Turning vision into reality

While the UAE garners the lion’s share of the headlines for its grand designs, massive megaprojects to rival those in Dubai are springing up across the rest of the region, too. And despite the downturn, development continues apace.

As statements go, the 818-metre high Burj Dubai is as big as they come. But the goal of the project is not simply to be the world’s tallest building – it is to embody the world’s highest aspirations. For those living nearby, it is a shining accomplishment: tangible proof of Dubai’s central role in a growing world. For those in the rest of the world, it is an icon of the new Middle East: prosperous, dynamic and successful.

Burj Dubai is just one example of how the region has taken project development to a new level. From the remarkable land reclamation projects taking place in Dubai to the desert developments rising out of the Saudi Arabian sands, from Abu Dhabi’s pioneering eco-city to the stunning waterfront developments springing up on the shores of practically every Gulf state, the region has made an art form out of developing projects bigger in scale and ambition than any previously conceived.

And while the financial crisis has put the brakes on some of the more fanciful designs, there are plenty of projects on which construction is continuing at full-speed. Over the next few pages, MENA Infrastructure celebrates some of the best.

Burj Dubai facts
Architect: Adrian Smith
Construction: 2004-2009
Construction company: Samsung E&C
Cost: US$8 billion
Design company: Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill
Elevators: 66 double-deckers moving at the speed of 18m/s (40mph)
Facade: Ferroconcrete, steel-frame
Floors: 160
Foundation: Concrete with 55 metre-tall piles
Frame: Reflecting glazing to cool and save energy
Gross floor space: 314,000m2
Height: 818m
Observation deck: Indoor and outdoor at the 124th floor
Project size: 190 hectares including artificial lake and downtown Dubai