The Language of Making Dubai

The Language of Making Dubai

The Language of Making Dubai 1 | Abstract

This dissertation follows the research undertaken by an architectural master’s student of Robert Gordon University, United Kingdom and resident of Dubai, United Arab Emirates for 12 years. This paper outlines the nature of Dubai’s growth over the past 25 years, while addressing the media’s criticisms and identifying where Dubai needs to focus its efforts for a sustainable bright future. Through the application of interviews and a photographic essay, topics such as; what is a City, Space, Religion and Culture, Architectural Language will be discussed thoroughly. ‘It is particularly cruel that the harshest criticism comes from old cultures that still control the apparatus of judgment, while the epicentres of production have shifted to the other ends of the globe.’ Is it possible the view the gulfs on going transformation on its own terms? As an extraordinary attempt to change the fate of an entire region? Is it possible to present a constructive criticism of these phenomena? Is there something like a critical participation? (Elsheshtawy, Y., 2004)

The Language of Making Dubai Acknowledgments | 2

Firstly I am particularly grateful for the assistance given by my supervisor Quazi Zaman, his willingness to give his time so generously has been very much appreciated.

I would also like to express my great appreciation to Thomas Scally, without him I wouldn’t have been able to meet with the influential people that were necessary for the interview process.

I would like to offer my special thanks to all of the professionals that took their time to speak with me during the interview process: Ghali Khansaheb, Mark Corcoran, Jonathan Eveleigh, R.K.Mukherjee, Abdulla F. Al Gurg, Robert Punchard , Frank Nowacki, Chris Dennis, Stephen Taylor, David P. I. May, Abdulrahman A. Khansaheb, Tariq Khansaheb, Nick Exton, David Breslin, Labrid Al Fakhri, Sanjay Manchanda, Michael Grose, Anton Balchin, Robert El Habre, Adrian Ferrari-Stanford, Jagruti P Bhatia, Liz Martins, Christopher Barry and Christopher Southcombe.

Finally I wish to acknowledge the support provided by Angela Scally, which has been greatly appreciated during this period of writing.

The Language of Making Dubai 3 | Contents Page

Introduction - Page 05-12 Chapter 1 - A Breif History of Dubai - Page 13-16 Chapter 2 - What is a city? - page 17-20 Chapter 3 - Space - page 21-25 Chapter 4 - Architectural Language - page 26-29 Chapter 5 - Interview Analysis - page 30-38 Conclusion - page 39-40 Bibliography - page 41-44 Appendix - page 45-90

The Language of Making Dubai Figures | 4

BALCHIN, A. 2012. Personal Photographs. Dubai: UAE Figure 20.

BELLINI, O.E. and DAGLIO, L., 2008. New Frontiers in Architecture : Dubai Between Vision and Reality. Italy: White Star Publishing.

Figures: 14, 51, 53 & 56 - 57.

KOOLHAAS, R., 2010. Dubai: From judgment to analysis. [online] London: OMA. Available from: http://oma.eu/lectures/dubai-from-judgment-to-analysis [Accessed 10/10 2012].

Figures: 16 - 19 & 21 - 22.

LEE, D. and THOMPSON, W., 2007. Al Manakh. UAE: Moutamarat.

Figures: 23 - 26, 31, 50 & 60.

NOWELL, S. and NOWELL, R., 2000. Now and Then Dubai. Our Earth Series Vol 6 ed. Dubai: Zodiac Publishing.

Figures: 1 - 13, 28, 49, 52 & 54.

SCALLY, K. 2013. Personal Photographs. Dubai: UAE Figures: 15, 27, 29, 30, 32 - 33, 35 - 48, 55 & 59.

TRANCIK, R., 1986. Finding Lost Space. 1st ed. New York, USA: John Wiley and Sons, Inc.

Figure 34.

The Language of Making Dubai 5 | Introduction

Rational I am studying architecture in Britain but grew up in Dubai, UAE allowing me to ‘provide a local voice not previously heard and an understanding no outsider can achieve.’ (Elsheshtawy, Y. 2004. p10) I want to explore Dubai’s identity, globalisation, hybridity, colonialism; giving a different point of view towards what an Arab Sheikdom should be. The general argument is, Dubai should be entirely Islamic,’ an approach regarded as outdated and counterproductive.’ (Elsheshtawy, Y. 2004. p10) I will explain the difficulties, approaches and resolutions offered by Dubai during its progression, from a small fishing village to present day while discussing what the future of Dubai will hold.

Aims and Objectives This piece of research will develop previous investigation and aims to delve deeper into the connection between the instant city of Dubai and its architectural language.

I wish to take the work of Koolhaas and expand upon his data collection of the Middle Eastern area carried out in Al Manakh and Al Manakh Cont’d, with special concentration on the city of Dubai and its urban fabric. Kanna’s investigation into Dubai and Singapore’s growth before and after the financial crisis could be taken further to determine what state the architectural realm of Dubai is now left in. Elsheshtawy looked into the planning of Middle Eastern cities and I think expansion on the theories raised in this book could lead to a solution for the chaotic context currently visible across Dubai.

If it is established that Dubai has some issues regarding it architectural language I will test where Dubai went wrong, and what steps can be taken by professionals working in the area to better this. I will achieve this through vigorous analyse into people’s opinion of Dubai and by drawing on my own personal experiences. I will also be able to critically analyse Dubai and its urban artefacts during my field study in January.

Urban theorist, such as Henry Lefebvre, Kevin Lynch and Roger Trancik, opinions will be explored in key texts. Using date collected during the interview process I intend to create links between the urban theory discussed and the participant’s opinions regarding Dubai. The information collected both qualitative and quantitative will form the language of making Dubai.

Exploring links between Dubai’s instant city formation and its current architectural language will push forward the research already carried out

The Language of Making Dubai in this field of study and will hopefully concluded some interesting ways to tackle the unprecedented development in this city while producing a sophisticated architectural solution. Looking into the rate of construction of the city and how this affects areas such as liveability and quality of architecture. Does an imperfect urban fabric matter if Dubai seriously succeeds in ways like no other city, for example The Burj Khalifa, the tallest tower in the world, constructed in a desert.

When FiRE (finance and real estate) is strong the next step is to bring in iconic architects and buildings, even though the local architects are capable the name is needed, but if people are what make a building iconic then what are the results of the forced ‘iconic’? ‘Is it possible to present a constructive criticism of these phenomena?’(Lee, 2007, p 7)

Methodology Together with the works of others and by conducting a series of interviews, discussing the opinions of influential people regarding Dubai’s development and planning, I hope to answer some unanswered questions regarding Dubai’s future and uncover the truth about Dubai as a global-instant city. The interviews will consider local and expatriate opinions within the built environment. Interview candidates, ‘were selected on the basis of belonging to, being raised in, or being a citizen of the city.’ (Elsheshtawy, Y. 2004. p10) Since my interviews are taking the views of the professionals that built Dubai, I thought it was interesting to find Lefebvre’s opinion that. ‘The new city builders should adopt the methods of transduction and experimental utopia.’ (Parker, S. 2004, p21) There is a, ‘lack of a local voice and I was hoping through this strategy to project empathy and a deeper understanding which may be lacking If the writer is an outsider.’ (Elsheshtawy, Y. 2004. p10) The key texts relating to this topic are those by; Rem Koolhaas: Al Manakh, Al Manakh 2 and The Gulf, Yasser Elsheshtawy: Behind an Urban Spectacle and Planning Middle Eastern Cities, and Timothy Walters: Miracle or Mirage.

My dissertation will study Instant cities looking at Dubai as a case study to test if the rapid pace of city evolution affects the architectural quality and language, does this affect the liveability of a city.

Having grown up in Dubai I want to question the general critical opinion that people have towards the city. A Disneyzated, Las Vegas mirage in the Middle East, describes the typical western view of the ever expanding city of Dubai. Can this developing city be considered architecturally successful, or is it merely an architect’s playground where enough disposable petrodollars are available to test innovative yet careless concepts? Following models such as Singapore, Hong Kong and Manhattan,

Introduction | 6

The Language of Making Dubai 7 | Introduction

Dubai strives for the, ‘biggest, tallest, or newest.’ (Walters, T, 2006) This expansion hungry city represents many of its kind, attempting to become a model city for the countless developing eastern cities. Is ‘a high standard of living, an advanced educational system, and a cutting-edge infrastructure,’ enough to sustain Dubai’s future? (Walters, T, 2006) Dubai as part of, ‘The United Arab Emirates has combined government policy and the brute force of petrodollars to alter its economic landscape.’ (Walters, T, 2006) Three main developments are a result of this attitude and will help demonstrate the cities architectural language, or the lack of, including the Burj Khalifa, Madinat Jumeirah and the Creek area.

The Language of Making Dubai Questionnaire Instant Cities: Using the city of Dubai as a case study to analyse how a rapid pace of development affects the architectural language?

I will be sketching and recording during the interview, to capture certain memories.

I would also like a photograph of each interviewee if possible?

Could I take your business card please?

Would you like to receive a copy of the final dissertation?

Date: Name: Age: Sex: Nationality: Years residing in Dubai: Date first visited Dubai (If applicable): Occupation: Company: Main mode of Transport: What is your first memory of Dubai?

What do you think of first when you imagine Dubai 2013?

How would you say Dubai has changed during this period?

What is your opinion of this change?

Could you sum up the Architectural Language of Dubai in a few words?

What do you see for the future of Dubai?

What is your opinion on the plan for Dubai’s future?

How many years do you think Dubai can sustain itself?

Introduction | 8

The Language of Making Dubai 9 | Introduction

Professionals involved Do you believe Dubai has a culture?

1. Ghali Khansaheb: H.R Manager: Khansaheb 2. Mark Corcoran: Operation Manager: Khansaheb 3. Jonathan Eveleigh: Group Business Development Manager: Khansaheb 4. R.K.Mukherjee: Chief Financial Officer: Khansaheb 5. Abdulla F. Al Gurg: Group General Manger: Al Gurg Group 6. Robert Punchard: Director: John R Harris and Partners 7. Frank Nowacki: Director: John R Harris and Partners 8. Chris Dennis: Group Commercial Manager: Khansaheb 9. Stephen Taylor: Director: WSP Middle East 10. David P. I. May: Managing Director: MKM Commercial Holdings 11. Abdulrahman A. Khansaheb: Operations Manager: Khansaheb 12. Tariq Khansaheb: Director: Khansaheb 13. Nick Exton: Head of Procurement: Engineers Office 14. David Breslin: Managing Director: Dalriada 15. Labrid Al Fakhri: Managing Director: Group Consult International 16. Sanjay Manchanda: Chief Executive Officer: Nakheel 17. Michael Grose: Partner: Clyde and Co 18. Anton Balchin: Architect: NORR Group Consultants 19. Robert El Habre: Manager, Architectural Design Department: NORR Group Consultants 20. Adrian Ferrari-Stanford: Managing Director: Albatha Engineering 21. Jagruti P Bhatia: Manager Corporate Banking: HSBC 22. Liz Martins: Senior Economist: HSBC 23. Christopher Barry: MEP Director: Arabian Construction Co.

Research Choice and Validation 24. Christopher Southcombe: Marine Artist Historian: Freelance In order to gather reliable non bias data I propose to use several tools of research:

-Research qualitative material to inform me of the views towards the architectural language evident in the city of Dubai.

-Conduct a series of interviews during my field study that will form my primary data for this topic. The interviews aim to cover a wide range of contrasting opinions by including the makers of Dubai. I hope to gain views on how Dubai has changed over a relatively short period of time and what the candidates think the outcome has been for the architecture of Dubai, these findings should be unbiased as I have selected such a range of interviewees.

The Language of Making Dubai Introduction | 10

-Carry out studies using photographs and sketches from my study trip in January. From these I hope to break down different categories of the Instant City to better understand the architectural problems.

Photographs and sketches will analyse commercial areas, public spaces, architecture (high rise and wind towers) and transportation; I believe these heading will be useful when comparing old Dubai and new Dubai.

For the reader of my research to fully understand the problems Dubai is now facing, I will draw on own experience as much as possible to include my own views on the topic, examples and knowledge from my time spent in Dubai could help the piece speak to a wider audience.

I will finally use all the results, from the various investigations, by critically analysing them to identify what the problems affecting the architectural language are after a rapid pace of development. Quantitative methods will be used when possible to directly obtain assessable outcomes. Therefore qualitative methods, depending on judgement and interpretation that could present discrepancy, can be limited to avoid

Literature Review conceivable restrictions of study.

This section will outline the work carried out by other architects and urban theorists that relates to the topic of Dubai.

In ‘Planning Middle Eastern Cities’, Yasser Elsheshtawy has a very interesting way of assessing the situations occurring in the Middle East, specifically Dubai, he is clear and concise when explaining to the reader his opinions. He suggests, ‘how the Arab city responded to globalism and – this is perhaps the most contentious issue – does it differ significantly from colonialism?’ (Elsheshtawy, Y. 2004. p9) Elsheshtawy proposes there is a, ‘variety of types,’ (Elsheshtawy, Y. 2004. p9) when examining Middle Eastern Cities, signifying it is not a negative thing that Dubai has little culture or history, it is a fact and just a different typology for this category of countries. Changing the opinions linked to,’ that monolithic entity referred to as the Arab/Moslem City.’

(Elsheshtawy, Y. 2004. p9) Dubai has been very resourceful when faced with a lack of oil, history and culture, it has been suggested, ‘colonisation has been replaced by globalisation,’ (Elsheshtawy, Y. 2004. p9) which is a point that resurfaces in the interviews I conducted.

The conflicts, linked to the lack of historic content and culture in Dubai, ‘are resolved spatially through a policy which on the face of it attempts

The Language of Making Dubai 11 | Introduction

to reconcile through co-existence, but a closer examination reveals an exclusionary direction through the development of clearly defined ‘boarders’ i.e. zones or enclaves.’ (Elsheshtawy, Y. 2004. p169) The sail of the Burj Al Arab is said to, ‘recognising Dubai’s historical seafaring tradition,’ (Elsheshtawy, Y. 2004. p169) when in fact it is to mimic the sail of a racing yacht, symbolising modernity and innovation. Dubai shouldn’t be shy to be doing something different, which is in all honestly successful in a lot of ways. However what, ‘this view leaves out is an inevitable outcome of polarisation particularly in so called world cities which have come to symbolise the ultimate triumph of globalisation.’

(Elsheshtawy, Y. 2004. p171) This lack of history, ‘manufacturing their heritage and image to attract investments and tourists, (Elsheshtawy, Y. 2004. p172) Dubai is constantly criticised for is merely covering the real truth of segregation between different cultures and ethnic groups.

‘Efforts have been made to respond to the global economy and to recreate the city through the ‘tourist gaze’ intricately involved in the global circulation of images,’ (Elsheshtawy, Y. 2004. p172) Lefebvre discusses consumer society and the city becoming a cultural consumption for tourists, this is true for the city of Dubai, it should not be burdened by this lack of history value but address the socio-cultural issues it is faced with. (Parker, S. 2004) Dubai has been subject to, ‘growing ethnic, racial and cultural heterogeneity coupled with social and spatial polarisation,’ (Elsheshtawy, Y. 2004. p171) and this is the real problems the city has to deal with not accusation of a lost tradition that was lacking to begin with. The way to solve these problems is to start with the public realm, ‘a setting allowing for a merging of these subcultures.’ In the past Dubai has discouraged different cultures mixing producing a huge separation between the upper class and lower class with little lying in the middle, this is an issue of globalisation that need to be addressed by identifying different activities within the public realm. ‘The lack of the development of an indigenous working class contributed to consumerism. Workers brought by the British retained identification with their home countries.’ (Elsheshtawy, Y. 2004. p171) Conflicts of class will always exist in a city with different state authority. (Parker, S. 2004) ‘ It is claimed, ‘no real effort is made to resolve the social problems, address concerns of the lower class, or try to make the urban environment more liveable. Globalisation is another form of domination?’ (Elsheshtawy, Y. 2004. p172) Dubai is seen as a sign of progression to the other countries in the Middle East, due to it’s, ‘glitzy shopping malls and tall glass towers’ (Elsheshtawy, Y. 2004. p172) a model these countries would like to replicate to achieve modernity.

But these physical signs of development within Dubai’s urban fabric,

The Language of Making Dubai ‘always pose the question of authenticity and socio-political equality.’ (Elsheshtawy, Y. 2004. p172)

Summary and Research Relevance The literature I have gathered so far demonstrates that there is a considerable body of research available for architects regarding Dubai and the fast paced development in this city. In terms of type of material available there has been a variety of quantitative and qualitative research methodologies used in many of the papers and publications. However findings can sometimes be very bias towards, generally negative views.

I hope to develop my understanding to fully appreciate the research that has been carried out before me. I also think that my field study brought back a lot of very helpful data and will form the main argument in this dissertation. The primary research I gathered in January includes opinions and data from both points of views, providing me with a reliable source to reference, allowing me to have an analytical approach towards this topic.

I believe due to the recent discussions regarding the connections between urban design and architecture that my chosen topic is relevant in the world of architecture today. It raises some questions to do with morals when proposing designs for this part of the world. Also will hopefully give some solutions as to how architects can design and build at this rapid pace but still keep a high standard of architectural quality.

The ideas of creating an iconic building and heroic architecture are also challenged by this topic. The intention of this research is to contribute to the awareness and knowledge of built environment professionals to finally increase the quality of architecture in the city of Dubai for the purpose of its inhabitants.

Introduction | 12

The Language of Making Dubai 13 | Chapter 1

A Brief History of Dubai The merchants from the Bastak district, Iran were given an area of land east of Al Fahidi Fort, the first building to be built in Dubai, to build their homes on, this area later became known as the Bastakiya. This was only one of the many areas of Dubai in early last century, where several classes and ethnic groups were residing in Dubai this, ‘cut across lines of ethnicity and gender.’ (Elsheshtawy, Y. 2004. p175) 50% of Dubai’s labour in 1968 was immigrant; the identity of the locals was reinforced in relation to these newcomers. ‘In spite of the presence of diverse cultures the city enjoyed relative stability – a fact paradoxically enhanced by fragmentation. Each societal segment became too self-contained to be able to unite with others and in turn challenge the status quo.’ (Elsheshtawy, Y. 2004. p176)

Fig 1 Source: NOWELL, S. and NOWELL, R., 2000 The First Block Building.

The construction of the airport allowed Dubai to develop further in terms of imports and exports and tourism even though, ‘many of the Sheikh’s relatives as well as merchants wanted to prevent Dubai from becoming the outright centre or British hegemony in the Gulf. However, a small airport accommodating flights between Alexandria and India was finally built in 1937, thereby establishing a British presence in the city.’ (Elsheshtawy, Y. 2004. p176) Although not reaching a level of fortified rebellion, the area did experience an anti-colonial action that was important to construct the UAE identity among other nations. The UAE Nation day is a proud celebration for locals and expatriates; in 2011 the country celebrated 40 years since the UAE was formed on December 2nd 1971.

Historically social and political factors lead to the establishment of Dubai as a global centre. ‘Dubai developed an economy based on international commercial entrepot since the late 1800s.’ (Elsheshtawy, Y. 2004. p177) Because of the creek and the discovery of oil early on Dubai saw an unprecedented growth and boom in terms of the construction

The Language of Making Dubai industry. When the pearling industry took a hit because artificial pearls were being produced in Japan Dubai needed to re-export business using the tax free zone and the Dubai creek. This shows that Dubai is a very resourceful place; the rulers are always looking for alternative ways to make the city successful. (Elsheshtawy, Y. 2004) Schools, hospitals, roads and modern telecommunications networks were established due to the original economic boom from the oil reserves. A new port and a terminal building were signs of this affluence; the runway attached to the airport terminal was able to receive any type of aircraft making tourism an obvious alternative source of revenue. The main attraction to this new port was not only the tax free nature but the availability of low wage and non-unionised workers. There are also no numerical restrictions on these workers or any wage perimeter set up by the government, allowing companies to employ as many expatriates as desired for a low wage. (Elsheshtawy, Y. 2004) ‘The 1980s and 1990s were more flexible, provided more rapid service, worked with more resources and changed more quickly according to market conditions, both within the UAE and globally,’ (Elsheshtawy, Y. 2004. p177) Therefore allowing labour intensive manufacturing to thrive in the 1990s. ‘By providing the necessary infrastructure for global companies Dubai stood well to become a major global centre for trade and commerce.’ (Elsheshtawy, Y. 2004. p177) The urban fabric, growth of the city and its architecture were greatly affected by this change. Dubai had witnessed a lot of change since the turn of the 20th century; the houses back then were constructed using clay and coral, giving them a mud hut feel.

Fig 2 Source: NOWELL, S. and NOWELL, R., 2000. The first mudhuts.

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The Language of Making Dubai

Fig 3 & 4 Source: NOWELL, S. and NOWELL, R., 2000. An old dhow and the airport traffic control tower.

Fig 5 & 6 Source: NOWELL, S. and NOWELL, R., 2000. The first sign of modernity in Dubai, The Clock Tower and Thw Trade Center Building.

Fig 7 & 8 Source: NOWELL, S. and NOWELL, R., 2000. First bridge in Dubai, Al Macktoum Bridge and The Gold Souq.

The Language of Making Dubai

Fig 9 Source: NOWELL, S. and NOWELL, R., 2000. The Palace

Fig 10 Source: NOWELL, S. and NOWELL, R., 2000. The Creek

Fig 11 & 12 source: NOWELL, S. and NOWELL, R., 2000. The old souq and Sheik Zayed Road in 1978

The Language of Making Dubai 15 | Chapter 1

Local inhabitants were living in extended families in ‘Barasti’ houses (houses built from palm fronds). Residential quarters were built in clusters to allow for privacy and collective tribal security. Narrow walkways surrounded these buildings providing routes for pedestrians and domestic animals moving goods and drinking water. The four wells located near the settlement were intended for public use to supply the families with drinking water. (Elsheshtawy, Y. 2004)

Fig 13 Source: NOWELL, S & R, 2000 Barasti houses with windtowers

John Harris a British architect produced a master plan for Dubai in 1960, this included provision for road systems, zoning for industry, commerce, public buildings, residential areas and the new town centre.

This simple modest plan was in line with the emirates limited financial resources at that time. This plan further included two bridges and one tunnel connecting Bur Dubai to Deria (both sides of the creek) – Shindagha Tunnel, Maktoum Bridge and Garhoud Bridge. There were further zoning of health, education and leisure/ recreation areas. (Elsheshtawy, Y. 2004) Since 1970 Dubai has experienced rapid expansion in the form of planned suburban growth. This growth manifests itself in a linear pattern along the Sheik Zayed Road.This growth corridor is known as the New Dubai, whereas the growth along the Creek was known as Old Dubai. Tourism has been the source of revenue for the past few years and providing space for the new temporary population has been the cause of rapid growth. ‘Visitors numbered at three million, three times the amount of the one million residing population.’ (Elsheshtawy, Y.

The Language of Making Dubai 2004, p107) Dubai with Emirates Airline and its unprecedented growth has become possibly, ‘the world’s fastest growing global city and international hub in a non-Arab society planted in the heart of Arabia. The population make up has the highest percentage of immigrant workers leaving nationals outnumbered 7 to 1.’ (Elsheshtawy, Y. 2004, p107)

Fig 14 Source: BELLINI, O.E. and DAGLIO, L., 2008. Sheik Zayed Road and Dubai International Financial Centre - DIFC

Fig 15 Source: Scally, K. 2013. The view of The Creek

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The Language of Making Dubai 17 | Chapter 2

What is a City?

The term Instant City can be defined by referring to a type of settlement that condensed the complex growth from wilderness to city within the span of a generation (Barth, 1975). The concept of Instant Cities was first seen by the Archigram group in the 1960’s since it has been reinterpreted by architects and other building environment professionals all over the world, producing outcomes that are sometimes successful and other times not so. In the 60’s the Instant City project was conceived as a technological event, whose mobility would allow it to travel to underdeveloped towns and cities. Since then the term has developed to represent cities that, ‘experience dramatic change in the wake of their construction evolution.’ (Wright, 2008, p8) To put it simply an instant city is an urban theory term for a city that has developed extremely fast in a short period of time.

Driving Forces Driving forces are the first things to be considered when looking at instant cities, it involves all the factors and their reaction on whether the city can form or not. We need to consider does the city have the capacity to become instant? Are the resources and political will available? These driving forces can include; politics, economics, social, climate, cultural, contextual, global interest and foreign investment. If one of these factors is increased, such as global investment in the case of Dubai, it can result in an accelerated growth rate for that place, forming what we know as an instant city. Instant cities is one expression of the driving force, others could include the global city or the sustainable city. (Wright, H., 2008)

Outcomes – The Instant City Instant city is an indicator of transformation in social-political and physical identity. Traditionally, cities such as Paris, Calcutta, Tokyo and New York have grown out of a long process of human intervention that has shaped their form. Nevertheless, there have been examples of a different process, which could be described as ‘instant’ cities. For instance, in the mid-nineteenth century, it took only a few months for San Francisco to grow from a small village of 400 people to an eclectic habitat and bustling sea-port of several thousand inhabitants, following the discovery of gold. The concept became a unique aspect of California’s development.

In the late 1850s, a group of German idealists arrived in Orange County with a plan for a Utopian town. They created Anaheim overnight, with a grand plan for common ownership of land, and vast tracts dedicated to agriculture (Lavoie, 1998). Dubai falls into the ‘instant’ city category as, since 1980, it has become the focal point for rapid development result-

The Language of Making Dubai ing from the government’s development policies of attracting overseas investment. (Jenks, 2000, p103)

Implication Methods Finally the third step of the formation of an instant city, after the driving forces have come together and the outcome has been set on the instant city, is the way in which this type of city is implemented. The built environment represents the intention of the city therefore the architecture will indicate the way in which the instant city was applied. The ways architecture can affect the nature of a city are; for example, through sky scrapers, ground scrapers, boulevards, plazas, recycling buildings, prefabrication, iconic architecture and sustainable architecture. Once this step has been achieved the three steps will keep on repeating to sustain continued growth of the formed city.

The seven categories of an Instant City ‘To assess the ‘instant city’, we need to range from the exploding megacities of developing countries to the constant re-engineering of wealthy cityscapes, from concepts of cities in design and fictions to the realities of the built environment, and from socialist ideas about the city of the century ago to today’s sustainable aspiration for this century.’(Wright, 2008, p9) The following couplets describe the various different ways an instant city can be affected; Growth/Master plan, Utopia/Distopia, Fantasy/Reality, Nuclear/Distributed, Nomadic/Rooted, Global/Local and Humanity/Environment. (Wright, 2008)

How Dubai became an Instant City The UAE is situated on the Persian Gulf in the south east of the Arabian Peninsula, bordering Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Oman. His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahyan led the country from its formation in 1971 until his death in November 2004. First water then the rest followed in terms of infrastructure and housing, the aim was ‘first to concentrate all our efforts to develop this country in order to develop its citizens.’ (Walters, T, 2006, p5) The al-Makhtoum family have strived to create an instant world city, a node on transnational flows of capital, people and knowledge, through city marketing, architecture and function. (Guest Editorial, 2012) Modern Dubai formally inhabited by the Bani Yas tribe in the eighteenth century, was a small fishing village that later emerged into a minor trading port. Twentieth century Dubai consisted of an adequately wealthy port where almost a quarter of the population consisted of non-nationals, drawing many foreigners from Iran to Baluchistan. In

Chapter 2 | 18

The Language of Making Dubai 19 | Chapter 2

addition to this early settlement growth, the last 20 years have been the most intensive in terms of development for this ‘Urban growth machine.’

(Guest Editorial, 2010, p3) The brief British involvement ended in 1971, as a result Dubai joined with Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Fujairah, Umm Al Quain and later Ras Al Khaimah, to form the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Dubai formed into a major trading hub at the beginning of the twentieth century; the Deira district alone already consisted of 350 shops. ‘Today, Dubai is the third most important re-export centre in the world after only Hong Kong and Singapore’ (Bagaeen, S, 2007, p4) The population of this city has rapidly increased and could touch 4 million by 2017, with the last census in 2006 presenting a population of 1.2 million, of this total 75% were said to be expatriates. ‘Visionary leadership, high quality infrastructure, an expatriate-friendly environment, zero tax on personal and Corporate income and low import duties,’ (Bagaeen, S, 2007, p4) were the numerous key measures involved in the Dubai development strategy. Areas from Egypt to the Indian subcontinent were covered by a quickly arising business and tourism hub, Dubai. (Bagaeen, S, 2007)

Fig 16 & 17 Source: Koolhaas, R., 2010. The change Dubai had witnessed from 1978-2007

The Emirate has been compared to Las Vegas on many occasions, perhaps because of its, ‘attempt to create a set of predetermined experiences to be consumed’, by the visiting public. (Acuto, M, 2009, p5) The potential of wowarchitecture and the so-called Bilbao effect, has deeply tempted Dubai, whereby foreign audiences define the city’s image.

‘Dubai may have outstripped Paris and New York as civic models. But can an instant city ever feel like the real thing? Built at phenomenal speeds, these generic or instant cities, as they have been called, have no recognizable centre, no single identity. It is sometimes hard to think of them as cities at all’ (CHEN, X. 2009, p4)

The Language of Making Dubai Fig 18 & 19 Source Koolhaas, R. 2010. Here is major architect and a major building and here is a building Dubai proposed two years later.

Fig 20 Source Balchin, A. 2012. Photograph of the buildings surrounding Dubai’s main highway Sheikh Zayed Road: recognisable?

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The Language of Making Dubai

Fig 21 Source Koolhaas, R. 2010. The Creek ‘This is Dubai in 1973, barely more than village on a creek. What we discovered is actually a very touching, intelligent effort to modernize from the moment, in 1973, when we have the oil crisis in the West. This coincided with the first Arab awareness of the tool of oil for its own purposes, triggering a huge wave of development in the Arab world.’ (Koolhaas, R. 2010)

Fig 22 Source Koolhaas, R. 2010. In the top line, a single skyline the work of most senior architects of the world in the last ten years. Below, the work of the most senior architects working in the Middle East.

(Koolhaas, R. 2010)

The Language of Making Dubai

Fig 23, 24 & 25 Source: LEE, D. and THOMPSON, W., 2007. Dubais statistics

The Language of Making Dubai 21 | Chapter 3

Space While Dubai develops into a world class metropolis, the aspect that motivates growth and sustains growth in Dubai should be the main focus, this is attracting private interest. ‘Dubai is making tremendous strides as a private city. The urban experience that comes with living in great cities is grounded in the public sphere.’ (Lee, 2007, p29) The public sphere of Dubai consists of areas such as the city streets, plazas, and parks; the promenade along The Creek, Emaar Square and Safa Park. ‘Private cities can make happy consumers but cities with a thriving public realm can make responsible citizens.’ (Lee, 2007, p29)Therefore it is crucial to make Dubai’s citizens responsible.

‘Kevin Lynch says good cities are those that support viable public life and public space, public life such as spontaneity, authenticity and freedom.’ (Lee, 2007, p26) The human experience is deeply affected by the space around them therefor study into the everyday life of city dwellers in actual urban settings is needed, analysing what makes content lively residents. The city is an arrangement of objects in space and ‘urbanism is a way of life,’ (Parker, S. 2004. p22) Therefore public spaces are key, even simple street design can alter the feel of a space. Social activities and facilitating these must come first; secondary is the organisation of form the city takes on. (Legates, R; Stout, F., 2011) ‘The forces of globalisation and the postmodern conditions they impose have increasingly privileged the private.’ (Lee, 2007, p15) In Dubai these privatised spaces manifest themselves in gated compounds, guarded malls and secured leisure clubs. Dubai like many cities must be focused on the public by becoming a place where people and their social life are the driving forces for its formation.

A special effort needs to be made in terms of Dubai’s public space, not privatised public space; incorporation into the master plan will help the city thrive. This problem of true public space needs to be addressed if Sheik Mohamed wants Dubai to be considered a leading world city.

Dubai has achieved a lot as a city in a very short period of time but I think now is the time to go back and think about the human scale of projects, attacking public spaces such as pocket parks and squares to really provide places for all of Dubai’s population not just privatised areas for the ‘elite’. There is a constant,’ struggle to defend public and civic space,’(Parker, S. 2004. p23) in Dubai, with most of the public space manifesting itself inside vast air-conditioned malls.

‘The privatization of public spaces, which is what Madinat Jumeirah

The Language of Making Dubai has achieved intentionally or otherwise, is a reason for concern in that it changes the public space from streets squares and plazas to interior venues such as malls clubs and the like which are normally heavily patrolled.’ (Lee, 2007, p26) The investment into protecting these new public places is generally aimed at the upkeep of the facility, however frequently this increase in security causes a physical boundary telling you where to walk or where to sit. Public spaces become privatised areas where the public doesn’t feel free to use them in the way they wish. The outcome is an ineffective public space remaining successful for endorsing consumption and improving lucrativeness but little else in terms of human wellbeing.

Fig 26 Source: LEE, D. and THOMPSON, W., 2007 Madinat privatised public space

‘Buildings are isolated objects sited in the landscape.’ (Trancik, R., 1986. p1) Generally urban design decisions are made two dimensionally which isn’t the most effective form of analysis, three dimensional relationships need to be identified between space and buildings together with an understanding of human behaviour. The two dimensional system of identifying patterns leaves the place as a shapeless non city of isolated objects (Trancik, R., 1986.)

Some of these two and three dimensional strategies focused of integrating urban design manifest themselves in the following theories; figure ground theory, linkage theory and place theory.

Figure Ground Theory establishes a hierarchy of different sized spaces by manipulating relationships within the city. This process alters the physical geometry of the pattern seen in plan form. Linkage Theory connects lines by linking one building to another element of the city and so on. This theory organises a network of connections providing an order, almost producing a circulation diagram. The lines are a combination

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The Language of Making Dubai

Fig 27 Source: Scally, K. 2013. The city built for the car.

Fig 28 Source: NOWELL, S. and NOWELL, R., 2000 Mumzar Park

Fig 29 Source: Scally, K. 2013. Emaar Square, true public space in Dubai.

Fig 30 Source: Scally, K. 2013. Privatised golf clubs - Emirates Golf Club

The Language of Making Dubai

Fig 31 Source: LEE, D. and THOMPSON, W., 2007 Madinat privatised public space

Fig 32 Source: Scally, K. 2013. The Walk true public space in Dubai.

Fig 33Source: Scally, K. 2013. EThe Ladies Beach Park true public space in Dubai.

The Language of Making Dubai 23 | Chapter 3

of linear elements that connect parts of the city, such as streets, open spaces or paths. Place Theory incorporates elements of the previous two and adds the components of cultural, historical, and natural contexts, allowing distinctive details and forms native to the place to be articulated. (Trancik, R., 1986) ‘The optimum system is one that draws on all three… where the buildings are figural, freestanding objects, and space is an uncontained void.’ (Trancik, R., 1986. p98)

Fig 34 Source: TRANCIK, R., 1986

The traditional urban qualities have been lost as a result of zoning strategies. In Dubai the focus was to look towards a modern way of living by promoting social well-being, old mud huts were replaced by high rise buildings. These soring glittering skyscrapers appear as isolated superblocks forming distinct zones for diverse land usage, they alter the historic fabric of the city while all sense of a human scale is lost.

(Trancik, R., 1986.) The results of zoning are serious, ‘streets are broken by ill-placed buildings, height ordinances are frequently violated, and varied materials and façade styles compete stridently for attention. The city becomes a showplace for the private ego at the expense of the public realm.’ (Trancik, R., 1986. P18) The governmental procedure of zoning has led to in inflexibility, separating functions that had often been together for example prohibiting a shop owner to live above their shop. Mark Corcoran (appendix B) believes that Dubai has become very bureaucratic during its period of modernisation. It is problematic to provide the social and physical diversity using the method of zoning within a city, producing a result

The Language of Making Dubai that is difficult to determine as truly urban. This process warrants, ‘competition between a fragmented system of government decision making, bureaucratic regulations, community participation, and the sacred cow of private money.’ (Trancik, R., 1986. p18) Due to zoning strategies, ‘vehicular and pedestrian systems became confused, relationships of scale were ignored, and undeveloped space was given over to parking lots in wait for development.’ (Trancik, R., 1986. p12) By giving over more and more space to cars Dubai has started to divide the city, by creating large distances to travel using the car. Most people have two cars per family, in some cases Arabs have been known to own ten. Therefore more space is being converted into major highways dividing up the city with its huge interchanges, these areas of divide need to be integrated with city life. Dubai needs to ‘create site plans that become generators of context and buildings that define exterior space rather than displace it,’ for its future success. (Trancik, R., 1986. p18)

Fig 35 & 36 Source: Scally, K. 2013. Spagetti Junctions

We have learnt from Brasilia that zoning doesn’t work at a human scale and causes a disjointed urban fabric. ‘The result is a patchwork quilt of private buildings and privately appropriated space, usually severed from an historical context.’ (Trancik, R., 1986. p18) I believe the large city is unavoidable but should be made up of many small communities surrounding central nucleus. Therefore allowing the inhabitants everything they will need in close proximity. Permitting a multiple number of centres for the total population, as an alternative to authorizing large structures to accommodate everything, would be far more effective. ‘replace the ‘mononucleated city’, as professor Warren Thompson has called it, with a new type of ‘polynucleated city’, in which a cluster of communities, adequately spaced and bounded, shall do the duty for the badly organised mass city.’ (Legates, R; Stout, F., 2011, p94)

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The Language of Making Dubai 25 |Chapter 3

‘We need to understand that history and environment are the two faces of architecture…and architectural solutions however brilliant cannot overcome the limitation of the urban fabric in which they are placed.’

(Trancik, R., 1986. p60) Therefore Dubai should not hesitate to borrow planning principles from the past, what came before inspires and justifies design.

Fig 37 Source: Scally, K. 2013. Umm Sequime Mosque

Fig 38 Source: Scally, K. 2013. Toytown, view from the aeroplane

The Language of Making Dubai Architectural Language In order to capitalize on the possibility of urbanism, a 24 hour city is desired by metropolises developing in today’s world. However Dubai struggles to form a working city for the full12 months of the year. When the climate exceeds 50 degrees Celsius in the summer Dubai is forced to create mega structure to house the residents of its city within air-conditioned space. These constructions form a very different urban fabric and in turn architectural language. ‘Rest assured Dubai is not mere Las Vegas with Disneyland style projects: merchants, and not entertainers, have and continue to play a fundamental role not only in the economic affairs of Dubai but also in reforming it political structure.’ (Lee, 2007, p20) Dubai is likened to Disneyland a lot in the media, however I would like to point out that Disneyland is a happy place where there are no political burdens, and this is also true for Dubai. Therefore I would take this likeness not as a negative but a positive, considering Dubai has thrived on providing what the other GCC countries cannot, a safe oasis economically and politically. ‘There are no demonstrations in Disneyland … despite all the fluff, decorations, and pastiche, private city is the ultimate negation of an inspiring, democratic, and humane city.’ (Lee, 2007, p28) This question of Islamic architecture and culture is one that comes up again and again and is something Dubai and the rest of the modernising countries in the Middle East are criticised for. However there are little remnants of the past in Dubai and the city is trying to use what is there to its advantage. In hindsight it would have been better to retain the original souqs, but the buildings were destroyed at that time to make way for modernisation, Dubai needed to build fast to catch up with the western world. Dubai has learnt the lesson, opting to save and restore the old influential family houses in the Batakyia area, an area where the local people first built houses along the creek for close proximity to work in the trading industry.

Dubai has achieved so much catching up with the west in a mere 20 years and in some ways exceeding them, there are bound to be mistakes because of the pace of development. They are starting to pay attention to the sustainability factors which is a step in the right direction. The UK wasn’t worried about sustainability after 20 years of growth, it has taken the country years to realise its impact upon the world. Therefore Dubai is ahead of itself by becoming concerned with such issues in its early life.

Barjeels or wind towers have been used in Bedouin houses for years along with lattice screens; they provide a cooling breeze to the rooms below while guaranteeing privacy. This passive cooling strategy was used

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Fig 39 & 40 Source: Scally, K. 2012. The Marina and Sheik Zayed Road

Fig 41 & 42 Source: Scally, K. 2012. Sheik Zayed Road veiw from The Burj Khalifa and from City Tower 2

Fig 43 & 44 Source: Scally, K. 2013. A Metro stop and Jumeirah Beach Residents - JBR

The Language of Making Dubai

Fig 45 Source: Scally, K. 2013. A mix match of architectur along Sheik Zayed Road

Fig 46 Source: Scally, K. 2013. Nakheel Head Quarters, a borrowed style of architecture

Fig 47. Source: Scally, K. 2012. Burj Al Arab

Fig 48. Source: Scally, K. 2012. Burj Khalifa

The Language of Making Dubai 27 | Chapter 4

before air conditioning and proved effective during the summer months.

‘Ignoring the potential for adaption of principles, many designers rely on pastiche and use these elements to decorate high-rise office towers, museums, gas stations and residences,’ (Lee ,2007,p 30). Designers in the region need an understanding of how these elements work allowing them to use the symbols of Dubai’s heritage in the correct way.

Fig 49 Source: NOWELL, S. and NOWELL, R., 2000. A windtower

‘Old’ buildings were knocked down, because they represented the past, to make space for the new. Modern buildings were a potential, ‘corporate flagship,’ (Trancik, R., 1986. p17) that became necessary to Dubai if they wanted to progress. In terms of the architectural pastiche that replaces the old, Dubai is trying to become accommodating during the summer months by incorporating air conditioning into the designs.

Many iconic building clutter Dubai’s skyline, but what does it mean to be iconic? There are simply a lot of gimmicks on the top of buildings, with the true iconic resulting in the Burj Al Arab and the Burj Khalifa. ‘Dubai is an Arabian night’s fantasy,’ (Lee, 2007, p21) and we need to educate the potential clients to try and discourage the one-upmanship, leaving space for the truly iconic buildings of Dubai.

‘Dubai is the largest architectural experiment in progress, soon achieving a critical mass of mega expansion.’ (Lee, 2007, p38) The problem with some of the architectural language in Dubai lies with the uneducated and immature clients (Appendix R). There is a problem with the education in the UAE linked to the population makeup of the area. The working class immigrants don’t have the money for private education - the only type of education on offer in Dubai innless you are local Emi-

The Language of Making Dubai rati. Most of the local Emiratis have money already so see no benefit of wasting time in school to get a job they don’t need. Generally leaving the middle class expatriates to benefit from the first class education system because the employers will foot the bill. Therefore where will a city built by foreigners be? The illiteracy percentage in Dubai is high at 10-30%; therefore the next step is to change the general opinion of education in order to increase Emirati interest in the future of Dubai. (Lee, 2007, p71) A law put in place to assure each company has a certain percentage of Emirati people working for them has helped this issue, but there is little incentive when the government is paying you a sizable amount of money every year just to stay in your home country - due to 10% of the population being local Emiratis. (Lee, 2007, p76)

Fig 50 Source: LEE, D. and THOMPSON, W., 2007 Emirates Hills

Fig 51 Source: BELLINI, O.E. and DAGLIO, L., 2008. New Hilton Hotel render

‘Urbanism has been sterilized by holistic planning models.’ (Trancik, R., 1986. p12) It seems like every project in Dubai is a master plan, with every client requiring mix use developments. Inexperienced clients with an abundance of cash are to blame for these schemes.

There is said to be, ‘little difference between holiday accommodation and housing, architectural programs are becoming fused and indifferent.’

(Lee, 2007, p41) This opinion is further explored during the interview process where Liz (Appendix T) states Dubai is a, ‘fun place to live and it feels like you are constantly on holiday,’ implying a positive view that Dubai has everything to offer a young professional, who doesn’t want to live in a place where life feels like a vacation?

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The Language of Making Dubai 29 | Chapter 4

Dubai is home to fantastic architecture that other countries only dream to achieve especially in such a short period of time. ‘Recent architectural projects most certainly reveal, what Sudjic calls an edifice complex, but the importance of big architecture in Dubai is rooted in its historically transient and impermanent architecture, and the vastness of the desert landscape.’ (Lee, 2007, p18)

Fig 52 Source: NOWELL, S. and NOWELL, R., 2000 Jumeirah Mosque Fig 53 Source: BELLINI, O.E. and DAGLIO, L., 2008. Emirates Towers

Fig 54 Source: NOWELL, S. and NOWELL, R., 2000. The Burj Al Arab Fig 55 Source: Scally, K. 2013. Sheik Zayed Road

The Language of Making Dubai Interview Analysis It is useful to assess the results I obtained during the interview process to follow on from the urban theories discussed, I will form links between the theories of Trancik, Elsheshtawy and Mumford, and the opinions I witnessed during the meetings. Below are three examples of the answers I obtained, more examples can be seen in appendix A-V ,these further support my argument making the results less bias.

Fig 56 Source: BELLINI, O.E. and DAGLIO, L., 2008. The Palm Island

Fig 57 Source: BELLINI, O.E. and DAGLIO, L., 2008. The World Islands

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Fig 58 Source: NOWELL, S. and NOWELL, R., 2000. Map of Dubai

The Language of Making Dubai

The Language of Making Dubai Interview| 5

Date: 7/1/2013 Name: Abdullah Al Gurg Age: 32 Sex: Male Years residing in Dubai: 32 Date first visited Dubai: Born in Dubai Occupation: Commercial Manager Company: Al Gurg Transportation: Car Nationality: Emirati

What is your first memory of Dubai? In my neighbourhood everything was one floor, there were not many buildings so the horizon was visible. There was less glass and less of those fancy things that you see now, it was very traditional. I know I sound like I come from the 16th century but Dubai has changed in the past 7-8 years and before that it was very traditional in its overall architecture and how it looked. There were big steel doors that had the traditional design on them that were hand welded and painted, none of this aluminium.

What do you think of first when you imagine Dubai 2013?

Dubai now is better I can’t scrutinise Dubai now, there were so many projects that were announced so many ideas and many of them have materialised, The Palm, Burj Khalifa, the Downtown area, The Marina, JLT, The Walk and JBR. Those are all cities and other European or American countries wouldn’t build a quarter of these in the time.

How would you say Dubai has changed during this period?

In Dubai there are huge achievements and we never learnt the ability of patting ourselves on the back and telling ourselves how well we have done, we are still occupied with telling ourselves how lousy we are because we stopped construction in 2008.

What is your opinion of this change? The only thing I’ll say is it is a bit dry, and it needs those small shops, like the ones you see when walking around London or New York and you see a small creative kind of shop with some local designer or local entrepreneur. I mean look at it, we are building very commercial and in a post card mode, we need to start looking at the small authentic

The Language of Making Dubai street level activities. You witness it at the gold souq slightly but I’m talking about a richer representation of this building use.

Could you sum up the architectural language of Dubai in a few worlds? There are some nice boutique hotels, in Al Bastakiya area, Al Fahidi area, next to the ruler’s office. The municipality has taken over the old influential houses and restored them and made them into museums and hotels. One of which is our family houses, so you can walk around the alleys and see what it was like before, it’s nice cosy and fun. All the modern buildings are brought together by their modernity of their design, it is like a postcard.

What is your opinion on the plan for Dubai’s future?

Number one we shouldn’t stop growing, what Sheik Mohamed is doing is fantastic, the ideas of how we can expand is brilliant.

But at the same time I think we need to consolidate some of our economic indicators.

How many years do you think Dubai can sustain itself?

We have been very heavy traders with Iran and I think what Dubai needs now is less foreign intervention, so that we can trade more.

Trade is what the pulp of Dubai is about, we need some trade flexibility. Dubai is all about trade and if you miss on that then you ruin the way of Dubai. Trade is the silent one after tourism but it is the most important and what makes the money.

Do you believe Dubai has a culture? Madinat Jumeirah is some sort of creation of culture, and I love that project. Would you rather stay in real wind towers and have no air conditioning, we are trying to be accommodating. The thing is that’s the link between the past and present that people have to understand the past wasn’t as luxurious as the developed countries; we didn’t have toilets 50 years ago. Where we have become today to connect our financial institutions and tourism projects with the rest of the world and being one additional chain link is amazing.

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The Language of Making Dubai Interview| 6

Date: 7/1/2013 Name: Bob & Frank Age: 54 & 45 Sex: Male Years residing in Dubai: 30 & 9 Occupation: Architectural Directors Company: John R Harris and Partners Transportation: Car Nationality: British & Norwegian

What is your first memory of Dubai? For a period of about 15 years there was very slow growth and it was just natural progressions. The growth of Dubai really took off with the introduction of emirates airlines. Then it was a quicker growth, I wouldn’t say rapid it’s just because they needed everything everyone else had.

8 years ago or so was when it got crazy.

What do you think of first when you imagine Dubai 2013?

(John R Harris) We did the original master plan for Dubai where there were zones and all the rest of it, but that has obviously been torn up and put in the bin. Because it is moving so fast, have the authorities had the time or considered keeping control because they were forced to move too quickly? It’s all about balance. All of a sudden it’s a global hub and that has enhanced its growth further. It’s not a walking city and there is a lack of green space, the city was built around the car.

What is your opinion of this change? It has changed my mind about democracy. The speed in which decisions are made means that things get done. You can almost watch the construction process before your very eyes.

Could you sum up the architectural language of Dubai in a few worlds? Take a drive down Sheik Zayed Road and there is such a miss match of architecture, just look at the heights. You are looking at a 30 story building next door is a 100 story and the other side is a 90 story one, where is the zoning? The styling has no reference and it’s a total miss match. In Dubai there are a lot of beautiful buildings, a lot gets achieved, but if you look around I wouldn’t call a lot of them architecture. If they were over budget

The Language of Making Dubai and weren’t finished on time then that’s not architecture. As architects we have to raise the spirits to build on time and manage the budget. There are a lot of sculptures here, they aren’t architecture just sculptures, you know towers that twist up and it’s beautiful but if you can’t get in the bedrooms because the corridors are too small then that’s not the greatness of architecture it is rubbish.

What is your opinion on the plan for Dubai’s future? Because of recent announcements I think Dubai will still be making the same mistakes in years to come. There is plenty of space to build the new stuff don’t knock down the old stuff, just build at a slower pace. I think they have lost a massive opportunity, they had virgin land with nothing built on it, they had the opportunity to go around the world and see all the good bits and bad bits and make sure they did it right. The Marina is a classic example of the lack of green space and public spaces. You drive down Sheik Zayed Road and you will miss all the buildings, it is just a wall of glass no building stands in its own right.

How many years do you think Dubai can sustain itself?

Architect from Venice walked around The Marina with Frank, saw the water and the kids playing in the fountains and he said, ‘this works,’ so you can do it. I think yeah there will still be lots of mistakes made because it is driven by speed and ignorance.

Do you believe Dubai has a culture? Everybody loves the Madinat and gets lost in it, so why should I with my training in the arts and working in the arts try and say well this is rubbish this is no more than Disneyland, what is wrong with Disneyland. The Madinat is like a stage setting and you design like that, which is ok as long as you know it is not real. The Madinat is lovely great, done a great job but it is fake. Where is that old souq that they knocked down? The only souq left in the Middle East is in Muscat; you should refurbish the old souqs and not build new ones because although it is great it feels false.

Interview| 6

The Language of Making Dubai Interview| 18

Date: 9/1/2013 Name: Robert Al Habre Age: 36 Sex: Male Years residing in Dubai: 10 Date first visited Dubai: 2003 Occupation: Architectural Director Company: NORR Group Consulting Transportation: Car Nationality: Lebanese

What was your first memory of Dubai? The 2005 to 2008 boom brought good and bad buildings; there was a lot of bad during the boom, because projects were too ambitious and were put on hold. There wasn’t the knowledge or man power so the investors had to become resourceful.

What do you think of first when you imagine Dubai 2013?

The UAE has always been ambitious and this has continued until today. 41 years of being part of the emirates has given Dubai great vision, along with its resourceful nature Dubai has flourished to the city it is today. There are labour and social issues but there is always going to be some bad with the good.

How would you say Dubai has changed during this period? A new image is being created, a polished workforce is being introduced slowly. Good, bad and ugly. Dubai during the boom and after is an experiment, and as a young designer it is the best place to start to gain some experience. The fast pace combined with none professionals and the Dubai Municipality giving the freedom to many inexperienced people to build whatever they wish.

What is your opinion of this change? There was a lot of crap architectural projects where things were falling apart, buildings would look 20 years old but only in fact be 5 years old. The developers didn’t care about the end user and there was no control from the government because things were moving so fast. It is great to build fast but if you haven’t got the quality inside then the building is no good. With the recession came maturity, we will hopefully start to see this maturity emerge in the clients. The LEED and environmental systems are being taken seriously now

The Language of Making Dubai compared to during the boom period where it was just used as a marketing ploy.

Could you sum up the architectural language of Dubai in a few worlds? The Burj Khalifa is successful and time well spent, but Souq Al Bahar is a mimic and is bad, transferring architecture of the past to new buildings doesn’t work. Moroccan arches and wind towers everywhere. 10% of the architecture is understated, elegant and simple. But Dubai as a whole is a postcard or cartoon that is only poetic for shallow minded. Emaar as a company are sophisticated and are really thinking outside the box. JBR is an example of design and density quality. The Walk is a very successful public space.

Bab Al Shams was developed before the boom and isn’t gimmicky at all, they have really tried to think about what they were trying to achieve. Sheik Zayed Road is a linear sprawl almost a wall of buildings. The Palm is ugly, although a lovely concept it was executed badly because Nakheel got greedy. The original renders were low density then they did the cost calculations and added blocks of buildings. The quality of the plumbing in1-2 year old buildings is very poor, not to mention the exterior finishes showing cracks. The Marina is a show off of architecture that tries to maximise revenue. Tecom is cluttered with no design, linked to the fast pace, lots of ugly metal was used and they have really tried too hard in this area making it too commercialised.

What do you see for the future of Dubai? Scary as the prices start to increase again I worry the market is picking up similar to that of the boom period. Moving quietly now is a good idea, finishing off paused projects. Dubai needs to keep developing in a good way and be wary of any hint of the bubble waiting to pop again.

Is there a culture in Dubai? It does it in a tourist way, it is there in terms of the cultures of the expatriates too. There is a huge respect for other cultures here resulting in a harmonious balance.

Robert El Habre Robert.Elhabre

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The Language of Making Dubai 37 | Chapter 5

We can see from Abdullah’s interview that the local Emirati opinion reflects regret for lost heritage but is confident Dubai is emerging and this small loss is part of the transformation into a modern global city. Dubai shouldn’t stop growing, but should try and concentrate on different ventures, things like trade and restoring the cultural heritage that we have hidden in old Dubai. Abdullah believes Dubai has achieved many great things and should take a step back every now and again and remember how far the country has come in the past 50 years.

Giving an expatriates opinion Bob and Frank resided out with the GCC before settling in Dubai, and believe due to Dubai’s economic shift from pearl trading to oil and later to tourism the metropolis has experienced the death of its historic city. Tearing down buildings less than 50 years old to make way for new attractions for tourists is not right, Dubai should have kept ‘old Dubai’ to reflect their heritage instead of fabricating the past in pastiche buildings like the Madinat Jumeirah. Private gain should be through making successful public space like that on offer around the Burj Khalifa. Dubai is not a walking city because it was built around the car and there is a lack of green space, these things have to change in Bobs eyes. However Dubai has changed Franks mind about democracy. The speed in which decisions are made means that things get done. You can almost watch the construction process before your very eyes.

Robert originates from another GCC country and his opinion is slightly different again. Similarly to Bob and Frank, Robert believes the UAE has always been ambitious and this has continued until today, plus there was always going to be some bad architecture with the good. Some of Dubai’s poor architecture has been down to the fast pace combined with the Dubai Municipality giving the freedom to many inexperienced people to build whatever they wish. Transferring architecture of the past to new buildings doesn’t work; I believe this opinion links to Bob and Franks due to the architectural background of all candidates.

After conducting these interviews I came to some conclusions regarding factors that would affect the outcomes. These include:

-Age: the period of life spend in Dubai and age of the candidate affected the experience of the city. People who spent their adult life in Dubai were generally more critical, comparing Dubai to their developed home country.

-Years residing in Dubai: people residing in Dubai for an extended period of time were generally more critical of the city; this

The Language of Making Dubai is because they experienced ‘old’ Dubai and are perhaps holding onto romantic ideas of the past.

-Date first visited Dubai: opinions of the city depended on how much change the candidate had witnessed and what stage of Dubai’s growth they arrived at. People who came to reside in Dubai recently were more critical.

-Occupation: the occupation of the interview candidate altered the attitude towards the architecture of Dubai, architects were generally more critical towards this aspect of the city.

-Nationality: I noticed Indians were more likely to compliment Dubai’s achievements whereas the British were very critical.

Common themes running throughout the interviews were; the lack of public beaches and general public space, the neglect for the heritage of Dubai, and the lack of culture in the city. Nevertheless gathering professions opinions made me realise, Dubai’s priorities have changed where the sheikdom was first geared towards the expats and encouraging them to live and work in Dubai, now the city is geared towards the tourists and gaining repeat visitors, therefore I believe attitudes will change towards these issues.

Fig 59 Source: Scally, K. 2013. 1/4 of the worlds construction cranes.

Dubai was changing fast; the city had accumulated a quarter of the world’s construction cranes in 2007 and had more per-capita entries in the Guinness Book of Records than any other city on the Earth. ‘One must wait until the evening to see how splendid the day has been,’ In Dubai. (Lee, 2007, p14) There is a lot to be said for Dubai slowing down in recent year, while still achieving an unprecedented growth rate Dubai is on the right track now by stopping and thinking about the bigger picture.

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The Language of Making Dubai 39 | Conclusion

Dubai is a young city, one which experienced most of its growth in the last 20 years, therefore we cannot criticise just because every aspect isn’t perfect, and in fact every city makes its mistakes. If the western cities had achieved as much as Dubai in a 20 year period or half as much at this point in time then there would be a coherent argument. Dubai is still in the early learning phase, only just starting to realise the benefits of sustainability, the impact of the human scale and many more aspects affecting the quality of urban fabric.

The beginnings of an urban context are there but the public space needs to be addressed, creating pocket parks and truly public none private spaces will accelerate Dubai’s successful urban form. These spaces are important because they affect quality of life. Examples of the start of this process include several parks (Safa Park, Mumzar Park and Zahbeel Park) that charge a small entrance fee to maintain the upkeep of these places; these are moving people out of the malls and into the natural environment.

The city would benefit from less commercial activity aimed at the tourist influx by concentration on trading and attracting foreign investment.

These are sources of income Dubai has always succeeded at and have helped Dubai take off as an international megacity.

History and culture has tried to be retained in Dubai as much as possible, but when transforming into a modern metropolis it is very difficult to show off the past when all that is desired is to move forward and think modern. Also Dubai is not the typical Islamic city that is expected in such outdated opinions; it is a 21st century city. Most people originating out with the Middle East or not having much experience with this part of the world instantly expect a stereotypical image of an ‘Arab’ city, this is not true for Dubai as it is offering something completely different. With not much history to dwell on the forward thinking Arab leaders have taken Dubai into the 21st century. As long as Dubai carries on making the steps to retain the cultural heritage areas it has already begun to engage, the city will retain a healthy balance.

There is a mixture of cultures and balance of religions in Dubai and many different nationalities that live harmoniously together, showing that the emirate is very successful at being accommodating for every visitor. ‘How was it that, at the moment when the west is struggling with multiculturalism, in the supposedly intolerant Islamic world, this kind of sharing societies works there?’ (Koolhaas, R. 2010) Retaining a truly Muslim way of life will always be difficult when the city relies so heavily on tourism. ‘The inherent complexity of the situation provides contexts

The Language of Making Dubai replete with challenges. This opens new possibilities for investigation and action that transcend our understanding, which presently remains limited by our failure to look beyond construction delicately balanced between fact, fantasy and fiction.’ (Lee, 2007, p33) The architectural language in Dubai comes in a diverse variety, but has allowed some serious achievements to be brought to life in this city.

‘Picture books and staggering statistics impress, shock and provide material for quotes but do little to enhance understanding – this takes more work and contribution by those within and outside the disciplines of architecture and design.’ (Lee, 2007, p33) Yes the quality of construction and architectural design was affected during the real boom period before the financial crisis, but these mistakes have been rectified and are a simple outcome of a period of fast pace development. When time, cost and quality sit in a harmonious balance good architecture is produced.

I think Sheik Mohamed is succeeding in his ambitious dream; you only have to look to the Burj Khalifa to see a great feat of architectural engineering.

Therefore Dubai will have a bright future that will sustain itself for the next 20 years at least, as long as they concentrate on the sustainability of the city not just in green technology but also look towards a sustainable growth. This is an instant city that has achieved an incredible amount in such a short period of time, both locals and residents are proud. Dubai has more to offer than the average city it is ever changing and learning, ’the gulf entrepreneurs are reaching places that modernity has not yet reached.’ (Lee, 2007, p7) Adaptation and wilfulness to survive by turning to alternate revenue opportunities time and time again ill assure Dubai is a global city here to stay.

Fig 60 Source: LEE, D. and THOMPSON, W., 2007 multicultural

Conclusion | 40

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The Language of Making Dubai 45 | Apendix

Interviews

The Language of Making Dubai 47 | Appendix A

Date: 5/1/2013 Name: Ghalia Khansaheb Age: 31 Sex: Female Years residing in Dubai: 31 Date first visited Dubai: Born in Dubai Occupation: Human Resources Company: Khansaheb Civil Engineering Transportation: Car Nationality: Emirati

What is your first memory of Dubai? There weren’t many shopping malls. Roads weren’t as spacious as now just two lanes, 3 lane maximum. In Jumeriah it was just two lanes and Jumeriah centre. There were some buildings when you drove past Sheik Zayed Road, but the furthest was The Metropolitan Hotel after that there was nothing there, but now it feels like the middle of Dubai. Old houses back then were like small villas, not even a villa a small house,3 /4 bedrooms on ground floor, living room, kitchen outside plus a garden. Those were the old houses I remember visiting, a spacious garden, simple living room, they have their rooms around the living room, small area outside for kitchen and living room for the men.

What do you think of first when you imagine Dubai 2013? It has changed a lot a lot of towers are popping up. When we were younger we didn’t visit Sheik Z R but now if you need anything you have to go there, shops business areas and banks. And now it is just next door, Dubai mall is just next door, because the new roads the routes have increased and become better, easier and quicker to drive. New developments, roads and bridges have helped this.

What is your opinion of this change? In the 80s and 90s development was very slow and now it is so quick, new towers and developments are popping up. I feel like it is too fast, we got used to the new things but from a construction point of view it is developing too fast. 2008 financial crisis, everything after that slowed down. Before this crash prices of materials were so high because there was an increased demand so people not involved in construction got involved with purchasing material, these peo-

The Language of Making Dubai ple lost a lot after the crash because there was no demand. Now prices are stable. Disadvantage due to this rapid growth is some buildings are now cancelled or paused. If they had slowed down a bit they could have achieved a lot. Those are the cons but there are a lot of pros – we got a lot of good buildings.

Could you sum up the architectural language of Dubai in a few worlds? The Burj Khalifa is amazing building I can see it from over here, I’m sure a lot of planning went before building it.

When I see it I feel a sense of pride that it is the tallest tower in the world. My opinion is that they were just trying to be modern.

The palm Jumeriah the construction isn’t very good, the sewage and the finishing, there are a lot of problems with pipes and windows are not opening properly. Dubai had a period of where they were building too fast and the quality was seriously affected.

Nice idea but having too many palms was a mistake. If it was only one palm it would be unique. Sheik Zayed Road does relate to one another, its like Lego, different shapes and colours. But I like it, it works like Lego.

What is your opinion on the plan for Dubai’s future? The financial crisis is over now and I think they should finish the projects that are pending. But I feel like it has reached its maximum, for the next 5 years it is ok no need to rush into anything. We have achieved a lot in the past six years, the metro is a big positive, we have a metro now – but never used it so maybe unaware of the problems linking the metro to residential areas.

How many years do you think Dubai can sustain itself? Sheik Mohamed is ambitious and that is great, but some projects are put on hold because there were too many to handle. This area here not too long ago were farms some people had livestock and some just had a farm house to get away from the city in 2000.

Things were changing overnight in 2008. Dubai is here to stay and is very well known now especially because of Emaar and these sorts of companies.

Appendix A | 48

The Language of Making Dubai 49 | Appendix B

Date: 6/1/2013 Name: Mark Corcoran Age: 47 Sex: Male Years residing in Dubai: 19 Date first visited Dubai: 28 June 1993 Occupation: Operations Manager Company: Khansaheb Civil Engineering Transportation: Car Nationality: British

What is your first memory of Dubai? 20 years ago there was a lack of bureaucracy and infrastructure, Dubai is far more sophisticated now in terms of planning procedures and infrastructures itself. Activities back then were very colonial, The Country Club – weekends playing squash. Expatriates were a minority back then, we tended to stick together in groups because there was only a few of us.

What do you think of first when you imagine Dubai 2013?

Dubai today is crowded, bureaucratic, and fast paced - in a big way. There are no close nit communities anymore, the places where the Europeans would socialise have disappeared and been replaced with big fancy hotels. If you want to eat for 20 AED you can and if you want to eat of 2000 AED you can, selection has increased tenfold but community has shrunk.

How would you say Dubai has changed during this period?

Dubai’s priorities have changed, first geared towards the expats and encouraging them to live and work in the city, now geared towards the tourists and repeat visitors. The economic graph for Dubai has done the peak, 2010 - 2011 it did the trough and 2012 2013 it is starting to pick up again.

What is your opinion of this change? Things are starting to pick up after the financial crisis, a lot more cautious. but I am worried will they let those rains go and start to let the developers in and flipping. On the news Emaar, released some houses and the same things happened again they were queuing overnight and people flipping houses again.

The Language of Making Dubai Could you sum up the architectural language of Dubai in a few worlds? Its split, if you look at Sheik Z R from Trade Centre up, not as it actually is to Garhoud bridge. Single road was diverted behind city tower two to be able to build that tower. when they were building it there were loads of single story Arab mud hut type of houses right behind that building. And then all of a sudden you had these high rises and it was a complete contrast it didn’t work, how could you have these brand new multi-storeys and then you’re looking down and you’ve got mud huts. I think you’ve still got that to a certain extent at defence roundabout because it all kind of stops – seems disjoined to me. Waste of money, I think Dubai has benefited from the Burj Khalifa, but from an engineering background it is a waste of money. But I see the positives.

At this moment in time it’s the biggest building in the world and people want to come and see the biggest and the best but I think it is a short term thing not long term. Engineering of the structure is phenomenal.

What is your opinion on the plan for Dubai’s future? Sheik Mohamed has just announced a big new city he wants to build it works out as another Dubai! The new city should be something that is sustainable, I think it is wrong. Think about it a little bit more don’t jump into it. Dubai has a lot of entrepreneur’s locals with their own money doing their own thing and is not governed as much, which is great for the city, its why we were the last to go down and the first to come back up. Dubai rushed into everything and built 10 of them and so on. Needs to keep its hands on the reins.

How many years do you think Dubai can sustain itself? They will for the medium term but for the long term no, history tells us there has to be something else after tourism and Emirates Airline, it might not need to be a hub in the future, you just don’t know.

Could be something else that drives Dubai.

Appendix B | 50

The Language of Making Dubai 49 | Appendix C

Date: 6/1/2013 Name: Jonathen Eveleigh Age: 45 Sex: Male Years residing in Dubai: 13 Date first visited Dubai: 3 Janurary 2000 Occupation: Group Business Development Manager Company: Khansaheb Civil Engineering Transportation: Car Nationality: British

What is your first memory of Dubai? Landmark wise, the creek golf club, Burj al Arab, emirates towers. Socially we came at the end of the time for community actvities where people went to each other’s houses etc, we went to a lot of restaurants a few times a month instead. Marina was a hole in the ground ready to be flooded. JBR didn’t exist. People lived in Jumeirah and Garhoud or apartment along Sheik Zayed Road. Chicago Beach Village was where the Madinat is now.

What do you think of first when you imagine Dubai 2013?

The speed of things being built in Dubai has affected the quality, the architectural ambition is pretty good and generally what has been achieved architecturally is pretty good. Some buildings you will inevitable like and dislike but that’s fine. There’s pretty much no relationship between any of the buildings, is that a bad thing?

No we aren’t talking of London or any European city with a lot of heritage where there has to be planning regulations. This is different Dubai is different.

How would you say Dubai has changed during this period?

Hadn’t started booming when we were first here it peaked and then trough of the financial crisis.

What is your opinion of this change? Basically they tried to do too much too quickly, they allowed to much to be going on at the same time. Whether it was privately funded or came from the government. Dubai needs to manage the growth on a sensible level.

Dubai has positioned itself as a global city and Abu Dhabi haven’t had to do that and culturally they are less prepared to open the doors up the same way Dubai has.

The Language of Making Dubai Could you sum up the architectural language of Dubai in a few worlds? Every project you work on has an iconic nature from the late nineties to now there has been so much going on Dubai has been the place to be. Part of the reason for doing those sorts of buildings was it is more about the profile and the brand of the building.

What is your opinion on the plan for Dubai’s future? What needs to happen is a much more sustainable period of growth that is managed rather than let it get out of control again. Investment driven property development rather than demand driven, I think if they can manage that growth on a more sustainable level then the next ten years will be great. I find it incomprehensible that the rulers of Dubai would run the risk of doing that again, and I can’t believe Abu Dhabi would let them do it all again. Growing isn’t the problem it’s the fact that they are not managing it sustainably.

How many years do you think Dubai can sustain itself? A worldwide city figures in terms of profile, amongst Paris Barcelona New York, London and Sydney, for me now it’s a big worldwide city. Take Emirates Airline as a brand they are everywhere, every sporting event they are visible, even the rider cup!

Do you believe Dubai has a culture? Madinat is great, if you take the low rise stuff it doesn’t work very well on the palm. Particularly the trunk stuff. The Royal Mirage is great, the hotels along the beach front are pretty good. The residential loses the quality.

I agree with that, my wife uses it a lot, it is like Disney a bit like a fairy-tale, but again I don’t think you can use that as a criticism.

Partly deliberate to create that’s feeling I think the powers that be will be quite pleased with that probably. I don’t think they intended Dubai to be anything else, in the time that’s it’s been done you can’t create heritage or culture. In some ways the only choice you have is to do the glitzy 5 start 7 start hotels.

Appendix C | 52

The Language of Making Dubai 53 | Appendix D

Date: 6/1/2013 Name: R. K. Mukherjee Age: 60 Sex: Male Years residing in Dubai: 24 Date first visited Dubai: 8 February 1989 Occupation: Chief Financial Officer Company: Khansaheb Civil Engineering Transportation: Car Nationality: Indian

What is your first memory of Dubai? Well I came from India which is a developing country, when I first arrived at the airport in Dubai I was amazed to see the glittering lights, it was amazing.

It was confined to bur Dubai and Deria divided by the creek one side was Bur Dubai and one was Deira. Bur Dubai was made up of Satwa and Bastikya area. Deria was slightly more developed than Bur Dubai, Knife Road in Deria was very busy it was like an older type souq.

What do you think of first when you imagine Dubai 2013?

It is a fantastic city; I have seen Dubai grow in front of my own eyes and in a flash. I remember the growth started after the first Iraq war in 1992.

How would you say Dubai has changed during this period?

This growth has given a lot of economic development in this area and it has become a hub of the region, initial Dubai in the 90s replaced Bahrain as the financial capital of the middle east, Bahrain has its own political problems and Dubai cashed in on that (Off shore banking etc). Slowly all the banks came to Dubai, and today most of the big banks have shifted their headquarters here.

What is your opinion of this change? Dubai has grown, it is a marvellous city and it can compare to any other city in the world.

Every day you will find the statistics where Dubai is first or second. But by growing so much it has possible lost a bit of human touch. The human touch that we had in the 90s has gone it is now commercial.

The Language of Making Dubai Could you sum up the architectural language of Dubai in a few worlds? Marina, The Walk Jumeirah it is fantastic, it is like any European city where you have cafes, particularly France. It is similar to many other beautiful western cities. The buildings are fantastic but I have my own doubt about the quality, the quality of the buildings that you will find in Bur Dubai and other places, I don’t think that quality is there in Marina and JBR, because Dubai wanted to grow yesterday, everything is now they never gave the time required to build a good building, infrastructure they have done well because they had money and threw money at that. I think they employed sub grade materials and contractors to do those buildings in those new areas. Because of the hurry they have lost the quality. The Burj Khalifa is one of the most iconic buildings in the world, and it is fantastic I must say.

What is your opinion on the plan for Dubai’s future? Great future - two fold reason. There isn’t a place in the whole world let alone the Middle East that is not disturbed politically or some other way, among that Dubai looks like an oasis. So people are looking to store their money here, it is considered a safe haven if they can maintain this status then Dubai has a great future.

How many years do you think Dubai can sustain itself? The vision of Sheik Mohamed is great he is a visionary, and he as an individual contributed to the upswing we are experiencing now, he has announced a few great projects, these are the announcements that have given a lot of boost that Dubai was looking for, extension of Dubai creek sheik and Rashid city for example.

Do you believe Dubai has a culture? Hotchpotch mixed culture because so many people from so many countries and religions.

There is a great harmony but it doesn’t have an culture the reason is the culture should have been predominantly their own culture but there is a glass boundary between the locals and the expatriates, they will mix up to a limit and beyond that no. They are liberal they allow us to practice our culture and religions here so we don’t feel pressured to copy other or the local culture and religion.

Appendix D | 54

The Language of Making Dubai 55 | Appendix E

Date: 7/1/2013 Name: Abdullah Al Gurg Age: 32 Sex: Male Years residing in Dubai: 32 Date first visited Dubai: Born in Dubai Occupation: Commercial Manager Company: Al Gurg Transportation: Car Nationality: Emirati

What is your first memory of Dubai? In my neighbourhood everything was one floor, there were not many buildings so the horizon was visible. There was less glass and less of those fancy things that you see now, it was very traditional. I know I sound like I come from the 16th century but Dubai has changed in the past 7-8 years and before that it was very traditional in its overall architecture and how it looked. There were big steel doors that had the traditional design on them that were hand welded and painted, none of this aluminium.

What do you think of first when you imagine Dubai 2013?

Dubai now is better I can’t scrutinise Dubai now, there were so many projects that were announced so many ideas and many of them have materialised, The Palm, Burj Khalifa, the Downtown area, The Marina, JLT, The Walk and JBR. Those are all cities and other European or American countries wouldn’t build a quarter of these in the time.

How would you say Dubai has changed during this period?

In Dubai there are huge achievements and we never learnt the ability of patting ourselves on the back and telling ourselves how well we have done, we are still occupied with telling ourselves how lousy we are because we stopped construction in 2008.

What is your opinion of this change? The only thing I’ll say is it is a bit dry, and it needs those small shops, like the ones you see when walking around London or New York and you see a small creative kind of shop with some local designer or local entrepreneur. I mean look at it, we are building very commercial and in a post card mode, we need to start looking at the small authentic

The Language of Making Dubai street level activities. You witness it at the gold souq slightly but I’m talking about a richer representation of this building use.

Could you sum up the architectural language of Dubai in a few worlds? There are some nice boutique hotels, in Al Bastakiya area, Al Fahidi area, next to the ruler’s office. The municipality has taken over the old influential houses and restored them and made them into museums and hotels. One of which is our family houses, so you can walk around the alleys and see what it was like before, it’s nice cosy and fun. All the modern buildings are brought together by their modernity of their design, it is like a postcard.

What is your opinion on the plan for Dubai’s future?

Number one we shouldn’t stop growing, what Sheik Mohamed is doing is fantastic, the ideas of how we can expand is brilliant.

But at the same time I think we need to consolidate some of our economic indicators.

How many years do you think Dubai can sustain itself?

We have been very heavy traders with Iran and I think what Dubai needs now is less foreign intervention, so that we can trade more.

Trade is what the pulp of Dubai is about, we need some trade flexibility. Dubai is all about trade and if you miss on that then you ruin the way of Dubai. Trade is the silent one after tourism but it is the most important and what makes the money.

Do you believe Dubai has a culture? Madinat Jumeirah is some sort of creation of culture, and I love that project. Would you rather stay in real wind towers and have no air conditioning, we are trying to be accommodating. The thing is that’s the link between the past and present that people have to understand the past wasn’t as luxurious as the developed countries; we didn’t have toilets 50 years ago. Where we have become today to connect our financial institutions and tourism projects with the rest of the world and being one additional chain link is amazing.

Appendix E | 56

The Language of Making Dubai 57 | Appendix F

Date: 7/1/2013 Name: Bob & Frank Age: 54 & 45 Sex: Male Years residing in Dubai: 30 & 9 Occupation: Architectural Directors Company: John R Harris and Partners Transportation: Car Nationality: British & Norwegian

What is your first memory of Dubai? For a period of about 15 years there was very slow growth and it was just natural progressions. The growth of Dubai really took off with the introduction of emirates airlines. Then it was a quicker growth, I wouldn’t say rapid it’s just because they needed everything everyone else had.

8 years ago or so was when it got crazy.

What do you think of first when you imagine Dubai 2013?

(John R Harris) We did the original master plan for Dubai where there were zones and all the rest of it, but that has obviously been torn up and put in the bin. Because it is moving so fast, have the authorities had the time or considered keeping control because they were forced to move too quickly? It’s all about balance. All of a sudden it’s a global hub and that has enhanced its growth further. It’s not a walking city and there is a lack of green space, the city was built around the car.

What is your opinion of this change? It has changed my mind about democracy. The speed in which decisions are made means that things get done. You can almost watch the construction process before your very eyes.

Could you sum up the architectural language of Dubai in a few worlds? Take a drive down Sheik Zayed Road and there is such a miss match of architecture, just look at the heights. You are looking at a 30 story building next door is a 100 story and the other side is a 90 story one, where is the zoning? The styling has no reference and it’s a total miss match. In Dubai there are a lot of beautiful buildings, a lot gets achieved, but if you look around I wouldn’t call a lot of them architecture. If they were over budget

The Language of Making Dubai and weren’t finished on time then that’s not architecture. As architects we have to raise the spirits to build on time and manage the budget. There are a lot of sculptures here, they aren’t architecture just sculptures, you know towers that twist up and it’s beautiful but if you can’t get in the bedrooms because the corridors are too small then that’s not the greatness of architecture it is rubbish.

What is your opinion on the plan for Dubai’s future? Because of recent announcements I think Dubai will still be making the same mistakes in years to come. There is plenty of space to build the new stuff don’t knock down the old stuff, just build at a slower pace. I think they have lost a massive opportunity, they had virgin land with nothing built on it, they had the opportunity to go around the world and see all the good bits and bad bits and make sure they did it right. The Marina is a classic example of the lack of green space and public spaces. You drive down Sheik Zayed Road and you will miss all the buildings, it is just a wall of glass no building stands in its own right.

How many years do you think Dubai can sustain itself?

Architect from Venice walked around The Marina with Frank, saw the water and the kids playing in the fountains and he said, ‘this works,’ so you can do it. I think yeah there will still be lots of mistakes made because it is driven by speed and ignorance.

Do you believe Dubai has a culture? Everybody loves the Madinat and gets lost in it, so why should I with my training in the arts and working in the arts try and say well this is rubbish this is no more than Disneyland, what is wrong with Disneyland. The Madinat is like a stage setting and you design like that, which is ok as long as you know it is not real. The Madinat is lovely great, done a great job but it is fake. Where is that old souq that they knocked down? The only souq left in the Middle East is in Muscat; you should refurbish the old souqs and not build new ones because although it is great it feels false.

Appendix F | 58

The Language of Making Dubai 59 | Appendix G

Date: 7/1/2013 Name: Chris Dennis Age: 48 Sex: Male Years residing in Dubai: 10 Date first visited Dubai: Janurary 1994 Occupation: Group Commercial Manager Company: Khansaheb Civil Engineering Transportation: Car Nationality: British

What is your first memory of Dubai? The huge Airport and the cultural difference between the UK and the Middle East. Very fast paced – wrong impression given to me before I came. Sheik Zayed Road junctions and traffic lights. Bur Dubai and Deria – used for business. Metropolitan was the end of the world and Chicago beach village. The end of Dubai was the end of Beach Road. Mixture of nationalities.

What do you think of first when you imagine Dubai 2013?

Mixture of different centres spread out. Amalgamation of smaller cities Arabian Ranches and Springs for example.

How would you say Dubai has changed during this period?

More variety and choice, works together. The Springs is soulless, duplication is unpleasant. Dubai needs a plan, build it and they will come doesn’t work. Not always for the better, growing too quickly on credit. Abu Dhabi seems closer due to the development in Dubai.

What is your opinion of this change? I dont think of Dubai as my home but year by year that thought gets less. We rent a house here whereas in the UK we own a house. Sheik Mohameds city is possibly too big? No sense of community.

Could you sum up the architectural language of Dubai in a few worlds? Burj Khalifa takes your breath away. The Creek to Marina there is no relationship between the buildings it is a series of individual statements for each building. One up on the next, needs a plan. Madinat has an artificial feel. The three Palms kind of sum up Dubai, they never needed 3. Fishing at The Palm is the

The Language of Making Dubai best in the UAE, but there is no place for the public to use it is all divided up into private plots. Diverse marine life due to the Long Shore Drift. Theme parks are needed. infrastructure in 2008 was saturated. A bit of everything. Quality to sustainability but is any of it executed properly if there is so much variety. 1:4 ratio of good: Bad. Fire in JLT shows poor quality.

What is your opinion on the plan for Dubai’s future? Metro needs integration. Not sure they have learnt lessons from before?

Appreciate what you have achieved Dubai. We will get there in the end. Facilities management is needed. It is artificial like a film set but nothing wrong with that in some of the places.

How many years do you think Dubai can sustain itself? Daily mail knocks Dubai’s substance but I think they just need to work on sustainability. Sheik Mohamed is a progressive guy, power of growth over the top but less in Abu Dhabi. Transient passing through short period of time. Sponsorship of Emirates Airline has been a huge advert for Dubai’s progression. Horse racing has helped this too. I fear things will get out of hand – have they learnt their lesson? Loose old Dubai is a great shame. Hub to the rest of the world. Arab Spring - Too much westernisation. Camel farms ending and they have the idea to start camel city which is crazy.

There is a small culture in Dubai but it is small and decreasing. It was already lost in ‘94 when I arrived I think. Mimicking old stuff but it’s never going to be the same.

Appendix G | 60

The Language of Making Dubai 61 | Appendix H

Date: 7/1/2013 Name: Steve Taylor Age: 54 Sex: Male Years residing in Dubai: 21 Date first visited Dubai: August 1991 Occupation: Structural Engineer Company: WSP Transportation: Car Nationality: British

What is your first memory of Dubai? Dubai creek. Dhows activity. Felt like a different country and culture. Sub-continent. Heart of Dubai was World Trade Centre City, Tower1 and the Crown plaza Sheik Zayed Road.

What do you think of first when you imagine Dubai 2013?

Complete façade built on hype. Not real but fun. Locals struck back. Wacky building which is fun as an engineer.

How would you say Dubai has changed during this period?

Old villas crumbly become new villas and all the sand becomes developed. Transportation, Sheik Zayed Road and routes to Dubai infrastructure is good. 2005-2008 silly construction. Quality of construction and architecture went down. A lot of poor ‘façade’ architecture. Get it built to get it sold.

What is your opinion of this change? Pretty picture. Appears unplanned, doesn’t work inside these buildings. Mushroomed.

Sheik pushes to do what he wants. Depth, reality, variety and outdoor sport is missing from Dubai.

Could you sum up the architectural language of Dubai in a few worlds? Iconic buildings – fosters difficult to put your figure on what makes a building iconic.

Emirates Towers a great example of a workable complex. Downtown successful, quality questionably in some of the buildings.

Madinat nice but mimicked. Water successful not pretending to be new it’s gimmicky but that’s ok. Marina master plan was a great idea with the mixture of water and the high rise. JBR was greedy; so many apartments ruined the idea. Tecom is poor quality and

The Language of Making Dubai tacky. It’s like someone said what shape shall we make this one?

Potential but don’t do iconic for the sake of it. Creek there is a lot of potential, the old buildings need a revamp but knocking them down isn’t the answer. Position of high rise on creek a great idea. Heritage area on the creek good to keep pearl and trading alive even if it is a little bit false, too much dredging in that area however. The idea for the Dubai canals is too far. Tourism is a great idea for income source, but I feel Dubai is kind of selling its soul becoming westernised. It will be a shame if all the Arab cities followed suit of Dubai. Not used the metro because a link to Sharjah is needed, rapid bus system or something. But it is visible and that’s nice. Burj Khalifa is fantastic; The Palm is disastrous along the trunk, environmentally speaking. The buildings across Dubai are a mix match. Fluted roof at the new airport is fantastic concept to be the face of Dubai. The Palm is basically an expensive council estate with beaches, these are too dense. There is only one way in and out apart from using a boat which causes huge congestion. The density is too much and it is a boxy design that has been mass produced.

What is your opinion on the plan for Dubai’s future? Civilised stable place if common sense prevails. Abu Dhabi plans for 2030 are considering sustainability. Dubai needs to think about development because it is seen as a big playground without an identity. Many locals’ opinions may be that Dubai has sold its soul.

Maybe this development needs to be slower, Sheik Mohamed’s visions are a great driver, he says he has only achieved 10% of what he wants for Dubai, I applaud him. Infrastructure needs further development. Identity needed for Dubai but is definitely the most vibrant. Do something with the existing Islamic architecture, not gulf architecture, education is needed. Recreate old heart of Dubai at Sheik Zayed Road and The Creek.

How many years do you think Dubai can sustain itself? I think as long as Sheik Mohamed is in power Dubai will travel forward, however I’m not sure if it is hype but he is very innovative.

Appendix H | 62

The Language of Making Dubai 63 | Appendix I

Date: 8/1/2013 Name: David May Age: 68 Sex: Male Years residing in Dubai: 30 Date first visited Dubai: 1982 Occupation: Managing Director Company: MKM Commercial Holdings Transportation: Car Nationality: British

What is your first memory of Dubai? Well policed state, professionals, more freedom, and welcome. 2000 half built properties.

2008 economy couldn’t sustain itself and exploded there was a lot of debt. Nakheel Palm. 1982 the quality was appalling and there was no innovation. 82-2000 pace consistent and ideas developed.

Went from villas to small towns. Contractors working 24hours a day. Improvement as professionalism increased. Don’t care what you build just do it quickly. No traffic lights, ribbon dwelling along Beach Road, Sheik Zayed Road 2 lane.

What do you think of first when you imagine Dubai 2013? Too big now.

How would you say Dubai has changed during this period?

No expertise at the right time. Plans before for 6 lanes Beach Road.

What is your opinion of this change? Developed too quickly, over confident, no planning just build. Storm eroded The Palm and The World Islands, not the correct coastal protection. Marina 40 stories with 6m meters between balconies = jungle of high rises, pre-planned would have helped, would have had a beautiful city. Arabian ranches- little huts but aesthetically fail because they are all the same. Emirates hills - very expensive variety of gulf gardens.

Could you sum up the architectural language of Dubai in a few worlds? Burj Khalifa well spent money; lake and restaurant are extremely successful. Sheik Zayed Road is very well developed. Course particles fill non compacted surface on The

The Language of Making Dubai Palm. Post 2002 worse quality design in Tecom Marina and JBR. Old trading area catered to tourists brought in from the airport, Bastakiya and Fahidi Street. Infrastructure could have been larger sooner.

What is your opinion on the plan for Dubai’s future? 10 years of stability is needed. Sheik Mohamed’s visions are too ambitious, Dubai’s growth needs to be taken a little slower. Dubai isn’t Singapore or Hong Kong, it is what it is, a centre of excellence. It is the top of the world so is sustainable.

How many years do you think Dubai can sustain itself? It will die out in 20 more years; the 2nd generations of locals need to be educated on Dubai’s history and culture. It is multicultural which is an advantage, Dubai is the top of the financial world, but the English used for business has destroyed part of that heritage and will continue to fast.

Appendix I | 64

The Language of Making Dubai 65 | Appendix J

Date: 8/1/2013 Name: Abdulrahman Khansaheb Age: 38 Sex: Male Years residing in Dubai: 32 Occupation: Operations Manager Company: Khansaheb Civil Engineering Transportation: Car Nationality: Emirati

What is your first memory of Dubai? Residential low rise, less traffic. Dubai was well. Trade Centre was the landmark; the end of Dubai was defence roundabout.

What do you think of first when you imagine Dubai 2013?

Dwarfed congested with traffic, many icons.

How would you say Dubai has changed during this period? It has become smaller - you stay where you work not travelling as much. Space restrictions.

What is your opinion of this change? Positive is that Dubai is a great achievement, world hub, tourist hub etc. Negative is the heritage and culture has been compromised. The sense of a village has long gone which is saddening. We have lost a lot of the culture in Dubai due to the different developments.

Could you sum up the architectural language of Dubai in a few worlds? Related to one another on a whole because of the use of materials. The infrastructure in Dubai has kept up with building design. Sheik Mohamed’s visions have become realised in Dubai. There is an aspect of Dubai that is disneyated and does not reflect local architecture. Burj Khalifa is a landmark, it is a speciality and I feel proud when I think that my home country has achieved such a great piece of engineering; however it is an economic burden. Burj Al Arab is the symbol of Dubai together with the Burj Khalifa; it is to an appropriate scale. The Palm was a waste of time and there should only ever have been one, as now the view out to sea has been lost, and has affected the environment. In Marina and Tecom quality has been compromised and

The Language of Making Dubai the design suffered because functionality was lost. Madinat has been a kind of success and also a let-down because the feelings grow over time with the souq environment, they werent built all at once.

What is your opinion on the plan for Dubai’s future? If Dubai keeps on the same track as it used to be then the heritage will get diluted especially with the local population being so small. Sheik Mohamed’s vision is fantastic because it exceeds everywhere else. Dubai has become a metropolitan however the essence has been lost.

Appendix J | 66

The Language of Making Dubai 67 | Appendix K

Date: 8/1/2013 Name: Tariq Khansaheb Age: 54 Sex: Male Years residing in Dubai: 54 Date first visited Dubai: Born in Dubai Occupation: Director Company: Khansaheb Civil Engineering Transportation: Car Nationality: Emirati

What is your first memory of Dubai? When I was 6 years old there were no roads in Dubai just stones and mud. In the 70s there was the Trade Centre and the 5 apartments that went with it. The Creek houses were huts and sand at the back there was Al Maktoum Bridge with a toll of 0.4 AED (1 Fils) The Clock Tower was there as a landmark to modernism. From the airport runway to the Sheik Zayed Road there was nothing, no cars.

What do you think of first when you imagine Dubai 2013? The Trade Centre building is now a midget! Too saturated.

How would you say Dubai has changed during this period? It has become very innovative.

What is your opinion of this change? It saddens me that so much of Dubai has been lost and the culture and heritage has suffered due to the change.

Could you sum up the architectural language of Dubai in a few worlds? What you see is fabricated there is quality inside these amazing buildings, and you instantly know you are in Dubai.

The infrastructure is great as well as Sheik Mohamed’s visions.

It is not a problem that some areas of Dubai feel like Disneyland they are successful with the public. However it is sad that Dubai is loosing its culture. The Burj Khalifa is too high! It would have been a landmark at the 85th floor, no need to go higher. The Palm was a waste of money and only one was needed. Most of the beaches in Dubai have been lost to the rapid development and there should have been more beaches allocated to the public, as the ones existing are very crowded. JBR is successful The Walk

The Language of Making Dubai is a great public space, however the apartments around are not so successful aesthetically. The development in the Marina has been to a high standard and will last a long time but the Tecom and JBR areas have been designed commercially crowding the area with too many towers leaving a 6m meter gap balcony to balcony. There needs to be more areas like the Madinat to show my grandchildren.

What is your opinion on the plan for Dubai’s future? Children of Dubai will see more, there is still a lot that Sheik Mohamed wants to achieve. Losing our identity will continue and our traditions, culture and heritage needs to be kept alive in some way.

Sheik Mohamed ensures quality in every aspect of the projects in Dubai and we are achieving his goal. Dubai is up there with Paris and London.

Source: http://www.columbia.edu/ Traditional khanjar knife worn by the man around his waist on a belt.

Appendix K | 68

The Language of Making Dubai 69 | Appendix L

Date: 8/1/2013 Name: Nick Exton Age: 51 Sex: Male Years residing in Dubai: 10 Date first visited Dubai: 2003 Occupation: Head of Procurement Company: Engineers Office Transportation: Car Nationality: British/ South African

What is your first memory of Dubai? Emirates Towers and Marina. Impressive Flower blossoming. Bachelors lifestyle.

What do you think of first when you imagine Dubai 2013?

More open spaces and parking. People to do the work making the demographics change. Family environment.

How would you say Dubai has changed during this period?

Greed, Built to get money.

What is your opinion of this change? Too much too soon. Over designed buildings, over engineered buildings using steel and concrete. JBR has a 100 years design life. Very progressive planning needed for Dubai.

Could you sum up the architectural language of Dubai in a few worlds? The infrastructure including the metro in Dubai is very popular. There may be better advisors for Sheik Mohamed.

Dubai isn’t disneyated because it is known for business. The culture in Dubai is work in my opinion, there is more access and it has become civilised, clothing and Arabic language lost.

Burj Khalifa is made for tourism as an attraction. Burj Al Arab only good for one visit. The Palm is very impressive and very good ecologically. Sheik Zayed Road is home to different architecture with different ideas they are all iconic so lose their appeal, it is also hard to determine what is part of that area. Marina quality is lost after about 2003. Tecom Quality reduced in 2008. Attention to detail lost, Time Cost Quality.

The Language of Making Dubai What is your opinion on the plan for Dubai’s future? Loosing quality, and longer working hours to achieve the vision. Tourist, real estate, central city of the world, great vision all in all. Etihad and Emirates Airline help to keep Dubai on the map but it will not match Paris for example because the tradition is missing.

Do you think there is a culture in Dubai? I think they are doing the best they can with the little that they have left. There are some areas in Dubai that are quite successful.

Source: http://www.emirates.com/ Emirates Airline

Appendix L | 70

The Language of Making Dubai 71 | Appendix M

Date: 8/1/2013 Name: David Breslin Age: 48 Sex: Male Years residing in Dubai: 12 Date first visited Dubai: 1999 Occupation: Managing Director Company: Dalriada Transportation: Car Nationality: British

What is your first memory of Dubai? Free Liberated Beer and Bacon Sheik Zayed Road. Shopping smaller then. Jebal Ali free zone was the end of Dubai. Flipping houses in the boom which led to cowboy contractors. More emphasis on quality then, an employers market.

What do you think of first when you imagine Dubai 2013?

Mushroomed, people in high rise, infrastructure. Nakheel poor quality, ruler’s office 30 villas. Gardens shortcuts led to more money.

How would you say Dubai has changed during this period?

Property boom not controlled. Take time to think it through, don’t rush otherwise there will be mistakes.

What is your opinion of this change? Some good, the roads.

Fuelled by greed. Plastic people brought over in the boom period.

Now there is less design and more construction there should be more influence on the design and less on construction. Deregulated bank fuelled boom. Living in a bubble, developing in a desert leads to a playground for architects, engineers and designers.

Building fast – Rome wasn’t built in a day.

Could you sum up the architectural language of Dubai in a few worlds? Different styles thrown together, however the architecture displays a fantastic variety. Let off the lead, pleasing to the eye. JBR = a communist film, pushes boundaries. Miss mash giant version of Big Ben, Burj Khalifa, Big Spike. Infrastructure is clean and handy, The Palm and Metro are the white elephant.

Sheik Mohamed aspires to bring good to the emirate. Disneyated

The Language of Making Dubai is very true, Ibn Battuta mall is a freak show of a place. But Dubai is miles ahead of the other states. The culture in Dubai is eroded and they are quickly losing it due to the many tourists arriving every day. Burj Khalifa is successful I believe because it is Emaar.

However the metro access is a show of bad planning in that area.

The Palm is a disaster, cram buildings together producing building that are falling due to the unsettled land, broken roads, need a vacuum for waste. No divers used by engineers to properly investigate before and during the building process. Greed and corner cutting was the reason the palm ended up the way it did, simple things like concrete left on the roof of the apartments because there is no care. Tecom has nothing to wow you. No things to do there. Madinat however is positive, as is The Walk JBR, but the repetition of the buildings on prime beach front is boring. Suburbs of Paris up in towers would be more successful. French tower planning. Bad examples, Jebal Ali Race course, Mercarto ‘Gucci on acid’. Dragon mart is long and vast. Nakheel vs. Emaar …

Emaar always wins. Nakheel maximises profit and decreases time leaving the quality poor, there is definite a different in attitude between the two major developers in Dubai, the level of professionals in Nakheel is severely lower.

What is your opinion on the plan for Dubai’s future? Outside money for boom, two properties per person? Stop flipping. Rate of growth needs to be a lot less. Expo 2020 displays too much growth, stable if they don’t get it. Talking about Qatar the city of gold. Dubai no natural reliance.

How many years do you think Dubai can sustain itself? It won’t go away it will survive, whether it will be sustainable is another factor. Time cost quality.

Appendix M | 72

The Language of Making Dubai 73 | Appendix N

Date: 8/1/2013 Name: Labrid Al Fakhri Age: 70 Sex: Male Years residing in Dubai: 33 Date first visited Dubai: 1980 Occupation: Architectural Director Company: Group Consultants International Transportation: Walk Nationality: British/ Iraqi

What is your first memory of Dubai? Small village. 10-15 years very resourceful. Quiet before the death of the sheik. Was a safe place even now. Banks flourished, forward looking people the Emiratis, more with wealth. Dubai Municipality is always learning, the ruler is international. Trading centre because the local people are professionals at this. Pearls dhows, hub to India and Africa and still is. Ground plus 1, maximum 4 stories for a buildings and the people were very happy.

What do you think of first when you imagine Dubai 2013?

Metro, infrastructure. Need to pay more attention to the urban design.

How would you say Dubai has changed during this period?

Highway spaghetti junctions took over, Dubai made a lot of mistakes and has learnt from them. In urban planning humans weren’t thought of. Dubai government give everything a chance.

What is your opinion of this change? Anywhere a rapid pace of development will have an impact on the way of life. Work work work. Fragmented with the highways. The press however are jealous of what Dubai has achieved. Dubai created the rapid pace of development.

Could you sum up the architectural language of Dubai in a few worlds? The infrastructure is great. I don’t agree with the comment that Dubai is disneyated, Dubai has reached maturity quality and has standards. Foreigners are given an education here. There is a harmony here in Dubai between all the different cultures. Dubai Municipality Heritage Department are assuring

The Language of Making Dubai that the culture and heritage is restored, now taking care of its 1985 buildings. Burj Khalifa is a good design that has become a landmark for Dubai as a city which is a huge advantage. In the Burj Al Arab project the practicalities were overlooked. The Palm is a nice concept but three were never needed, it was a unnecessary project that lacked good planning, basically expensive infill spaces. The buildings along Sheik Zayed Road are individual, high and where a lot of famous architecture lies, however collectively there is a lot to be desired for this area, but then a rapid pace of construction leaves a lot to be desired anywhere in the world. Again the Tecom area should have had a master plan instead of being individual investors having little care for what is going on around them. The Madinat is a scheme of quality, but I wonder what the next wonder of the world will be in Dubai!? JBR is too overpowering and has become too crowded, they were just selling sand before those properties were built, and there was a difference between sea facing and sea view. The difference in price of land in Umm Sequim has shot up from ½ AED to 400 or 500 AED per square foot of land. Business bay gets you too tired to drive the car around even, it is not designed well, and there are many small streets. Iconic buildings are desired by all investors across Dubai because iconic means they are easier to sell and that there will be a larger return on your investment.

What is your opinion on the plan for Dubai’s future? Would have liked it to be a bit slower but everyone has enjoyed it, we have to remember Dubai is not a factory. Time and funds are needed for the success of Dubai.

How many years do you think Dubai can sustain itself? The sky is the limit, we can’t stop the pace of growth Dubai is experiencing. The building regulations need to become stiffer and we have to control the growth in terms of fire regulations and concentrate on less collapses, intended or otherwise. Rapid design was a result of this and something that I don’t agree with totally.

Appendix N | 74

The Language of Making Dubai 75 | Appendix O

Date: 9/1/2013 Name: Sanjay Manchanda Age: 50 Sex: Male Years residing in Dubai: 15 Date first visited Dubai: September 1998 Occupation: CEO Company: Nakheel Transportation: Car Nationality: Indian

What is your first memory of Dubai? Dubai became a GCC member in 1988 just before I first visited and it seemed very underdeveloped. The World Trade Centre was iconic. May to September was leave where the schools were closed because there was such an unbearable heat. Come here to experience things you miss when you are working.

What do you think of first when you imagine Dubai 2013?

World Class infrastructure, in the top ten. More buildings such as the Palm, Burj Khalifa. Urban development had increased, a sea of change. Embraced contemporary design. Faรงade treatment because a lot more sophisticated, Souq Al Bahar for example.

How would you say Dubai has changed during this period?

Sheik Zayed Road, from The World Trade Centre to interchange 2 is the New York mile of Dubai. Interesting architecture is visible all along this stretch of road, and throughout Dubai. Innovative technology has been introduced to designs. Designers are more thoughtful throughout the project, they are market driven and discipline has been introduced.

What is your opinion of this change? The global architecture and engineering here is interesting, probe into space, it is like you are on another planet. Pre boom it was a race against time, now things have slowed down its better we have the time to understand and provide the competent skill base that was never there before in Dubai.

Could you sum up the architectural language of Dubai in a few worlds? Metro is a great start, however connectivity could

The Language of Making Dubai be improved because it is especially hot in the summer. The general infrastructure in Dubai is world class. Sheik Mohamed is in charge of the Dubai calendar which is a very important part of marketing Dubai and making sure there is something happening all the time for visitors and residents. Dubai is the melting pot of east and west the epitome of that is Global Village. Dubai film festival, Horse racing, main events for literature art culture the food festival Dubai Summer Surprises, Modesh adds a feeling of belonging, theme parks, adding international experiences. Shows that culture is there but in the form of the arts. I think the culture is there today in some shape and form, in places like Shindagha and the old palace. The Palm is maintained if the size sustained.

The variety seen now along the Sheik Zayed Road is great.

Marina area is a great urban space, a very successful planned waterfront, however civic amenities are crucial and the public space and access to the area need improving, possibly the tram will elevate some of these problems. The popular developments we see today are Emirates Hills, Meadows, Marina, Discovery Islands and International City.

What is your opinion on the plan for Dubai’s future? The lessons have been learnt from 08 and 09. We feel at home as expatriates, and Emirati’s welcome other guests into their country, these people require the beach front. I think it should be more pragmatic in the future, we will be done as and when needed. I think the place needs to be established firmly, but there will be no stopping Dubai. Create and improve will always be the motto, continuing to be innovative. Everyone feels welcome in Dubai so I think the city will be successful for a very long time to come.

How many years do you think Dubai can sustain itself?

Dubai is still young they need to be very careful to make the right moves, but things should go well if they stick with Sheik Mohamed’s views.

Appendix O | 76

The Language of Making Dubai 77 | Appendix P

Date: 9/1/2013 Name: Michael Grose Age: 39 Sex: Male Years residing in Dubai: 14 Date first visited Dubai: 1998 Occupation: Lawyer Company: Clyde and Co Transportation: Car Nationality: British

What is your first memory of Dubai? Good infrastructure along the main artery that is Sheik Zayed Road, including the interchanges. There is less emphasis on public transport. The Emirates Towers were a hole in the ground. There was City Tower One and Two, The World Trade Centre and the residential buildings at the end of Sheik Zayed Road now called the Toyota building.

What do you think of first when you imagine Dubai 2013?

Become congested. Airport has improved a lot; this is in line with the plans to modernise as a whole. It has become very mediocre for example the Infinity Tower. The Rolex tower that we sit in now however is the most environmental building I know of in Dubai.

How would you say Dubai has changed during this period?

Dubai has become gimmicky not iconic, flashing lights and superficially cheap. But I do not agree with the term disneyated, I think that is unfair because Dubai is a modern city. What sets Dubai apart from the other GCC countries and cities is its ability to deliver.

What is your opinion of this change? Sheik Mohamed realised a lot fast and I believe this should continue. There is of course a culture in Dubai but there is none in terms of the arts, you need to look for the heritage because it is hard to label. Lacks genuine atmosphere, the heart and soul of Dubai is only seen in areas like Bastakiya. Dubai is nothing but a modern city, they are trying to capture the past for the user but there is no need to, the experience you get when visiting Dubai is successful. I think the culture is work and home life kept separate, and a combination of all cultures that works because some elements are kept separate

The Language of Making Dubai almost like oil and water.

Could you sum up the architectural language of Dubai in a few worlds? The Burj Khalifa is a cleaver simplistic design, The Downtown area works well. The Burj Al Arab is a good design from what I have experienced. I believe the building along Sheik Zayed Road have elegance in their colour blends from gold to blue to green. The Tecom area however is a hotchpotch, the Marina was executed well as was The Walk creating a small village and a community. The Palm is another bad development because it is basically the world’s largest cull-du-sack, where you have to travel a long way to move around to the end of the crescent. Emirates Hills and Arabian Ranches have good infrastructure and public spaces, but the conformity isn’t nice. In comparison Jumeriah is more organic and there is a huge variety of houses and villas with a human touch, personalisation.

What is your opinion on the plan for Dubai’s future? It is an easy city to live in. Continue to be the hub for retail and tourism, uncontrolled growth will continue. The instant city is about push and pull and at the moment in Dubai there is more push. The regulations need to be in place to allow it to develop further.

How many years do you think Dubai can sustain itself? Good and bad, the growth will lead to good things, there will be more of the same but I don’t think that is a bad thing. It will be able to sustain itself because it is offering something very different to other cities around the world.

Appendix P | 78

The Language of Making Dubai 79 | Appendix Q

Date: 9/1/2013 Name: Anton Balchin Age: 25 Sex: Male Years residing in Dubai: 2 Date first visited Dubai: 2011 Occupation: Architect Company: NORR Group Consultant Transportation: Walk Nationality: British

What is your first memory of Dubai? Working on a project called the Address where they only left 5 day per floor for curing time, that it the fastest I have ever experienced anything be constructed.

What do you think of first when you imagine Dubai 2013?

Fast pace toy town. Context isn’t considered in projects because in some there is no context due to the fast pace of development.

The bigger ben clock tower was approved, madness. DIFC links work well.

How would you say Dubai has changed during this period?

Unnecessary growth but better quality than Barrett homes.

What is your opinion of this change? It is part of architecture, and some tasteful projects get erected such as The Madinat Jumeriah.

Could you sum up the architectural language of Dubai in a few worlds? Unprecedented boom happened without the professional backing, and the outcomes varied in quality. But there are some stunning buildings like the Index and the Burj Khalifa. The problem is there is so much crap around those developments because they wanted the cheapest fast. It is disneyated for example Dragonmart, but that’s ok these places are successful. JBR is all the same they would severely benefit from some height change!

Arabian Ranches and Emirates Hills are gated communities and quite pleasant places to be. The culture of Dubai is there because they do have a history; the culture comes across in the restric-

The Language of Making Dubai tions, rules and laws. The combination of many different cultures also works in Dubai, there is no discrimination only possibly towards the lower earners.

What is your opinion on the plan for Dubai’s future? There is a future because there is the competition in Doha for example.

As an architect the loss in quality is not worth expanding the city quite so fast in the future. The boom in 08 caused a big problem with a lack of sustainable projects.

How many years do you think Dubai can sustain itself? Buildings are being used and they are starting to look at the environmental impacts. When they reach a pace where they are building because they need to again I think it will be more successful. By 2020 Sheik Mohamed wants 1% of energy to come from renewable clean energy.

Fig X Source: Balchin, A. 2012 Could be any city.

Appendix Q | 80

The Language of Making Dubai 81 | Appendix R

Date: 9/1/2013 Name: Robert Al Habre Age: 36 Sex: Male Years residing in Dubai: 10 Date first visited Dubai: 2003 Occupation: Architectural Director Company: NORR Group Consulting Transportation: Car Nationality: Lebanese

What was your first memory of Dubai? The 2005 to 2008 boom brought good and bad buildings; there was a lot of bad during the boom, because projects were too ambitious and were put on hold. There wasn’t the knowledge or man power so the investors had to become resourceful.

What do you think of first when you imagine Dubai 2013?

The UAE has always been ambitious and this has continued until today. 41 years of being part of the emirates has given Dubai great vision, along with its resourceful nature Dubai has flourished to the city it is today. There are labour and social issues but there is always going to be some bad with the good.

How would you say Dubai has changed during this period? A new image is being created, a polished workforce is being introduced slowly. Good, bad and ugly. Dubai during the boom and after is an experiment, and as a young designer it is the best place to start to gain some experience. The fast pace combined with none professionals and the Dubai Municipality giving the freedom to many inexperienced people to build whatever they wish.

What is your opinion of this change? There was a lot of crap architectural projects where things were falling apart, buildings would look 20 years old but only in fact be 5 years old. The developers didn’t care about the end user and there was no control from the government because things were moving so fast. It is great to build fast but if you haven’t got the quality inside then the building is no good. With the recession came maturity, we will hopefully start to see this maturity emerge in the clients. The LEED and environmental systems are being taken seriously now

The Language of Making Dubai compared to during the boom period where it was just used as a marketing ploy.

Could you sum up the architectural language of Dubai in a few worlds? The Burj Khalifa is successful and time well spent, but Souq Al Bahar is a mimic and is bad, transferring architecture of the past to new buildings doesn’t work. Moroccan arches and wind towers everywhere. 10% of the architecture is understated, elegant and simple. But Dubai as a whole is a postcard or cartoon that is only poetic for shallow minded. Emaar as a company are sophisticated and are really thinking outside the box. JBR is an example of design and density quality. The Walk is a very successful public space.

Bab Al Shams was developed before the boom and isn’t gimmicky at all, they have really tried to think about what they were trying to achieve. Sheik Zayed Road is a linear sprawl almost a wall of buildings. The Palm is ugly, although a lovely concept it was executed badly because Nakheel got greedy. The original renders were low density then they did the cost calculations and added blocks of buildings. The quality of the plumbing in1-2 year old buildings is very poor, not to mention the exterior finishes showing cracks. The Marina is a show off of architecture that tries to maximise revenue. Tecom is cluttered with no design, linked to the fast pace, lots of ugly metal was used and they have really tried too hard in this area making it too commercialised.

What do you see for the future of Dubai? Scary as the prices start to increase again I worry the market is picking up similar to that of the boom period. Moving quietly now is a good idea, finishing off paused projects. Dubai needs to keep developing in a good way and be wary of any hint of the bubble waiting to pop again.

Is there a culture in Dubai? It does it in a tourist way, it is there in terms of the cultures of the expatriates too. There is a huge respect for other cultures here resulting in a harmonious balance.

Robert El Habre Robert.Elhabre

Appendix R | 82

The Language of Making Dubai 83 | Appendix S

Date: 9/1/2013 Name: Adrian Ferrari Age: 54 Sex: Male Years residing in Dubai: 20 Date first visited Dubai: 1993 Occupation: Managing Director Company: Albatha Transportation: Car Nationality: British

What is your first memory of Dubai? In 1993 there was little in terms of buildings. The World Trade Centre to the Mall of the Emirates was the extent of Dubai in 2001, the infrastructure had improved and there were better developments , the Shangri-La and some others along Sheik Zayed Road. There were power stations further back What do you think of first when you imagine Dubai 2013?

Nearly reaches Abu Dhabi the development has spread so much.

The height of buildings vary along this passageway. There is just about everything and anything in Dubai, there are no planning restrictions as such, near the airport are the only restrictions. New Dubai has no culture.

How would you say Dubai has changed during this period?

The only culture is near the creek, and they need to stop doing things like The Madinat because it is just a copy of the original and not a good copy at that. The many mixtures of different cultures is good but not for the Emirati.

What is your opinion of this change? Hub for the world and Dubai is definitely on the map now.

Could you sum up the architectural language of Dubai in a few worlds? There is no relationship between the buildings on Sheik Zayed Road but it does all come together and work. Emaar are generally better than the other development companies.

Arabian Ranches was a quality build and it has been well maintained, I think because it came before the boom. JBR is the wrong master plan, why place the high buildings on the coast and the

The Language of Making Dubai lower ones behind those, it makes no sense. Tecom is poor quality buildings on a bad development plan in terms of access. Sheik Mohamed’s visions are good and determine what Dubai may be like in the next 10-20 years. The Burj Khalifa is iconic, but the Burj Al Arab put Dubai on the map. The Palm had a huge impact on the environment that I think was overlooked, but the development works. They should have stopped at one Palm and enjoyed the added sea frontage. Dubai mall has some crucial problems with servicing the building because things were put in to quickly, maintenance became difficult because it was rushed.

What is your opinion on the plan for Dubai’s future? 2020 expo will give Dubai a huge boost if they get it, this boost will be a great one for construction but we need the infrastructure to support it. Dubai is not a real world but I can see other countries are jealous. I think the plan is very commercial, more entertainment is needed. Hotels will not sustain tourism there needs to be something more. I think the crash in the market in 2008 was the biggest thing that helped Dubai.

How many years do you think Dubai can sustain itself? I would like to think many years. More manufacturing and trading needed. The heavy reliance on tourism may lead to problems.

Appendix S | 84

The Language of Making Dubai 85 | Appendix T

Date: 9/1/2013 Name: Liz & Jagruti Age: 30 & 39 Sex: Female Years residing in Dubai: 2 & 15 Date first visited Dubai: 2012 & 1998 Occupation: Senior Economist & Manager Corporate Banking Company: HSBC Transportation: Car Nationality: British & Indian

What is your first memory of Dubai? The Creek, Diera City Centre, Crown Plaza, Parks Mamzar and Creek side park.

What do you think of first when you imagine Dubai 2013?

Dubai is picking up, there is funding for projects which leads to a boost in moral. And increase in hotel occupancy has been witnessed, in contrast to Qatar. Social things give indication of the increase in activity as well as the Credit Default Swap. The CDS protects Dubai against a fall and this figure has dropped from 500 points to 200. This figure is right down and shows us people are ready to invest once again.

How would you say Dubai has changed during this period?

Labour laws relaxed, systems equipped, travelling times less. 3 ½ years of stagnant growth, but Dubai took advantage of trading abilities and other countries and their growth. The infrastructure has developed a lot.

What is your opinion of this change? Financially Dubai can have a short term memory if they think money is to be made.

Democracy doesn’t lend itself to growth. Hope to see a slower and controlled growth. The press is almost racist, yes Dubai got carried away but there is no one in the region that can compete.

Could you sum up the architectural language of Dubai in a few worlds? Global village, Sheik Zayed Road scarce, back to the malls. The demand for quality were there wasn’t during the boom period. Downtown area is very successful. Even the Marina is stable now. Emaar is at the top end of the chart. International city is just a huge sewage plant, Nakheel’s development. The

The Language of Making Dubai metro is just one line so needs development, Dubai isn’t walkable so would benefit from an extension. The buildings along Sheik Zayed Road don’t relate to one another, looks messy and is very commercial. The port has a uniqueness that should be preserved safely.

What is your opinion on the plan for Dubai’s future? In Bahrain the stability has all gone, so if something hit Dubai would the same thing happen. No I don’t think so, it is not a Muslim brotherhood there is love for the ruling family. Other countries tried on oil money and couldn’t do what Dubai has achieved.

How many years do you think Dubai can sustain itself? A young country, and fun place, living here is almost like a holiday but I don’t think that is a bad thing.

Do you believe Dubai has a culture? The culture has changed, you have to respect the laws, but Dubai is quick to welcome expatriates so we can’t complain. However national day is a huge example of how the culture has been preserved, there was a Sheik Mohamed tribute last year. Locals do things like the Madinat to preserve culture, even though it is fake, because the Arab life is different, the wealth has changed and how can they preserve their culture if there is no Arabic only English. Freedom of expression and getting things done.

Appendix T | 86

The Language of Making Dubai 87 | Appendix U

Date: 9/1/2013 Name: Chris Barry Age: 58 Sex: Male Years residing in Dubai: 30 Date first visited Dubai: 1985 Occupation: MEP Director Company: ACC Transportation: Car, not a need for the metro Nationality: British

What is your first memory of Dubai? The Trade Centre Tower was the only thing you could see for miles, apart from that there were no high rises. The end of Dubai was Jebal Ali Village. Old Dubai was still thriving.

What do you think of first when you imagine Dubai 2013?

The master plan overall is not there as such. There is a poor end and a high end, such variety is seen across Dubai. National bank of Dubai has grown.

How would you say Dubai has changed during this period?

The infrastructure has developed because it wasn’t there to begin with. Areas like Tecom and JBR have shot up in a few years for the commercial boom in 2007; they were aimed to be constructed quickly to get the money.

What is your opinion of this change? It needs a boost now. The last ten years haven’t changed for the better, Dubai has become a metropolis whereas it was a town before the social and community aspects have been lost.

Could you sum up the architectural language of Dubai in a few worlds? The Burj Khalifa is a great building especially at lower level, Souq Al Bahar is great at mimicking the past, when I saw the first plans I was sceptical but they have done a great job.

The Palm is a great achievement. Sheik Zayed Road is overall uniform, it looks planned and there is a huge variety of buildings, the DIFC complex is a great example. The Madinat is a successful first development of its kind. Emirates Hills are high specification, but Arabian Ranches seem mass produced almost like a UK

The Language of Making Dubai housing estate.

What is your opinion on the plan for Dubai’s future? Backward growth, but stable. Dubai is the financial centre and tourism capital so it makes sense that there will always be construction.

How many years do you think Dubai can sustain itself? Once the natural resources run out, if Dubai only has the tourism market to survive on it will struggle. Trade needs to be focused on.

Masdar is a true instant city built an operational in 2 years. There is everything you could want there from universities to residential buildings. It is a 0 carbon institute where electrically powered car take you around the complex. Thought hasn’t been there with Dubai like in the Masdar project, Dubai is sprawling.

Do you believe Dubai has a culture? The culture is a minor factor in Dubai’s growth , the replication of the old is good but it would be better to keep the areas that are ‘old’. Dubai is a Disneyland theme park, a great place to come and visit the tourists are attracted to the hotels.

Source: www.jumeirah.com Madinate Jumeirah

Appendix U | 88

The Language of Making Dubai 89 | Appendix V

Date: 9/1/2013 Name: Chris Southcomb Age: 70 Sex: Male Years residing in Dubai: 20 Date first visited Dubai: 1993 Occupation: Aritist Company: Self Employed Transportation: Car Nationality: British

What is your first memory of Dubai? Dubai was like Sharjah is now; there were no roads and very few high rise buildings. The standard of workmanship was shoddy, things for example would come beautifully carved from Italy and be put together wrong in Dubai. There was bad planning a painting I was once doing in the Meridien Mina Seyahi ruined by the positioning of lighting specified by the architect.

What do you think of first when you imagine Dubai 2013?

The little boxes song. When I first came here old Arabs had to work they were trades men, so you saw the culture. Because these men worked so hard for their families the young generations grew up with money and there has been a shift in attitude, there isn’t any shivery anymore.

How would you say Dubai has changed during this period?

Dubai has become congested, and there are still problems with buildings collapsing on The Palm due to flooding.

What is your opinion of this change? It is the attitude of construction; they found the quickest and cheapest way to make money with the buildings you see in Dubai. But it is an architect’s paradise because there are no restrictions like there is in other countries. The master plans are hotch potch, there needs to be a new harmony. There are gulf news clean up weekend for the protection of our beaches, this is a better attitude Dubai should embrace.

Could you sum up the architectural language of Dubai in a few worlds? They have made a good effort at trying to give a

The Language of Making Dubai sense of what was there with some development such at Madinat.

But the abras back then were rowed not powered by motors, the tourism is artificial, this isn’t heritage it is purely commercial. Democracy ceases to exist when the people not working depend on the working class. There is a terrific variety of buildings in Dubai, but where is the shanti area, every city has one?

What is your opinion on the plan for Dubai’s future?

A nation with no past has no future. Dubai was part of the Empty Quarter and there is an art in story telling there, they used to outsource their literature and how long it took depended on the sea. What happens in Dubai is much better than the UK with democracy.

How many years do you think Dubai can sustain itself? Sheik Mohamed is a visionary leader, Dubai has a dynamic thinker and he is doing things for the good of the Emirates. People feel safe here because of the good governance, if you were to remove leadership there would be chaos.

Do you believe Dubai has a culture? There is a Cultural City being constructed, but amongst the youth I think there is no culture. DUCTAC- Dubai Community Theatre and Arts Centre is a small example of the types of institutes that could become successful in Dubai.

Appendix V | 90