Some Thoughts About Craneland - I Mean, Dubai
My kids and I watched a show on the Discovery Channel the other night about the architectural construction going on in the city of Dubai on the Arabian Peninsula.
My attention was first drawn to the proposed Dubai Towers that is designed like fiery flames. The already-existing gargantuan skyscrapers that are over 1,000 ft high with one building over 2,000 ft high (The Burj) left me equally intrigued.
While watching the show, two phrases moved across the back of my brain like an electric marquee: "Not my style" and "Tower of Babel" but that is neither here nor there. This city with a population of over one million residents is building and growing like crazy. In fact, 25% of the world's cranes are currently being utilized by Dubai in order to build as quickly as possible and, well, that's a lot of cranes.
Besides the ice bar and Ski Dubai, the most fascinating part of Dubai's expansions is the seabed dredging they are doing in order to create more beach front property. Think islands - islands that reflect the geography of the world - but also think large strips of sand in the shape of a palm tree.
Notwithstanding the heavy layers of smog and the change of the coastline so significant that it is affecting the tide and maritime wildlife in Dubai, I wouldn't mind a visit. The culture, surrounding desert and sea, and creative architectual genius would be a memorable experience. As my best friend put it so aptly, "It's the closest thing to the future."
Speaking of future, when is someone going to invent the hovercraft car? Then my life will be complete.
Comments
The documentary mentioned something with that very idea but they are too busy building to worry about water right now. Another embarassment in the making.