World Champion Tower (MSWCT). The wharf tower, which will emerge from the sea, will be wonderfully integrated with the water on the seafront and will comprise a luxurious marina.

Rosie would be so proud...

Eve’s Tower will be a 20 story building in Dubai in which only women can own or rent office space. The CEO of Hydra Properties, who is a major player in high rise construction, says he wants the building to be a tribute to the nurturing spirit of women all over the world. There are women-only malls in the Gulf, in Saudi Arabia, for instance, but this project is the first commercial development of its kind.

Men will be allowed inside as drones, but of course, cannot ascend to Bee a Queen.

Not the city under the sea

On September 2nd, the huge fire broke out at the new luxury hotel Atlantis on the Palm Jumeirah, just three weeks before opening.

The fire broke out in the lobby in the morning. Hotel owners told there was a limited damage on the roof and the dome of the lobby.

All workers were evacuated and no guests were staying there that day.

The opening of the Atlantis resort is still scheduled for 24 September 2008 and will be the first hotel to open on the Palm Jumeirah.

cityscape day 2: don't forget the famous people!

second slideshow

again, cityscape - 2008 - dubai: breakin' records, causin' traffic problems, big models, smiling people.. but, day 2 brought out the celebrity endorsement:

#3 : Bollywood sensation, Shah Rukh Khan on Tuesday visited Cityscape to attend the unveiling of his Boulevard.

#5 : Formula One legend, Michael Schumacher unveiled the Michael Schumacher World Champion Tower project at the Deyaar stand on Tuesday...
i love how it's like he's never seen it before

#6 : British boxing sensation Amir Khan will be the brand ambassador for Profile Group's latest venture: Tejarah Executive, a commercial tower located in Marmooka City, Ajman...
i dont know what he did that he doesnt get anything named after him.. =/

cityscape

"the world's largest development exhibition" is going on right now, and after an extension, will end on thursday.

the link below will take you to a slideshow with pictures of super big models and people pointing at them.. my fave is #14, "the Falcon City of Wonders Project" with it's own eiffel tower and set of pyramids..

slideshow

My next film will be in Dubai, says Spike Lee

"The controversial director is invited to the The Circle Conference, the second annual international film conference launched yesterday by Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage."
"Lee told tabloid! in the side line of the conference 'Inshallah my next film will be in Dubai. I'm open for any plans and ideas. I'm looking for money like every body else… money is tight in the US. The American financial meltdown affects everybody including film making.'"

article

Eat this Randy's Donuts

Dubai property developer Nakheel announced the construction of the world’s first wheel-shaped hotel this week....

They expect to complete construction by mid-2008.

WAIT... Say that again

In a Persian Gulf building war, Kuwait announced its plans to build the Burj Mubarak Al-Kabir to attain a height of 1,001 meters (3,284 ft). The Burj Dubai is supposed to top out at over 800 meters but they are in mid-construction; maybe they’ll tack on a couple of hundred meters now. This thing is a total monster, it will be twice as tall as Taipai 101 which was the tallest until Burj Dubai, now look at the picture comparing the Burj Mubarak to the Burj Dubai.





Madinat Al-Hareer is an $86 billion dollar project that will include not only the skyscraper but an airport and an expansive desert preserve. The tower will take approximately 25 years to complete if it comes to fruition. The plan also includes a bridge that will eventually link Madinat Al-Hareer with Kuwait City, which sits across a bay from the planned location of Madinat Al-Hareer. Another megaproject in the Gulf, the unfinished Burj Dubai , is already taller than Taipei 101 and will be the tallest free standing structure ever when completed. Though the final height of the Burj Dubai has not been disclosed, it is estimated to be between 700 and 900 meters. Making it substanially shorter than the proposed Burj Mubarak Al-Kabir.

View from above

Although it really looks like it, this incredible photo wasn’t taken from a plane; believe it or not, it was taken from the 85th floor of the Burj Dubai. To date, it is the world’s tallest skyscraper, although it will be overtaken by the kilometer high Burj Mubarak Al-Kabir in Kuwait when it’s completed.

Not Dubai, But interesting

Ecomoons - Recyling Rubbish for Air Miles Honeymoon


A British couple spent three months trawling the streets collecting litter to recycle, and then turned it into Air Miles to pay for their honeymoon flight.

John and Ann Till collected 60,000 pieces of trash in their daily and nightly quest for all things recyclable.

They took each batch to a Tesco store in Petersfield, Hampshire, where one club card point is awarded for every four items recycled in its machine.

The points were turned into vouchers which were then converted into 36,000 British Airways air miles for their honeymoon flights.
It's funny how you do get interested and excited about rubbish after a while.

not a corvette....

but still crazy for an emergency vehicle

Gone Fishing

The seafood processing industry has become big both in terms of quantity of fish processed and also in terms of the value of the fish processed. At present more than 30-35 processing plants are operating through out UAE, more being in Dubai and Ajman , with 12 companies having EU approval. All the processing plants have HACCP as it is obligatory by the Municipalities and also by the ministry to have the HACCP implemented. Total companies registered with Ministry of Environment and Water are 78.

Additionally, there are more than 50 different species being traded in bulk from UAE and over 90-100 different species being traded in sporadic quantities when available.

FIRE PIMP

The city's Civil Defence department has acquired a Corvette to help fight fires by being able to attend to them more quickly than ordinary vehicles. Brigadier Rashid Thani Al Matroushi, Director of Dubai Civil Defence goes on to explain that due to the Corvette's speed, the car can get vital rescue equipment to the scene of the fire, and in the case of people being trapped in cars, can help remove them. One of the primary reasons behind its development is that the distance between fire stations and accident scenes are larger than normal, so it makes sense to have a fast first response vehicle. It took a team of four people two months to develop.

Ken Livingstone urges Dubai to use public transportation

Ken Livingstone, the former mayor of London, says Dubai needs to utilize it's public transportation system if it wants to be a major financial center. He was the one who oversaw the transformation of London's aging transportation infrastructure, and would like to do the same for Dubai.
Article

Dubai's government has launched a 350 billion dirham project to develop land along their coast. Their aim is to build apartments, shopping malls, and offices is some of Dubai's older districts over the next 12 years.
Article

images of the new tower mentioned earlier

Harbour and tower project by nahkeel

survey talk

A survey in Dubai showed the following:

60% of Emirati Nationals feel the growing expatriate population is the greatest threat to national identity.

while.. 71% expatriates felt that the biggest threat was the country's "highly materialistic and consumerist society"

81% of the 628 respondents - Emirati and expatriate - said they "belonged in the UAE"

more than half said the country’s safety record was the main attraction

top issues with life in the UAE were rent, traffic and inflation.

a fifth of all Asians questioned cited discrimination as a key complaint

and... Most Western and Asian expatriates said their inability to speak Arabic had not been a hindrance in their career.

link

Moving on up!

Nakheel announced Sunday the Nakheel Tower project, which over a 10 year period will be built to a height greater than 10 football fields... while the final height has yet to be announced, they do admit it will be greater thana kilometer (3,281 feet), surpassing the Burj Dubai by over 1,000 feet.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081005/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_dubai_world_s_tallest_building

NYtimes article

here is an article about dubai and the financial crisis.. lots of info.. read it.

A new article says that at least 85% of the food that is eaten in the UAE was grown on foreign soil. The food that does come from local cops usually comes from small traditional farms in the country. Low water resources are to blame for the decline of local farming.
Article

Forests of Dubai?

One of the goals of the late Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan was to turn Dubai from desert to green paradise. Shaikh Zayed discovered that 15,000 years ago, the Arabian Peninsula was enveloped in thick forests and full of greenery. The land got transformed to a desert only after it was exposed to a long spell of drought that also forced its inhabitants to move in search of water. Shaikh Zayed charted a course to return the desert to its greener origins by increasing the number of trees, farms and palm orchards.
Article

Shark fights threaten aquarium opening

More than 10% of the sharks in Dubai's aquarium at the Burj Dubai Mall have been killed in fights. Sand Tiger sharks have killed at least 40 of the smaller reef sharks and have also been aggressive towards divers.
The aquarium has the largest school of sharks, and the tank is the centerpiece of the aquarium.
Article

The economic slowdown isn't decreasing the rental car companies in the UAE, as most are fully booked.
Article

The UAE is one of the most active countries on social networking sites, such as facebook and myspace. 46% of the UAE's residents are active members of online social networks, while 40% of US citizens are active. However, some users in the UAE are concerned that facebook may soon be blocked and will not be available for them anymore.
Article

Interesting Article

Architects' view on Dubai...

"'For architects, Dubai is a tabula rasa, a blank slate,' says Patrick Fejér, design partner at Bregman + Hamann Architects, a Toronto firm that last year opened an office in Dubai, where it is working on three high-rise residential towers as well as several commercial projects in neighbouring United Arab Emirates states, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi.

'There's an 'anything goes' attitude in Dubai and we have tremendous freedom to create something out of the ordinary. Dubai is all about escapism and fantasy and our job is to translate that into the look and function of a building,' Mr. Fejér says."
Read the article!

Dubai is becoming one of the top places for British people to buy property abroad. Topping the list are Spain and France, but Dubai rose from it's 9th place spot last year to the 7th place.
Check it out.

Buildings that turn heads

From towers that rotate to underwater hotels — you don't need to use your imagination any longer, it's all here.

From palm-shaped beaches to structures that stretch to the clouds, the UAE is not short of ambition when it comes to developing the buildings of the future.
One of the most striking projects in Dubai is the Dynamic Tower. The building is designed by Dynamic Architecture under the direction of Italian architect David Fisher. He describes it as the planet's first "four-dimensional structure", which is designed to accommodate a hotel, an office tower and 200 condominiums.

It will be 428 metres high and cost around $700 million. Each of the 80 floors will rotate independently around a stationary central shaft that will house elevators and plumbing. Residents are promised a constantly changing view and while most floors will have programmed rotation cycles, a few higher floors will turn at the discretion of their owners. A full rotation can vary from one to three hours.

In an interview, Fisher said he was inspired to design the Dynamic Tower during a visit to a friend's top-floor Midtown Manhattan apartment. "I had a view of the Hudson River and East River at the same time, it was beautiful and I wanted to make that feeling accessible to more people." Room service at Dynamic Tower will acquire a new meaning with top-level units having on-floor parking with cars transported via service elevators. The eco-friendly tower will also generate its own power. Forty-eight turbines will use wind to generate energy, and solar panels on the roof will provide electricity.

The construction of the Dynamic Tower is also a first of its kind. The only part built on site will be the core. Each floor will be made piece by piece in a factory in Italy and placed onto the core using a lift system. If a building that revolves doesn't turn your head, how about an underwater hotel? The Hydropolis will be the world's first luxury underwater hotel. Under construction 20 metres below the Arabian Gulf off the Jumeirah Beach coastline, it will include a land station to welcome guests, a connecting tunnel to transport them by train to the main area of the hotel, and 220 suites. "Hydropolis will be the world's first luxury underwater hotel; it is not a project; it's a passion," said Joachim Hauser, the hotel's German developer and designer.

A restaurant and high-tech cinema screening the evolution of ocean life and the history of underwater architecture will be added attractions. "We are expecting around 3,000 visitors a day in addition to the hotel guests," said Hauser. "I am sure this project will create an international sensation and will also be the beginning of a new era in architecture."

The project will employ construction technologies used in submarines and offshore oil and gas installations. According to Hauser, floating caissons will be towed to the site which is some 300 metres off the coast of Jumeirah. "As the building increases in height and weight it will be gradually lowered until it reaches its final position and will then be firmly anchored," said Hauser.

As engineering and construction techniques become even more advanced, the skyline — and waterline — are limited only by the architects' imaginations.

Do not fear a fall in property prices

Real estate in Dubai has increased in value for years, and the market has not yet experienced a fall. There is a whole industry which has grown up around real estate, with thousands of people employed in building, supplying, selling, fitting out and maintaining all the new private and commercial property on the market.

The industry is desperate to talk itself up, but it should not be frightened of a fall. Every market in the world has times when prices go down, as well as times when they go up. What is important is to recognise that a fall in property values is not remotely the same as a crash, and there is far too much talk that equates a possible fall with a loss of confidence leading to a crash.

This is wrong, and is in part due to the newness of the market in the UAE. But even a small fall in the Dubai market like a 10 per cent drop in average prices would almost certainly only harm a few over-borrowed speculators, and not harm the market as a whole. The industry should be confident enough to recognise that it has a solid base and is set for a long future, which will include downs as well as ups.

Developers hit by cost overruns

Volatile prices of building materials are causing strained relationships between contractors and developers, industry experts say.

The construction boom has created a huge amount of work in Dubai and while developers struggle with increasing prices, contractors have been the ones calling the shots.

"The last six months has seen a lot of volatility in the local market, especially with steel and cement. Contractors have been able to negotiate," said Riad Bsaibes, chief operating officer of Amana Contracting.

Jewellery consumption soars in Middle East

The Middle East and China are emerging as the titans of jewellery consumption with a 10 per cent year-on-year surge in the two regions, the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre said.
In 2006-07 bilateral trade between the Middle East and China increased by 32 per cent. Non-oil trade between the two regions surged by 47 per cent, said executive director for diamonds at the DMCC, Peter Meeus.

The two regions are also the fastest growing in terms of jewellery consumption, positing "phenomenal" growth in both its private and public sectors, he said.

Check it Out

Atlantis Hotel

Workers carry rolls of carpets as they pass the giant aquarioum at the Poseidon hall with of the Atlantis hotel which is a part of $ 1.5 billion resort in Jumeira Palm Island in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2008. The 113-acre resort on the artificial island off Dubai's Gulf coast will open on September 24. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili)