Megaprojects Galore
Coming, as I do, from Orkney Springs (pop. 70), the scale of construction here in the UAE is simply beyond my comprehension.
Consider the projects announced just this week:
Abu Dhabi - Shams Project: "Sarouh Real Estate has launched a estimated Dh20-25 billion flag-ship project-Shams Abu Dhabi to be constructed on the Al Reem Island in the backyard of Abu Dhabi Island, where 100-skycrappers (sic), along with luxury hotels, hospitals, schools, mosques, commercial and entertainment complexes would be built, by not only Sarouh but by the private developers. With residential, commercial, institutional and entertainment districts, Shams Abu Dhabi will be comprised of a series of themed neighbourhoods linked by waterways and the newest ideas in urban transportation networks. It will be the ideal environment in which to live, work and play and will provide yet another face of the capital. The project is being designed in accordance with the company slogan—"Life in Perfect Balance"."
Dubai - City of Arabia to be largest leisure resort on earth: "The City of Arabia will in due course be surrounded by over 45 sport, entertainment and tourist attractions grouped into the six themed worlds that comprise Dubailand and make it the largest leisure resort on earth. . . . [Visitors will] pass into the ride area of the Theme-Park, equipped with over 100 state of the art, life-size, animatronic dinosaurs which will be constructed by Kokoro of Japan, part of an international team led by the Natural History Museum of London. The City of Arabia development will also feature the Elite Towers, 34 residential and commercial tower blocks; the 'Wadi Apartments' a complex of five storey buildings in the Mediterranean style, fronting onto the 11km meandering waterway in the Wadi Walk; and three hotels."
Ras Al Khaimah - "Saraya Islands will spread over one million square meters, with a range of five star hotels, lavish residences, and cultural and commercial venues that will draw interested tourists from all over the world, and offer an alternative cosmopolitan environment for residents."
Sharjah - AED 18 billion Nujoom Islands project: "While the original coastal area of Hamriya covered three kilometers of beachfront, Nujoom Islands with its extensive waterway systems, will produce 33 kilometers of prime beach front land. . . . Engineering studies have been implemented by global consultants to develop an ecologically sound waterway system that draws in seawater through a state of the filtration and circulation system. The islands will include 40 high rises for residential and offices purposes, 145 apartment buildings, four hotels, two resorts, 1400 water front and park side villas, five marine clubs, a large commercial center including a hypermarket, and nine smaller commercial centers, two entertainment centers and six centers for light industries. With the huge amount being invested and the large area of the project, this will be the biggest tourist landmark in the GCC."
Coming, as I do, from Orkney Springs (pop. 70), the scale of construction here in the UAE is simply beyond my comprehension.
Consider the projects announced just this week:
Abu Dhabi - Shams Project: "Sarouh Real Estate has launched a estimated Dh20-25 billion flag-ship project-Shams Abu Dhabi to be constructed on the Al Reem Island in the backyard of Abu Dhabi Island, where 100-skycrappers (sic), along with luxury hotels, hospitals, schools, mosques, commercial and entertainment complexes would be built, by not only Sarouh but by the private developers. With residential, commercial, institutional and entertainment districts, Shams Abu Dhabi will be comprised of a series of themed neighbourhoods linked by waterways and the newest ideas in urban transportation networks. It will be the ideal environment in which to live, work and play and will provide yet another face of the capital. The project is being designed in accordance with the company slogan—"Life in Perfect Balance"."
Dubai - City of Arabia to be largest leisure resort on earth: "The City of Arabia will in due course be surrounded by over 45 sport, entertainment and tourist attractions grouped into the six themed worlds that comprise Dubailand and make it the largest leisure resort on earth. . . . [Visitors will] pass into the ride area of the Theme-Park, equipped with over 100 state of the art, life-size, animatronic dinosaurs which will be constructed by Kokoro of Japan, part of an international team led by the Natural History Museum of London. The City of Arabia development will also feature the Elite Towers, 34 residential and commercial tower blocks; the 'Wadi Apartments' a complex of five storey buildings in the Mediterranean style, fronting onto the 11km meandering waterway in the Wadi Walk; and three hotels."
Ras Al Khaimah - "Saraya Islands will spread over one million square meters, with a range of five star hotels, lavish residences, and cultural and commercial venues that will draw interested tourists from all over the world, and offer an alternative cosmopolitan environment for residents."
Sharjah - AED 18 billion Nujoom Islands project: "While the original coastal area of Hamriya covered three kilometers of beachfront, Nujoom Islands with its extensive waterway systems, will produce 33 kilometers of prime beach front land. . . . Engineering studies have been implemented by global consultants to develop an ecologically sound waterway system that draws in seawater through a state of the filtration and circulation system. The islands will include 40 high rises for residential and offices purposes, 145 apartment buildings, four hotels, two resorts, 1400 water front and park side villas, five marine clubs, a large commercial center including a hypermarket, and nine smaller commercial centers, two entertainment centers and six centers for light industries. With the huge amount being invested and the large area of the project, this will be the biggest tourist landmark in the GCC."
posted by John B. Chilton at 9/15/2005 11:03:00 AM
6 Comments:
What's a "100-skycrapper" ?
:-)
Dear anonymous: Sharp eye. I've gone back to the post and added "(sic)" since this is material quoted verbatim from Khaleej Times.
I have to imagine a skycrapper is a really tall toilet. It'd suck to drop the TP from one of those.
The rate at which all of this is going up is incredible.
Is there a market for it, or are British real estate firms and Indian speculators just soaking it all in?
How much luxury do they need? I wonder if this will democratize the luxurious. Dubai is already a cheap tourist destination where middle class Brits and Russians can stay at premiere resorts like the Royal Mirage on packages.
I wonder what the occupancy rate of the Burj al Arab is? The Medinat Jumeirah? The Ritz Carlton?
They can't all be full all the time. The Emirates Towers always have rooms available at the last minute.
Engineering studies have been implemented by global consultants to develop an ecologically sound waterway system...
Ecologically sound... snicker. Ah, just like the Palms and the World.
Perhaps there might be an ecology after it's built?
found a good amount of information here about the saraya islands, nujoom islands and city of arabia.
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