Magical Urbanism, a website about urbanization, design and social change, is maintained by Mike Ernst. I'm an urban planner and designer based in New York City. I graduated from the Just How Fast is Dubai Growing?
I recently discussed Dubai’s rapid transformation. These images from the BBC sum it up. Above, Dubai is 1995 1991.
Here’s Dubai in 2005:
Amazing. Says Mike Davis:
The utopian character of Dubai, it must be emphasized, is no mirage. Even more than Singapore or Texas, the city-state really is an apotheosis of neo-liberal values.
On the one hand, it provides investors with a comfortable, Western-style, property-rights regime, including freehold ownership, that is unique in the region. Included with the package is a broad tolerance of booze, recreational drugs, halter tops, and other foreign vices formally proscribed by Islamic law. (When expats extol Dubai’s unique “openness,” it is this freedom to carouse — not to organize unions or publish critical opinions — that they are usually praising.)
On the other hand, Dubai, together with its emirate neighbors, has achieved the state of the art in the disenfranchisement of labor. Trade unions, strikes, and agitators are illegal, and 99% of the private-sector workforce are easily deportable non-citizens. Indeed, the deep thinkers at the American Enterprise and Cato institutes must salivate when they contemplate the system of classes and entitlements in Dubai.
Be sure to check out this related post: Just How Fast is Shanghai Growing?
Link to the BBC site. Images taken by Pier Pistocchi.
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69 Responses to “Just How Fast is Dubai Growing?”
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I wrote this on the other article linked on this page; this statistic is pretty insane:
“The World Bank reckons that the reconstruction of Iraq is going to cost $53bn. Here, along the strip of footballer-friendly sand that stretches 25 miles or so along the shores of the Persian Gulf, there is, at a rough estimate, about $100bn worth of projects either underway or planned for the near future. That is a numbing figure, ungraspable. It is the equivalent of every single dollar invested in the United States from abroad last year; almost twice the foreign investment in China.”
I think that may explain why those buildings are going up so fast.
The original photograph was labeled with an incorrect date. It was taken in 1991.
Quite a manifesto there, chief. Amazing you managed to take a picture of Dubai and launch it into a breathless rant against libertarians (Cato). I’m not sure why you think Cato would approve of entitlements or excessive government intervention in the labor markets. Next time just stick to the pretty pictures and avoid the leftist agitprop.
Name says:With oil at $73/barrel, it’s pocket change to them. However compare that to the half trillion dollars Bush is spending in Iraq with nothing to show except death.
Mark says:OMG… that’s amazing.
Pete says:Is this a great example to the region of what the West means? Urbanisation, flaunting of a wealthy lifestyle, personal gratification? All built on the shifting sands of oil income and an underclass workforce?
I’m no Islamist, but this place is kinda shameful.
orson says:“the las vegas of the middle east”
wow.. it grow very fast. from just few buildings until a lot of buildings and no more can see sands. :D
SpiderMonkey says:I love these kinds of photos. It’s like real-life Sim City …
[...] 11 years has made a world of difference in Dubai.read more | digg story [...]
U can sort of see where I live …
I am not sure what neo-liberal is, but does it mean the following?
+ stealth taxation
+ exploitation of Asian workers
+ no freedoms of speech, association, religion, etc.
+ no democratic process
+ lack of transpareny at all levels of government
+ censorship of the internet
+ freedom to launder the proceeds of crime
+ failure to implement UN and other conventions on human rights
+ an inadequate system of justice
+ poorly implmented health, safety and building regulations
+ etc.
sam6 says:One of the main secret behind this boom in Dubai is, I think is its modern infrastructure, safe environment plus non oil trade. Please note that Dubai has the least revenue from oil , its financial power comes from free trade. Business are offered great freedom as there are no price controls, some retail shops brag that they go for more than 200% profit margins on goods, no control on advertising bogus claims, it is the perfect easy going business with minimal government red tape. Business men are the main consultants for the government they also help as architects of expansions.
Where in the world can a hotel expand its premises even if that means remapping the streets around it? Check with Marriot Dubai on that one.
sam6 made some very good points to which I should add:
+ Post 9/11 Dubai has benefited from substantial investment from the rest of Arabia.
+ Whilst Dubai is very business friendly, the cost of doing business has increased dramatically
+ Some interesting people are based here too.
You might like to know …
Small to medium sized businesses are moving away from Dubai’s free zones, put off by high rents and a lack of space, reported Gulf News. Companies are looking to other emirates such as Ras Al Khaimah which cost significantly less than Dubai. A start up business in RAK can expect to pay $6,000 for a year’s rental plus trade licence, while in Dubai, a similar operation could pay around $27,000.
[...] check out these 2 pictures, just amazing that only in 14 years time.., its basically Sim City. Also, I recently saw an article on a local tv-station, Kanaal3, about Belgian dredging company Jan De Nul building a 310-hectare island on Dubai waterfront. Must be the oil. [...]
[...] [...]
Pier Pistocchi says:Hi
Thanks for crediting me with the Dubai ‘Now and Then’ Photos, very flattering! However I had not taken the images. I was emailed them by one of my customers last year and the BBC website were doing a section of before and now. I just emailed them the pictures, thats all.!
Ben Dover says:That is amazing. are they gonna have titty bars there? i think that might be a bigger attraction than their proposed Jurassic Park idea…yikes.
The title says “Just How Fast in Dubai Growing?” instead of “Just How Fast is Duabi Growing”
niaz deys says:Its a country full of racisim. Treat asians as 3rd class and 4th class. Police making comments like they are only for the Arabs and Whites. Very poor judiciary system
Said says:that is imposible between 4-5 years to build like that…… talles but not only it there are a lot of buildings looks like a New York city,,,, I think after two tree years will be better than NY city incredible!
Escarlata says:blog400 wt sup?
keep your comments to yourself many people like Dubai & they
hope they can live there..!!
Nobody force u 2 stay!!
Originally who r u to take and to judge dubai this way!!!!
i belive u r from the Asian workers!!!
thank ur God thounsent times that u can live there
lgkool says:Unbelievable isnt it? The magnitude and scale of the growth of this city. I would certainly like to visit. But reading how hostile they are towards asians i dont think it would be the right place for a black person. Are they hostile towards black people as well? What a shame cause its truely the most modern and futuristic city in existence.
muriithi ben says:amaizing!sameone in the states should borrow a leaf from this unfighting islam……the us should now start rebuilding iraq with this kind of ideas….
mcben says:blog 400!!probablly from the U.S where there is all that freedom and yet your goverment uses a good ammount of your resourse on iraq…..the U.S was a ‘first world’ let others be what you blood thirst beast cant be;ARCHITECH GIANTS.
P.ES says:I’ve traveled to Dubai 3 times and everytime I go there its looks different (Better ofcourse!)
Its just so amazing how they get things done in there!
Sudden City…
A sidebar to the previous post on Manufactured landscapes: just how fast is Dubai growing? We have read plenty about the ambitious emirate’s (current population: 1.5 million) concentration of cranes (second only to Shanghai), artificial palm-shaped pe…
I lived in Dubai for 9 years. When I moved there it was as a result of a holiday. I thought it was all sand and camels but was mistaken.
Dubai offered at that time, un imaginable opportunity for young people who were willing to work in a hands on country. Yes there was a lot of red tape, but when you learnt how to play the game you could be very successful, very quickly.
I thank the UAE for the way it has made me look at obstacles in business and move over, around or under them. The UK has too much red tape, rules and so forth which in fact hinder its success.
I for one will move away shortly, to somewhere such as Morocco that is now, where Dubai was some 15 or so years ago.
Well Dubai is a place like no other, i went to dubai for the three times in a row,it;s beautiful and they realise their dreams to make dubai a premier tourist address in the world and they succeeding.congratulation,the world is admiring u.
a random surfer says:I love dubai. it is an architectural amusement park. it amazes me every day .
coree cofey says:dubai is so lame i never wanna go there again!
mallika says:I LOVE DUBAI,I WAS BORN THERE SO IF PPL,SAY DUBAI IS BAD DONT,CAUSE I TOTTALY DISAGREE,BUT IF U SAY ITS GOOD,THXU!
XOX
[...] It will have the density of Manhattan, on an artificial island. Minaret-inspired towers will stretch eighty stories into the air. Mosques will dot the landscape, abutting a gigantic 44-story sphere. The whole thing would be ringed by a boardwalk, except in the northeast: there, the grid system would dissolve, into a traditional souk, filled with back alleys and shortcuts. If anyone can do it, it’s Dubai. In recent years, Dubai has exploded, in seemingly every architectural direction possible. They already built the world’s largest artificial island, in the shape of the palm tree. The estimate that they are using one of every three of the world’s cranes, however, seems to be a slight exaggeration: it’s maybe only one out of five. [...]
Izzy says:Dubai is an amazing city, I can’t find the words to describe its beauty. Dubai is a city built with modern technology and ideas; cities like New York are beautiful as well, but New York is old, Dubai is young. As a future architect I cannot emphasize how insperational and exciting a city like Dubai is. I hope I get the chance to design a structure in Dubai or a city like it.
Cool article, also check out the PDF here:
http://www.colinfitz.com/everything-in-dubai-is-big/
[...] read more | digg story [...]
dubai rules its soooooo cheao i bought a ps3 for 100 pounds english add me bobbyx786@hotmail.co.uk
dubia rules i luv it i went there 4 6 month i stayed in a hotel. it cheap. so stay in skool kid say no to drugs. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxV. K.a
DW says:Frankly, I find Dubai a bit over the top, lots of dough but no class. I have heard that they have created a two class system — locals v. foreigners. You can’t really own a business in Dubai without having a local as a “partner” who essentially lends his name and citizenship to the enterprise, letting his foreign (probably minority) partner do all the real work to run the business and make the profits of which he collects his share. All for lending his name! I wonder what the long term effects would end up being — creating an entire generation of people who don’t know what it takes to really earn a living.
dhaz says:Dear DW, if you want to start a company you need a sponsor not a partenr, although this can be considered so. Nobody is going to give shares of a company they are running for nothing and if somebody thinks it is worth to pay this kind of “partner” a fee or share of profits, then why not? The question is is it owrth it? and if it really is, then again why not? There are other ways to get around and one of them is to pay your sponsor a fee and sign a purchase contract of his shares. Other options are to have your own company in places like media city and many more where you can now own it 100% without sponsor.
here in dubai right now. very interesting.
AMANDA JOHNSON says:IM SURE NO ONE HAS THOUGHT MUCH ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE THE ONES PHYSICALLY BUILDING THIS EXPANSION. IT’S VERY POOR MIGRANT WORKERS WHO HAVE TO WORK 10-14 HOURS A DAY IN THE DESERT SUN. AND THINK ABOUT WHAT IT WOULD FEEL LIKE TO BE WORKING ON TOP OF ONE OF THOSE BUILDINGS. THE SUN IS LITERALLY ON YOUR FACE! 900 DEATHS FROM HEAT STROKE WERE RECORDED IN 2005, THE MIGRANTS ARE PAID A DOLLAR AN HOUR, AND THEY’RE FORCED TO LIVE IN WALLED-UP SLUMS SO TOURISTS AND RICH ELETISTS CAN’T EVEN SEE THEM. THIS CITY IS BASED ON SLAVE LABOR AND QUICKLY LOSING ANY KIND OF AUTHENTIC IDENTITY. MIKE DAVIS- YOU’RE IGNORANT AND A RACIST. WHAT YOU SAID SPELLS OUT EXACTLY THE TYPE OF MIND SET THAT HAS LEAD TO THIER OPPRESSION. DURING RHAMADAN, THE CITY WAS STILL SERVING ALCOHOL AND FOOD. THE HOLIDAY WAS REPLACED BY MADE-UP ONES LIKE, “THE DUBAI MALL FESTIVAL DAYS.” THAT’S MORE IMPORTANT THAN RHAMADAN?!!!! LAWS ARE NOW ACCOMIDATING TO RICH FOREIGNERS WHO COME IN WHEN THE MIGRANT LABORERS MAKE UP NEARLY 80% OF THE POPULATION AND HAVE NEARLY NO RIGHTS OR MONEY. THIS CITY IS EXPANDING TOO MUCH FOR ITS OWN GOOD AND WILL EVENTUALLY, IF NOT SOON, COLLAPSE. FOR EXAMPLE, SOON AFTER THE 9/11 ATTACKS, TOURISM CAME TO A STAND STILL AND DUBAI LOST A LOT OF MONEY. SHEIKH MOUKTUM AND HIS ADMINISTRATORS WERE VERY SCARED. WHAT IF SOMETHING WERE TO HAPPEN WHERE THE TOURISM WOULD STOP ALTOGETHER? AND THE FACT THAT THE OPPRESSED AND SEGREGATED MIGRANTS ARE NOW ALLOWED TO UNIONIZE COULD MEAN TERRORISM. WHAT IF THEY WERE TO MOBILIZE AGAINST THE CITY THAT’S KILLING THEM? THEY WOULD WIN, SINCE THEY OUTNUMBER THE TOURISTS AND THE RICH 8:1. THEY ALSO HAVE COMPLETE CONTROL OF THE BUILDING CRANES AND OTHER HEAVY EQUIPMENT THAT COULD MEAN THE DESTRUCTION OF THE ENTIRE CITY, BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN DAMAGE.
THIS IS THE REALITY OF THIS CITY THAT IS BEING BUILT ON THE SLAVE LABOR OF 80% OF THE POPULATION. IT COULD EASILY SPELL DISASTER AND A SOCIAL WAR FOR AN ENTIRE REGION.
dubai is a beutiful palve but also no1 worked on it propleyy in 2005 it needed to more work so ppl can surrond and have more freedom to go evrywhere
PJ says:I have a comment for Amanda. I HAVE LIVED IN DUBAI FOR A LONG TIME AND WITH ALL DO RESPECT TO WHAT YOU’VE SAID, ALL COUNTRIES STARTED OFF LIKE THAT: CHEAP LABOR, ETC…. AND SOME (NO NEED TO NAME) ARE STILL. WHERE DO YOU THINK DAIMONDS COME FROM?! WHO MINES FOR THEM?! POOR SLAVES FROM AFRICA THEY GET PAID LESS THAN $100 A MONTH AND ONE DAIMOND CUT SELLS FOR MILLIONS. BELIEVE ME, I AGREE THAT THE WORKERS AREN’T TREATED GOOD ENOUGH, BUT THIS DOESN’T REFLECT THE COUNTRY’S VIEW ON CHEAP LABOR, IT IS JUST THE BUSINESSMEN WHO AIM FOR THE CHEAPEST NOT THE GOVERNMENT. YET, THOSE WORKERS STILL MAKE MORE MONEY THAN THEY DID IN THEIR COUNTRY. SO PLEASE DON’T JUDGE WITHOUT KNOWING THE REASONS.
PEACE AND GOD BLESS EVERYONE
amanda Johnson says:you are right that every country starts off that way, but it is the government that still approves the massive expansion with the richest building companies in the world, instead of taking better care of their people- they concentrate on buildings. Im arguing for the reformation that they could break a cycle here because they have so much more they could do for these laborers- the least of all is to pay them a dollar more an hour. yes, of course they are still making more than they would in thier home country- that’s not the point. it’s very segregated spending and their economy is extremely unstable. and you can’t imagine the type of isolation these men face when they have no choice but to move to a core country because other wise thier children starve. Im arguing for the better sharing of wealth because too many people have suffered through history and too much of the world is still suffering and starving. of course it’s happened through out history- but i thinks about fuckin time we try to change that corruption in our world!
reem maury says:it’s really shame and sad how they are trating people (workers) in dubai, i’ve been working there for the last 3 years and i really heat it ,it’s just good to visited and no more than a week, opss try not to drink you will go jail, very funny, and oh don’t get a girl or boy friend also jail, just just work like animal to bay your rent and hve some food, good lucke
Ashley says:Lovely photography right there.
Insane development. Let’s thank all the slave labour that’s gone into it!
Thank you men in jumpsuits!
We owe you more than what the businesses in these buildings could ever imaine for you life’s dedication to every bolt and laid down brick!
Ahmed miyan says:I was in dubai from 1981 to 1986 warking in ETA comany as a Electric foreman and my lordging place is in Gisus near the graveyard in ETA camp Opp AST camp and Juma-ul-majid camp. At that time in dubai there was few building was there in bar-dubai the first building was constructed is the citibank i worked there complete one year.
Now i am looking the dubai on internet i got shock this is dubai of heavan of the earth. I hope that dubai will develope more and more in feature and become the most popular city of the world and break the world record in all field. The complete credit go to the king of Dubai.
Noor says:Those who say Dubai is making people suffer are very mistaken. i live in dubai, i was born here infact. im 21 right now and im working in dubai. im lebanese, a foreigner not a local but we are all treated equally. i bought a villa in dubai not rent ” BOUGHT it”. it may be an expensive place to live in but most countries are nowadays. dubai is a city of amusment. if u look at the pics above again, u will realize that shit loads of money and a large number of labourers were hired and this job did not get finished in a day or two. on the contrary, It took YEARS!! its fascinating. i love dubai. everything here, is out of this world. not even the U.S.A or any othe developed country can compare to Dubai. the tallest building in the world is being here right now, right this instant as i type. the first under water hotel is being built here, the one and only 7 star ******* hotel “Burj Al Arab” is in dubai. no other country in the world has a 7 star hotel. a metro is being built right now as i type. not an underground one, no!!! the railway track is above the roads, so as ur driving ,….u can actually see the train passing by. the first Gorgio Armani hotel is being built inside Burj Dubai… Downtown Dubai is being built which consisits of thousands shopping malls…very exquisit ones. Mall of the emirates, the largest shopping mall in the world is in dubai with a built in Ski dome with snow. this is the greatness of Dubai.. it is a desert and does not get snow so they built ski dubai for ppl to experience everything and not need to travel for snow or sun. Mall of Arabia is going to be the largest mall in the world and is still under construction. it is going to be 3 times the size of mall of the emirates. a jurassic park is being built in dubai with fake but realistic looking dinosaurs, a city of wonders is also being built with the Eiffel tower, the pyramids in Egypt, Taj Mahal, hanging gardens of Babylon, all the 7 wonders of the world being built and are exactly the same size as the real ones. IT is facinating once you know facts about dubai. plz go online and look up Dubai. read about it, you will fall in love with it at first sight.
Noor says:i also forgot to mention that Dubai is building the largest sports stadium in the world and it also consists of islands. 3 shaped like palms and they are called the palm islands.. each side of the palms have houses on them. yes ppl live on the palm islands and they are rather expensive. another island is “the world”. shaped like the earth with little islands shaped like continents. plz…go on google and type all these things.. click on images on google and watch…it is rather fasicinating and unbeliveable..from a desert to one of the most developed cities in the world.
Sonia says:Yea Dubai! It’s like a dream Eh! Born here in 1978- Probably ma folks then didn’t know they’d want out Expats so fast! Funny! Always Opted for UAE instead of UK or US and dis is a heartbreak! Can’t go to a decent Pub Nmore…End up watching some Form of Laid back Lap-Dancing @ all times! Dubaiites get ready to hibernate! Snuggle up wid loads of vids, Classics or what eva suits ur taste bcoz Toll Taxes 4 a city sixteen times smaller than Washington DC r cumn up in Sept!! U Might as well stay @ home…Who eva’ says dat in Dubai everun in treated nicely? Ask the Asian couple who planned to have a neat nite out at Trilogy and were racially barred from Entering the club! What eva’ The situations here only gets worse! Use and Abuse Dubai! Keep it Up!
Sonia says:[quote comment="41418"]Those who say Dubai is making people suffer are very mistaken. i live in dubai, i was born here infact. im 21 right now and im working in dubai. im lebanese, a foreigner not a local but we are all treated equally. i bought a villa in dubai not rent ” BOUGHT it”. it may be an expensive place to live in but most countries are nowadays. dubai is a city of amusment. if u look at the pics above again, u will realize that shit loads of money and a large number of labourers were hired and this job did not get finished in a day or two. on the contrary, It took YEARS!! its fascinating. i love dubai. everything here, is out of this world. not even the U.S.A or any othe developed country can compare to Dubai. the tallest building in the world is being here right now, right this instant as i type. the first under water hotel is being built here, the one and only 7 star ******* hotel “Burj Al Arab” is in dubai. no other country in the world has a 7 star hotel. a metro is being built right now as i type. not an underground one, no!!! the railway track is above the roads, so as ur driving ,….u can actually see the train passing by. the first Gorgio Armani hotel is being built inside Burj Dubai… Downtown Dubai is being built which consisits of thousands shopping malls…very exquisit ones. Mall of the emirates, the largest shopping mall in the world is in dubai with a built in Ski dome with snow. this is the greatness of Dubai.. it is a desert and does not get snow so they built ski dubai for ppl to experience everything and not need to travel for snow or sun. Mall of Arabia is going to be the largest mall in the world and is still under construction. it is going to be 3 times the size of mall of the emirates. a jurassic park is being built in dubai with fake but realistic looking dinosaurs, a city of wonders is also being built with the Eiffel tower, the pyramids in Egypt, Taj Mahal, hanging gardens of Babylon, all the 7 wonders of the world being built and are exactly the same size as the real ones. IT is facinating once you know facts about dubai. plz go online and look up Dubai. read about it, you will fall in love with it at first sight.[/quote]
yea u will fall in lv wid dubai n like me regret it latr (lol) gal who r u kidding! Oh yea and filthy rich ppl probably like yourself could expect to go sking once in a while, where as middle class and/or labor class can only look at you and wonder if have some free tickets to spare. According
to u honey, they don’t deserve the luxury of fake snow - Thanks to all the high-pricing because you think all they do best is build buildings or get burnt in building construction fires- Why don’t you try the Metro when it Comes- I’m sure your stylied car deserves a break (and so does your chauffeur)! Grow Up Pls….
Allah bless people of UAE
bla says:when the oil runs out …give it a years see if dubai is still building things like the ones you’ve described.
Birdman1 says:guys, it’s New Babylon.
Sonia says:I also forgot to mention that Dubai is building the world’s largest toilet where all Dubailites can come to take enormous shiii - itttess. You know that needs to happen with all the hummus we be eaten.
Sonia says:There are 2 titty bars in Dubai to be exact. THE WORLD”S LARGGGGGEST! The first being “Sand In My Crotch” where the stirppers dig through the sand erotically instead of pole dancing. The second is “Allah’s Place”. A fine upscale gentleman’s club with a twist. If a patron displays any kind of blasphemy, they cut off your fingers. Must be why nobody every walks in.
natedog says:Nag, nag, nag!! First of all, a reply for the idiot who commented about “when the oil runs out”…Dubai has no oil left in comparison with the big oil countries, so they do not rely upon oil money. As for all of those nagging on and on about “slave labour”, nobody forced those workers to come to the UAE and work. You act as if they were rounded up and forced to work for their freedom. They CHOSE to come to Dubai instead of sitting on their asses in their home country. Besides, the world needs ditch diggers too. Why don’t you Dubai skeptics look at the U.S. and their bed buddy, the U.K. and see how they just take what they want from any country, by force and not the choice of the people. The workers in Dubai have chosen to be there, if they don’t like it, go home.
Brandon says:I’m an American living in California and we have lots of immagrants working here for poor wages. I don’t understand why every one screams about slave labor in Dubai when the Americans do it to the Mexicans and Western Europe does it to Poland. How do you think a city or country grows? Maybe IMMAGRANTION! So if you want to piont a finger piont it at yourself and find out how your countries are taking advantage of somebody. Thanks, go Dubai!
George says:I think the thing that is most important is how unnatural it all is. How long will these buildings be here? I think that if anyone wants to have a sturdy and dependable culture and surrounding that they should take time to build the spaces in which they live. I don’t particularly dislike whats happening in Dubai structurally but it frightens me. I see it everywhere, it is not as large scale but its just the same. Where I live they are tearing down buildings that have held strong for years and years and then a month later there will be an arby’s or a condominium. There are pyramids that are still standing from so long ago, temples that have survived for centuries, and whoever built them sure as hell took their time making the blueprints.
PrinceKing says:why is everyone bitching and crying about dubai, dubai happens to be the fastest growing country in many ways. if they can afford to cover their sl 600 with swarovski crystals why the fu ck not? if they want to drive their lamborghini murcielago over a speed bump @ 110mph so let them do as they please. even changing the body on their audi A8 into .999 pure silver i say they shouldve use platinum.!! all of you people who bitch about gas prices hitting $5 a gallon and than hate on dubai and complain about it and their people need a reality check
just because you work a dead end job,kissing you bosses ass, biting your tongue for customers, cheating on ur spouses is not their fault. if you cant afford it dont complain about it, do something about it. im tired of hearing people nag about ” dubai is building on your gas money” so what its called BUSINESS, you loose some and you gain some and dubai happens to know how to gain.
people emailing and fowarding ” good to know where our dollar is being spent” ” this is what your paying for” need to get a life… they have every right to build an underwater hotel, the largets amusement park, the largest and most beautiful buidlings, the largest indoor ski resort, malls, airports etc. i would love to see a floating 7 star hotel on the ocean horizon. let them be, let them spend their money without morons like yourselfs who cant see other people happy becuase they themselves are miserable.
if america can profit on the expenses of the poor, pay ridiculous amounts of money on parties, paintings, researches and yet be in debt, falling property values, incresed taxes, economy going down the drain, hell america is going into recession as we speak and all you say and do is point at duabi like a crying baby.
the us goverment can spend billions of dollars on creating the latest weapons of mass destruction yet they can not help the homless, the poor, the hungery?? why? rich people in america spend $50 million dollars on houses in california, new york, miami and no one bitches about that? no is doing anything about the health system in america where thousands of people and children are dying because GW Bush wants to invade the middle east so him and pappa can pretend that they relate to the people. america is shooting itslef in the feet. how can a counrty look after and protect other countries and thier people when americans like ourselves are suffering.
lets not forget that america has great places too. im not against america i love this country because i benifit from the system and i know how it works. i love the mansions, the exoctic over prices cars even thought they are made else where but who cares, does anyone know what it takes to build a fighter jet? a nuclear bomb? a stealth plane? forget that how much does it cost? now if you dont know and mayb you play call 4 you might get a clue? this is just presented to me from a video game i dont know the facts but think about it 1.6 billion to build a fighter jet, 83000 for a missile o whatever it is and yet america is falling into depression. people pay for these things bugatti veryon is suppose to be the worlds fastest most expensive car, people buy them, but i never heard of people talking shit about them because they bought expenive vehicles, i dont hear you say that the italians are are over charging for their lambos. if you can afford to wipe your ass with gold paper please wipe ass many times ass you can….
i dont care if gas reaches $10 a gallon and i dont mind paying $5 a gallon drving my 5.0L V8 beacuse guess what i can afford it and i will be able to afford it when it reach $6 this summer, if I , we the people of america can afford to than way not, no one complains when you buy a $5000 lcd but immediately scorn dubai for their masterpieces
if america can stimulate the economy where income is greater than expenditure and people can afford to spend without thinking twice than maybe it wouldnt matter if gas was 5 bucks a gallon. people wouldnt complain about prices rasing. how cheap is a country where they start charging their customers for their aditional lugage, for example i travled not too long ago, i have 4 suit cases. checked them, all in no extra fee. now you can check in one suitcase and any additioal luggage will qualify for an additional $25 or whatever the fee is. they charge a fuel surcharge now even after youve paid lets say a minimum of 600 dollars for a ticket. and why does a ticket cost so much anyways? arent all these surcharges and service fees what makes a ticket about a couple hundred dollars?
people who complain and point toward dubai are the poison on american sociaty they have rotted into vast nothingness and are affraid to look in the mirror.
if you havent figured it out already, america is a bully they will go to anymeans to get what they want even if it means killing their own kind.
america will remain infectious to others. dubai will become the centre of the world and america will fall in the shadows of dubai. do your research and if you beleive what you see in movies firgure out what sin city used to be? a fucking desrt. and dont hurt yourself with this but dubai was and is still a desert and they havnt finished yet, dubai knows how to spend their money and they do it the best possible way MONEY can get.
ive been to dubai and i love it everytime is a new experience maybe if half the people who complain visit dubai might and will like it if they havent already.
so people please stop forwarding bullshit time wasting emails. be a good patron and do as your told. STFU
William Owen says:The first photo graph was actually taken in the 1970′s when they were building the Dubai Trade Center from where the photogtspher took the picture. The Trade Center was completed in 1979. The tower blocks in the foreground are the Trade Center apartments. I have lived in Dubai since 1981 and I know the Shk Zayeed road did not look like that in 1990. I had photo’s I had taken from the top of the DTC but I lent them to the Gulf News and never got them back. Oh for digital photography then and I could show you a picture.
What I have got is a 1983 aerial picture of the “100 villas” where the Marina now sits and believe me that has the same “wow” effect as rgw picture above.
Ryan says:[quote comment="43393"]why is everyone bitching and crying about dubai, dubai happens to be the fastest growing country in many ways. if they can afford to cover their sl 600 with swarovski crystals why the fu ck not? if they want to drive their lamborghini murcielago over a speed bump @ 110mph so let them do as they please. even changing the body on their audi A8 into .999 pure silver i say they shouldve use platinum.!! all of you people who bitch about gas prices hitting $5 a gallon and than hate on dubai and complain about it and their people need a reality check
just because you work a dead end job,kissing you bosses ass, biting your tongue for customers, cheating on ur spouses is not their fault. if you cant afford it dont complain about it, do something about it. im tired of hearing people nag about ” dubai is building on your gas money” so what its called BUSINESS, you loose some and you gain some and dubai happens to know how to gain.
people emailing and fowarding ” good to know where our dollar is being spent” ” this is what your paying for” need to get a life… they have every right to build an underwater hotel, the largets amusement park, the largest and most beautiful buidlings, the largest indoor ski resort, malls, airports etc. i would love to see a floating 7 star hotel on the ocean horizon. let them be, let them spend their money without morons like yourselfs who cant see other people happy becuase they themselves are miserable.
if america can profit on the expenses of the poor, pay ridiculous amounts of money on parties, paintings, researches and yet be in debt, falling property values, incresed taxes, economy going down the drain, hell america is going into recession as we speak and all you say and do is point at duabi like a crying baby.
the us goverment can spend billions of dollars on creating the latest weapons of mass destruction yet they can not help the homless, the poor, the hungery?? why? rich people in america spend $50 million dollars on houses in california, new york, miami and no one bitches about that? no is doing anything about the health system in america where thousands of people and children are dying because GW Bush wants to invade the middle east so him and pappa can pretend that they relate to the people. america is shooting itslef in the feet. how can a counrty look after and protect other countries and thier people when americans like ourselves are suffering.
lets not forget that america has great places too. im not against america i love this country because i benifit from the system and i know how it works. i love the mansions, the exoctic over prices cars even thought they are made else where but who cares, does anyone know what it takes to build a fighter jet? a nuclear bomb? a stealth plane? forget that how much does it cost? now if you dont know and mayb you play call 4 you might get a clue? this is just presented to me from a video game i dont know the facts but think about it 1.6 billion to build a fighter jet, 83000 for a missile o whatever it is and yet america is falling into depression. people pay for these things bugatti veryon is suppose to be the worlds fastest most expensive car, people buy them, but i never heard of people talking shit about them because they bought expenive vehicles, i dont hear you say that the italians are are over charging for their lambos. if you can afford to wipe your ass with gold paper please wipe ass many times ass you can….
i dont care if gas reaches $10 a gallon and i dont mind paying $5 a gallon drving my 5.0L V8 beacuse guess what i can afford it and i will be able to afford it when it reach $6 this summer, if I , we the people of america can afford to than way not, no one complains when you buy a $5000 lcd but immediately scorn dubai for their masterpieces
if america can stimulate the economy where income is greater than expenditure and people can afford to spend without thinking twice than maybe it wouldnt matter if gas was 5 bucks a gallon. people wouldnt complain about prices rasing. how cheap is a country where they start charging their customers for their aditional lugage, for example i travled not too long ago, i have 4 suit cases. checked them, all in no extra fee. now you can check in one suitcase and any additioal luggage will qualify for an additional $25 or whatever the fee is. they charge a fuel surcharge now even after youve paid lets say a minimum of 600 dollars for a ticket. and why does a ticket cost so much anyways? arent all these surcharges and service fees what makes a ticket about a couple hundred dollars?
people who complain and point toward dubai are the poison on american sociaty they have rotted into vast nothingness and are affraid to look in the mirror.
if you havent figured it out already, america is a bully they will go to anymeans to get what they want even if it means killing their own kind.
america will remain infectious to others. dubai will become the centre of the world and america will fall in the shadows of dubai. do your research and if you beleive what you see in movies firgure out what sin city used to be? a fucking desrt. and dont hurt yourself with this but dubai was and is still a desert and they havnt finished yet, dubai knows how to spend their money and they do it the best possible way MONEY can get.
ive been to dubai and i love it everytime is a new experience maybe if half the people who complain visit dubai might and will like it if they havent already.
so people please stop forwarding bullshit time wasting emails. be a good patron and do as your told. STFU[/quote]
wow, so much to say yet we all already knew you were dumber than a door knob in the first sentence… dubai isnt a country bro
[...] a city from Gunther Machu on Vimeo.Some screenshots from the film:You might want to also check out this previous post about just how fast Dubai is [...]
[...] one that didn’t exist a mere twenty years ago.Be sure to check out this related post: Just How Fast is Dubai Growing?Larger image source. Pudong street image source; Nanjing Road image source. Tuesday, December 21st, [...]
[...] Paper Planes 4. Michael Hows’ Fallout Shelter Pictures 5. NYC Key to the City Project 6. Just How Fast is Dubai Growing? 7. Favela Painting in Rio de Janerio 8. The Light Graffiti of Denis Smith 9. A Fortress of Solitude [...]
While I earlier made a comment on http://www.magicalurbanism.com/archives/125 I clicked the - “notify me”- checkbox and after this whenever a new comment is added on Just How Fast is Dubai Growing? | Magical Urbanism web page, I recieve a couple of email messages utilizing the similar feedback. Is there by any means it is possible to eliminate myself out of that services? Thanks!
Jacob says:Worst place in the world!!!!! Racism everywhere! Class racism repression! Lost souls roaming throughout the streets. Its truly bogus and suited for the weak and destitute. If you come from nothing chances are you’ll make nothing, however if you can make to America you will truly become free!
that. is. unbelievable.
almost terrifying, really.
I wrote this on the other article linked on this page; this statistic is pretty insane:
“The World Bank reckons that the reconstruction of Iraq is going to cost $53bn. Here, along the strip of footballer-friendly sand that stretches 25 miles or so along the shores of the Persian Gulf, there is, at a rough estimate, about $100bn worth of projects either underway or planned for the near future. That is a numbing figure, ungraspable. It is the equivalent of every single dollar invested in the United States from abroad last year; almost twice the foreign investment in China.”
I think that may explain why those buildings are going up so fast.
The original photograph was labeled with an incorrect date. It was taken in 1991.
Quite a manifesto there, chief. Amazing you managed to take a picture of Dubai and launch it into a breathless rant against libertarians (Cato). I’m not sure why you think Cato would approve of entitlements or excessive government intervention in the labor markets. Next time just stick to the pretty pictures and avoid the leftist agitprop.
With oil at $73/barrel, it’s pocket change to them. However compare that to the half trillion dollars Bush is spending in Iraq with nothing to show except death.
OMG… that’s amazing.
Is this a great example to the region of what the West means? Urbanisation, flaunting of a wealthy lifestyle, personal gratification? All built on the shifting sands of oil income and an underclass workforce?
I’m no Islamist, but this place is kinda shameful.
“the las vegas of the middle east”
wow.. it grow very fast. from just few buildings until a lot of buildings and no more can see sands. :D
I love these kinds of photos. It’s like real-life Sim City …
[...] 11 years has made a world of difference in Dubai.read more | digg story [...]
U can sort of see where I live …
I am not sure what neo-liberal is, but does it mean the following?
+ stealth taxation
+ exploitation of Asian workers
+ no freedoms of speech, association, religion, etc.
+ no democratic process
+ lack of transpareny at all levels of government
+ censorship of the internet
+ freedom to launder the proceeds of crime
+ failure to implement UN and other conventions on human rights
+ an inadequate system of justice
+ poorly implmented health, safety and building regulations
+ etc.
One of the main secret behind this boom in Dubai is, I think is its modern infrastructure, safe environment plus non oil trade. Please note that Dubai has the least revenue from oil , its financial power comes from free trade. Business are offered great freedom as there are no price controls, some retail shops brag that they go for more than 200% profit margins on goods, no control on advertising bogus claims, it is the perfect easy going business with minimal government red tape. Business men are the main consultants for the government they also help as architects of expansions.
Where in the world can a hotel expand its premises even if that means remapping the streets around it? Check with Marriot Dubai on that one.
sam6 made some very good points to which I should add:
+ Post 9/11 Dubai has benefited from substantial investment from the rest of Arabia.
+ Whilst Dubai is very business friendly, the cost of doing business has increased dramatically
+ Some interesting people are based here too.
You might like to know …
Small to medium sized businesses are moving away from Dubai’s free zones, put off by high rents and a lack of space, reported Gulf News. Companies are looking to other emirates such as Ras Al Khaimah which cost significantly less than Dubai. A start up business in RAK can expect to pay $6,000 for a year’s rental plus trade licence, while in Dubai, a similar operation could pay around $27,000.
[...] check out these 2 pictures, just amazing that only in 14 years time.., its basically Sim City. Also, I recently saw an article on a local tv-station, Kanaal3, about Belgian dredging company Jan De Nul building a 310-hectare island on Dubai waterfront. Must be the oil. [...]
[...] [...]
Hi
Thanks for crediting me with the Dubai ‘Now and Then’ Photos, very flattering! However I had not taken the images. I was emailed them by one of my customers last year and the BBC website were doing a section of before and now. I just emailed them the pictures, thats all.!
That is amazing. are they gonna have titty bars there? i think that might be a bigger attraction than their proposed Jurassic Park idea…yikes.
The title says “Just How Fast in Dubai Growing?” instead of “Just How Fast is Duabi Growing”
Its a country full of racisim. Treat asians as 3rd class and 4th class. Police making comments like they are only for the Arabs and Whites. Very poor judiciary system
that is imposible between 4-5 years to build like that…… talles but not only it there are a lot of buildings looks like a New York city,,,, I think after two tree years will be better than NY city incredible!
blog400 wt sup?
keep your comments to yourself many people like Dubai & they
hope they can live there..!!
Nobody force u 2 stay!!
Originally who r u to take and to judge dubai this way!!!!
i belive u r from the Asian workers!!!
thank ur God thounsent times that u can live there
Unbelievable isnt it? The magnitude and scale of the growth of this city. I would certainly like to visit. But reading how hostile they are towards asians i dont think it would be the right place for a black person. Are they hostile towards black people as well? What a shame cause its truely the most modern and futuristic city in existence.
amaizing!sameone in the states should borrow a leaf from this unfighting islam……the us should now start rebuilding iraq with this kind of ideas….
blog 400!!probablly from the U.S where there is all that freedom and yet your goverment uses a good ammount of your resourse on iraq…..the U.S was a ‘first world’ let others be what you blood thirst beast cant be;ARCHITECH GIANTS.
I’ve traveled to Dubai 3 times and everytime I go there its looks different (Better ofcourse!)
Its just so amazing how they get things done in there!
Sudden City…
A sidebar to the previous post on Manufactured landscapes: just how fast is Dubai growing? We have read plenty about the ambitious emirate’s (current population: 1.5 million) concentration of cranes (second only to Shanghai), artificial palm-shaped pe…
I lived in Dubai for 9 years. When I moved there it was as a result of a holiday. I thought it was all sand and camels but was mistaken.
Dubai offered at that time, un imaginable opportunity for young people who were willing to work in a hands on country. Yes there was a lot of red tape, but when you learnt how to play the game you could be very successful, very quickly.
I thank the UAE for the way it has made me look at obstacles in business and move over, around or under them. The UK has too much red tape, rules and so forth which in fact hinder its success.
I for one will move away shortly, to somewhere such as Morocco that is now, where Dubai was some 15 or so years ago.
Well Dubai is a place like no other, i went to dubai for the three times in a row,it;s beautiful and they realise their dreams to make dubai a premier tourist address in the world and they succeeding.congratulation,the world is admiring u.
I love dubai. it is an architectural amusement park. it amazes me every day .
dubai is so lame i never wanna go there again!
I LOVE DUBAI,I WAS BORN THERE SO IF PPL,SAY DUBAI IS BAD DONT,CAUSE I TOTTALY DISAGREE,BUT IF U SAY ITS GOOD,THXU!
XOX
[...] It will have the density of Manhattan, on an artificial island. Minaret-inspired towers will stretch eighty stories into the air. Mosques will dot the landscape, abutting a gigantic 44-story sphere. The whole thing would be ringed by a boardwalk, except in the northeast: there, the grid system would dissolve, into a traditional souk, filled with back alleys and shortcuts. If anyone can do it, it’s Dubai. In recent years, Dubai has exploded, in seemingly every architectural direction possible. They already built the world’s largest artificial island, in the shape of the palm tree. The estimate that they are using one of every three of the world’s cranes, however, seems to be a slight exaggeration: it’s maybe only one out of five. [...]
Dubai is an amazing city, I can’t find the words to describe its beauty. Dubai is a city built with modern technology and ideas; cities like New York are beautiful as well, but New York is old, Dubai is young. As a future architect I cannot emphasize how insperational and exciting a city like Dubai is. I hope I get the chance to design a structure in Dubai or a city like it.
Cool article, also check out the PDF here:
http://www.colinfitz.com/everything-in-dubai-is-big/
[...] read more | digg story [...]
dubai rules its soooooo cheao i bought a ps3 for 100 pounds english add me bobbyx786@hotmail.co.uk
dubia rules i luv it i went there 4 6 month i stayed in a hotel. it cheap. so stay in skool kid say no to drugs. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxV. K.a
Frankly, I find Dubai a bit over the top, lots of dough but no class. I have heard that they have created a two class system — locals v. foreigners. You can’t really own a business in Dubai without having a local as a “partner” who essentially lends his name and citizenship to the enterprise, letting his foreign (probably minority) partner do all the real work to run the business and make the profits of which he collects his share. All for lending his name! I wonder what the long term effects would end up being — creating an entire generation of people who don’t know what it takes to really earn a living.
Dear DW, if you want to start a company you need a sponsor not a partenr, although this can be considered so. Nobody is going to give shares of a company they are running for nothing and if somebody thinks it is worth to pay this kind of “partner” a fee or share of profits, then why not? The question is is it owrth it? and if it really is, then again why not? There are other ways to get around and one of them is to pay your sponsor a fee and sign a purchase contract of his shares. Other options are to have your own company in places like media city and many more where you can now own it 100% without sponsor.
here in dubai right now. very interesting.
IM SURE NO ONE HAS THOUGHT MUCH ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE THE ONES PHYSICALLY BUILDING THIS EXPANSION. IT’S VERY POOR MIGRANT WORKERS WHO HAVE TO WORK 10-14 HOURS A DAY IN THE DESERT SUN. AND THINK ABOUT WHAT IT WOULD FEEL LIKE TO BE WORKING ON TOP OF ONE OF THOSE BUILDINGS. THE SUN IS LITERALLY ON YOUR FACE! 900 DEATHS FROM HEAT STROKE WERE RECORDED IN 2005, THE MIGRANTS ARE PAID A DOLLAR AN HOUR, AND THEY’RE FORCED TO LIVE IN WALLED-UP SLUMS SO TOURISTS AND RICH ELETISTS CAN’T EVEN SEE THEM. THIS CITY IS BASED ON SLAVE LABOR AND QUICKLY LOSING ANY KIND OF AUTHENTIC IDENTITY. MIKE DAVIS- YOU’RE IGNORANT AND A RACIST. WHAT YOU SAID SPELLS OUT EXACTLY THE TYPE OF MIND SET THAT HAS LEAD TO THIER OPPRESSION. DURING RHAMADAN, THE CITY WAS STILL SERVING ALCOHOL AND FOOD. THE HOLIDAY WAS REPLACED BY MADE-UP ONES LIKE, “THE DUBAI MALL FESTIVAL DAYS.” THAT’S MORE IMPORTANT THAN RHAMADAN?!!!! LAWS ARE NOW ACCOMIDATING TO RICH FOREIGNERS WHO COME IN WHEN THE MIGRANT LABORERS MAKE UP NEARLY 80% OF THE POPULATION AND HAVE NEARLY NO RIGHTS OR MONEY. THIS CITY IS EXPANDING TOO MUCH FOR ITS OWN GOOD AND WILL EVENTUALLY, IF NOT SOON, COLLAPSE. FOR EXAMPLE, SOON AFTER THE 9/11 ATTACKS, TOURISM CAME TO A STAND STILL AND DUBAI LOST A LOT OF MONEY. SHEIKH MOUKTUM AND HIS ADMINISTRATORS WERE VERY SCARED. WHAT IF SOMETHING WERE TO HAPPEN WHERE THE TOURISM WOULD STOP ALTOGETHER? AND THE FACT THAT THE OPPRESSED AND SEGREGATED MIGRANTS ARE NOW ALLOWED TO UNIONIZE COULD MEAN TERRORISM. WHAT IF THEY WERE TO MOBILIZE AGAINST THE CITY THAT’S KILLING THEM? THEY WOULD WIN, SINCE THEY OUTNUMBER THE TOURISTS AND THE RICH 8:1. THEY ALSO HAVE COMPLETE CONTROL OF THE BUILDING CRANES AND OTHER HEAVY EQUIPMENT THAT COULD MEAN THE DESTRUCTION OF THE ENTIRE CITY, BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN DAMAGE.
THIS IS THE REALITY OF THIS CITY THAT IS BEING BUILT ON THE SLAVE LABOR OF 80% OF THE POPULATION. IT COULD EASILY SPELL DISASTER AND A SOCIAL WAR FOR AN ENTIRE REGION.
dubai is a beutiful palve but also no1 worked on it propleyy in 2005 it needed to more work so ppl can surrond and have more freedom to go evrywhere
I have a comment for Amanda. I HAVE LIVED IN DUBAI FOR A LONG TIME AND WITH ALL DO RESPECT TO WHAT YOU’VE SAID, ALL COUNTRIES STARTED OFF LIKE THAT: CHEAP LABOR, ETC…. AND SOME (NO NEED TO NAME) ARE STILL. WHERE DO YOU THINK DAIMONDS COME FROM?! WHO MINES FOR THEM?! POOR SLAVES FROM AFRICA THEY GET PAID LESS THAN $100 A MONTH AND ONE DAIMOND CUT SELLS FOR MILLIONS. BELIEVE ME, I AGREE THAT THE WORKERS AREN’T TREATED GOOD ENOUGH, BUT THIS DOESN’T REFLECT THE COUNTRY’S VIEW ON CHEAP LABOR, IT IS JUST THE BUSINESSMEN WHO AIM FOR THE CHEAPEST NOT THE GOVERNMENT. YET, THOSE WORKERS STILL MAKE MORE MONEY THAN THEY DID IN THEIR COUNTRY. SO PLEASE DON’T JUDGE WITHOUT KNOWING THE REASONS.
PEACE AND GOD BLESS EVERYONE
you are right that every country starts off that way, but it is the government that still approves the massive expansion with the richest building companies in the world, instead of taking better care of their people- they concentrate on buildings. Im arguing for the reformation that they could break a cycle here because they have so much more they could do for these laborers- the least of all is to pay them a dollar more an hour. yes, of course they are still making more than they would in thier home country- that’s not the point. it’s very segregated spending and their economy is extremely unstable. and you can’t imagine the type of isolation these men face when they have no choice but to move to a core country because other wise thier children starve. Im arguing for the better sharing of wealth because too many people have suffered through history and too much of the world is still suffering and starving. of course it’s happened through out history- but i thinks about fuckin time we try to change that corruption in our world!
it’s really shame and sad how they are trating people (workers) in dubai, i’ve been working there for the last 3 years and i really heat it ,it’s just good to visited and no more than a week, opss try not to drink you will go jail, very funny, and oh don’t get a girl or boy friend also jail, just just work like animal to bay your rent and hve some food, good lucke
Lovely photography right there.
Insane development. Let’s thank all the slave labour that’s gone into it!
Thank you men in jumpsuits!
We owe you more than what the businesses in these buildings could ever imaine for you life’s dedication to every bolt and laid down brick!
I was in dubai from 1981 to 1986 warking in ETA comany as a Electric foreman and my lordging place is in Gisus near the graveyard in ETA camp Opp AST camp and Juma-ul-majid camp. At that time in dubai there was few building was there in bar-dubai the first building was constructed is the citibank i worked there complete one year.
Now i am looking the dubai on internet i got shock this is dubai of heavan of the earth. I hope that dubai will develope more and more in feature and become the most popular city of the world and break the world record in all field. The complete credit go to the king of Dubai.
Those who say Dubai is making people suffer are very mistaken. i live in dubai, i was born here infact. im 21 right now and im working in dubai. im lebanese, a foreigner not a local but we are all treated equally. i bought a villa in dubai not rent ” BOUGHT it”. it may be an expensive place to live in but most countries are nowadays. dubai is a city of amusment. if u look at the pics above again, u will realize that shit loads of money and a large number of labourers were hired and this job did not get finished in a day or two. on the contrary, It took YEARS!! its fascinating. i love dubai. everything here, is out of this world. not even the U.S.A or any othe developed country can compare to Dubai. the tallest building in the world is being here right now, right this instant as i type. the first under water hotel is being built here, the one and only 7 star ******* hotel “Burj Al Arab” is in dubai. no other country in the world has a 7 star hotel. a metro is being built right now as i type. not an underground one, no!!! the railway track is above the roads, so as ur driving ,….u can actually see the train passing by. the first Gorgio Armani hotel is being built inside Burj Dubai… Downtown Dubai is being built which consisits of thousands shopping malls…very exquisit ones. Mall of the emirates, the largest shopping mall in the world is in dubai with a built in Ski dome with snow. this is the greatness of Dubai.. it is a desert and does not get snow so they built ski dubai for ppl to experience everything and not need to travel for snow or sun. Mall of Arabia is going to be the largest mall in the world and is still under construction. it is going to be 3 times the size of mall of the emirates. a jurassic park is being built in dubai with fake but realistic looking dinosaurs, a city of wonders is also being built with the Eiffel tower, the pyramids in Egypt, Taj Mahal, hanging gardens of Babylon, all the 7 wonders of the world being built and are exactly the same size as the real ones. IT is facinating once you know facts about dubai. plz go online and look up Dubai. read about it, you will fall in love with it at first sight.
i also forgot to mention that Dubai is building the largest sports stadium in the world and it also consists of islands. 3 shaped like palms and they are called the palm islands.. each side of the palms have houses on them. yes ppl live on the palm islands and they are rather expensive. another island is “the world”. shaped like the earth with little islands shaped like continents. plz…go on google and type all these things.. click on images on google and watch…it is rather fasicinating and unbeliveable..from a desert to one of the most developed cities in the world.
Yea Dubai! It’s like a dream Eh! Born here in 1978- Probably ma folks then didn’t know they’d want out Expats so fast! Funny! Always Opted for UAE instead of UK or US and dis is a heartbreak! Can’t go to a decent Pub Nmore…End up watching some Form of Laid back Lap-Dancing @ all times! Dubaiites get ready to hibernate! Snuggle up wid loads of vids, Classics or what eva suits ur taste bcoz Toll Taxes 4 a city sixteen times smaller than Washington DC r cumn up in Sept!! U Might as well stay @ home…Who eva’ says dat in Dubai everun in treated nicely? Ask the Asian couple who planned to have a neat nite out at Trilogy and were racially barred from Entering the club! What eva’ The situations here only gets worse! Use and Abuse Dubai! Keep it Up!
[quote comment="41418"]Those who say Dubai is making people suffer are very mistaken. i live in dubai, i was born here infact. im 21 right now and im working in dubai. im lebanese, a foreigner not a local but we are all treated equally. i bought a villa in dubai not rent ” BOUGHT it”. it may be an expensive place to live in but most countries are nowadays. dubai is a city of amusment. if u look at the pics above again, u will realize that shit loads of money and a large number of labourers were hired and this job did not get finished in a day or two. on the contrary, It took YEARS!! its fascinating. i love dubai. everything here, is out of this world. not even the U.S.A or any othe developed country can compare to Dubai. the tallest building in the world is being here right now, right this instant as i type. the first under water hotel is being built here, the one and only 7 star ******* hotel “Burj Al Arab” is in dubai. no other country in the world has a 7 star hotel. a metro is being built right now as i type. not an underground one, no!!! the railway track is above the roads, so as ur driving ,….u can actually see the train passing by. the first Gorgio Armani hotel is being built inside Burj Dubai… Downtown Dubai is being built which consisits of thousands shopping malls…very exquisit ones. Mall of the emirates, the largest shopping mall in the world is in dubai with a built in Ski dome with snow. this is the greatness of Dubai.. it is a desert and does not get snow so they built ski dubai for ppl to experience everything and not need to travel for snow or sun. Mall of Arabia is going to be the largest mall in the world and is still under construction. it is going to be 3 times the size of mall of the emirates. a jurassic park is being built in dubai with fake but realistic looking dinosaurs, a city of wonders is also being built with the Eiffel tower, the pyramids in Egypt, Taj Mahal, hanging gardens of Babylon, all the 7 wonders of the world being built and are exactly the same size as the real ones. IT is facinating once you know facts about dubai. plz go online and look up Dubai. read about it, you will fall in love with it at first sight.[/quote]
yea u will fall in lv wid dubai n like me regret it latr (lol) gal who r u kidding! Oh yea and filthy rich ppl probably like yourself could expect to go sking once in a while, where as middle class and/or labor class can only look at you and wonder if have some free tickets to spare. According
to u honey, they don’t deserve the luxury of fake snow - Thanks to all the high-pricing because you think all they do best is build buildings or get burnt in building construction fires- Why don’t you try the Metro when it Comes- I’m sure your stylied car deserves a break (and so does your chauffeur)! Grow Up Pls….
Allah bless people of UAE
when the oil runs out …give it a years see if dubai is still building things like the ones you’ve described.
guys, it’s New Babylon.
I also forgot to mention that Dubai is building the world’s largest toilet where all Dubailites can come to take enormous shiii - itttess. You know that needs to happen with all the hummus we be eaten.
There are 2 titty bars in Dubai to be exact. THE WORLD”S LARGGGGGEST! The first being “Sand In My Crotch” where the stirppers dig through the sand erotically instead of pole dancing. The second is “Allah’s Place”. A fine upscale gentleman’s club with a twist. If a patron displays any kind of blasphemy, they cut off your fingers. Must be why nobody every walks in.
Nag, nag, nag!! First of all, a reply for the idiot who commented about “when the oil runs out”…Dubai has no oil left in comparison with the big oil countries, so they do not rely upon oil money. As for all of those nagging on and on about “slave labour”, nobody forced those workers to come to the UAE and work. You act as if they were rounded up and forced to work for their freedom. They CHOSE to come to Dubai instead of sitting on their asses in their home country. Besides, the world needs ditch diggers too. Why don’t you Dubai skeptics look at the U.S. and their bed buddy, the U.K. and see how they just take what they want from any country, by force and not the choice of the people. The workers in Dubai have chosen to be there, if they don’t like it, go home.
I’m an American living in California and we have lots of immagrants working here for poor wages. I don’t understand why every one screams about slave labor in Dubai when the Americans do it to the Mexicans and Western Europe does it to Poland. How do you think a city or country grows? Maybe IMMAGRANTION! So if you want to piont a finger piont it at yourself and find out how your countries are taking advantage of somebody. Thanks, go Dubai!
I think the thing that is most important is how unnatural it all is. How long will these buildings be here? I think that if anyone wants to have a sturdy and dependable culture and surrounding that they should take time to build the spaces in which they live. I don’t particularly dislike whats happening in Dubai structurally but it frightens me. I see it everywhere, it is not as large scale but its just the same. Where I live they are tearing down buildings that have held strong for years and years and then a month later there will be an arby’s or a condominium. There are pyramids that are still standing from so long ago, temples that have survived for centuries, and whoever built them sure as hell took their time making the blueprints.
why is everyone bitching and crying about dubai, dubai happens to be the fastest growing country in many ways. if they can afford to cover their sl 600 with swarovski crystals why the fu ck not? if they want to drive their lamborghini murcielago over a speed bump @ 110mph so let them do as they please. even changing the body on their audi A8 into .999 pure silver i say they shouldve use platinum.!! all of you people who bitch about gas prices hitting $5 a gallon and than hate on dubai and complain about it and their people need a reality check
just because you work a dead end job,kissing you bosses ass, biting your tongue for customers, cheating on ur spouses is not their fault. if you cant afford it dont complain about it, do something about it. im tired of hearing people nag about ” dubai is building on your gas money” so what its called BUSINESS, you loose some and you gain some and dubai happens to know how to gain.
people emailing and fowarding ” good to know where our dollar is being spent” ” this is what your paying for” need to get a life… they have every right to build an underwater hotel, the largets amusement park, the largest and most beautiful buidlings, the largest indoor ski resort, malls, airports etc. i would love to see a floating 7 star hotel on the ocean horizon. let them be, let them spend their money without morons like yourselfs who cant see other people happy becuase they themselves are miserable.
if america can profit on the expenses of the poor, pay ridiculous amounts of money on parties, paintings, researches and yet be in debt, falling property values, incresed taxes, economy going down the drain, hell america is going into recession as we speak and all you say and do is point at duabi like a crying baby.
the us goverment can spend billions of dollars on creating the latest weapons of mass destruction yet they can not help the homless, the poor, the hungery?? why? rich people in america spend $50 million dollars on houses in california, new york, miami and no one bitches about that? no is doing anything about the health system in america where thousands of people and children are dying because GW Bush wants to invade the middle east so him and pappa can pretend that they relate to the people. america is shooting itslef in the feet. how can a counrty look after and protect other countries and thier people when americans like ourselves are suffering.
lets not forget that america has great places too. im not against america i love this country because i benifit from the system and i know how it works. i love the mansions, the exoctic over prices cars even thought they are made else where but who cares, does anyone know what it takes to build a fighter jet? a nuclear bomb? a stealth plane? forget that how much does it cost? now if you dont know and mayb you play call 4 you might get a clue? this is just presented to me from a video game i dont know the facts but think about it 1.6 billion to build a fighter jet, 83000 for a missile o whatever it is and yet america is falling into depression. people pay for these things bugatti veryon is suppose to be the worlds fastest most expensive car, people buy them, but i never heard of people talking shit about them because they bought expenive vehicles, i dont hear you say that the italians are are over charging for their lambos. if you can afford to wipe your ass with gold paper please wipe ass many times ass you can….
i dont care if gas reaches $10 a gallon and i dont mind paying $5 a gallon drving my 5.0L V8 beacuse guess what i can afford it and i will be able to afford it when it reach $6 this summer, if I , we the people of america can afford to than way not, no one complains when you buy a $5000 lcd but immediately scorn dubai for their masterpieces
if america can stimulate the economy where income is greater than expenditure and people can afford to spend without thinking twice than maybe it wouldnt matter if gas was 5 bucks a gallon. people wouldnt complain about prices rasing. how cheap is a country where they start charging their customers for their aditional lugage, for example i travled not too long ago, i have 4 suit cases. checked them, all in no extra fee. now you can check in one suitcase and any additioal luggage will qualify for an additional $25 or whatever the fee is. they charge a fuel surcharge now even after youve paid lets say a minimum of 600 dollars for a ticket. and why does a ticket cost so much anyways? arent all these surcharges and service fees what makes a ticket about a couple hundred dollars?
people who complain and point toward dubai are the poison on american sociaty they have rotted into vast nothingness and are affraid to look in the mirror.
if you havent figured it out already, america is a bully they will go to anymeans to get what they want even if it means killing their own kind.
america will remain infectious to others. dubai will become the centre of the world and america will fall in the shadows of dubai. do your research and if you beleive what you see in movies firgure out what sin city used to be? a fucking desrt. and dont hurt yourself with this but dubai was and is still a desert and they havnt finished yet, dubai knows how to spend their money and they do it the best possible way MONEY can get.
ive been to dubai and i love it everytime is a new experience maybe if half the people who complain visit dubai might and will like it if they havent already.
so people please stop forwarding bullshit time wasting emails. be a good patron and do as your told. STFU
The first photo graph was actually taken in the 1970′s when they were building the Dubai Trade Center from where the photogtspher took the picture. The Trade Center was completed in 1979. The tower blocks in the foreground are the Trade Center apartments. I have lived in Dubai since 1981 and I know the Shk Zayeed road did not look like that in 1990. I had photo’s I had taken from the top of the DTC but I lent them to the Gulf News and never got them back. Oh for digital photography then and I could show you a picture.
What I have got is a 1983 aerial picture of the “100 villas” where the Marina now sits and believe me that has the same “wow” effect as rgw picture above.
[quote comment="43393"]why is everyone bitching and crying about dubai, dubai happens to be the fastest growing country in many ways. if they can afford to cover their sl 600 with swarovski crystals why the fu ck not? if they want to drive their lamborghini murcielago over a speed bump @ 110mph so let them do as they please. even changing the body on their audi A8 into .999 pure silver i say they shouldve use platinum.!! all of you people who bitch about gas prices hitting $5 a gallon and than hate on dubai and complain about it and their people need a reality check
just because you work a dead end job,kissing you bosses ass, biting your tongue for customers, cheating on ur spouses is not their fault. if you cant afford it dont complain about it, do something about it. im tired of hearing people nag about ” dubai is building on your gas money” so what its called BUSINESS, you loose some and you gain some and dubai happens to know how to gain.
people emailing and fowarding ” good to know where our dollar is being spent” ” this is what your paying for” need to get a life… they have every right to build an underwater hotel, the largets amusement park, the largest and most beautiful buidlings, the largest indoor ski resort, malls, airports etc. i would love to see a floating 7 star hotel on the ocean horizon. let them be, let them spend their money without morons like yourselfs who cant see other people happy becuase they themselves are miserable.
if america can profit on the expenses of the poor, pay ridiculous amounts of money on parties, paintings, researches and yet be in debt, falling property values, incresed taxes, economy going down the drain, hell america is going into recession as we speak and all you say and do is point at duabi like a crying baby.
the us goverment can spend billions of dollars on creating the latest weapons of mass destruction yet they can not help the homless, the poor, the hungery?? why? rich people in america spend $50 million dollars on houses in california, new york, miami and no one bitches about that? no is doing anything about the health system in america where thousands of people and children are dying because GW Bush wants to invade the middle east so him and pappa can pretend that they relate to the people. america is shooting itslef in the feet. how can a counrty look after and protect other countries and thier people when americans like ourselves are suffering.
lets not forget that america has great places too. im not against america i love this country because i benifit from the system and i know how it works. i love the mansions, the exoctic over prices cars even thought they are made else where but who cares, does anyone know what it takes to build a fighter jet? a nuclear bomb? a stealth plane? forget that how much does it cost? now if you dont know and mayb you play call 4 you might get a clue? this is just presented to me from a video game i dont know the facts but think about it 1.6 billion to build a fighter jet, 83000 for a missile o whatever it is and yet america is falling into depression. people pay for these things bugatti veryon is suppose to be the worlds fastest most expensive car, people buy them, but i never heard of people talking shit about them because they bought expenive vehicles, i dont hear you say that the italians are are over charging for their lambos. if you can afford to wipe your ass with gold paper please wipe ass many times ass you can….
i dont care if gas reaches $10 a gallon and i dont mind paying $5 a gallon drving my 5.0L V8 beacuse guess what i can afford it and i will be able to afford it when it reach $6 this summer, if I , we the people of america can afford to than way not, no one complains when you buy a $5000 lcd but immediately scorn dubai for their masterpieces
if america can stimulate the economy where income is greater than expenditure and people can afford to spend without thinking twice than maybe it wouldnt matter if gas was 5 bucks a gallon. people wouldnt complain about prices rasing. how cheap is a country where they start charging their customers for their aditional lugage, for example i travled not too long ago, i have 4 suit cases. checked them, all in no extra fee. now you can check in one suitcase and any additioal luggage will qualify for an additional $25 or whatever the fee is. they charge a fuel surcharge now even after youve paid lets say a minimum of 600 dollars for a ticket. and why does a ticket cost so much anyways? arent all these surcharges and service fees what makes a ticket about a couple hundred dollars?
people who complain and point toward dubai are the poison on american sociaty they have rotted into vast nothingness and are affraid to look in the mirror.
if you havent figured it out already, america is a bully they will go to anymeans to get what they want even if it means killing their own kind.
america will remain infectious to others. dubai will become the centre of the world and america will fall in the shadows of dubai. do your research and if you beleive what you see in movies firgure out what sin city used to be? a fucking desrt. and dont hurt yourself with this but dubai was and is still a desert and they havnt finished yet, dubai knows how to spend their money and they do it the best possible way MONEY can get.
ive been to dubai and i love it everytime is a new experience maybe if half the people who complain visit dubai might and will like it if they havent already.
so people please stop forwarding bullshit time wasting emails. be a good patron and do as your told. STFU[/quote]
wow, so much to say yet we all already knew you were dumber than a door knob in the first sentence… dubai isnt a country bro
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While I earlier made a comment on http://www.magicalurbanism.com/archives/125 I clicked the - “notify me”- checkbox and after this whenever a new comment is added on Just How Fast is Dubai Growing? | Magical Urbanism web page, I recieve a couple of email messages utilizing the similar feedback. Is there by any means it is possible to eliminate myself out of that services? Thanks!
Worst place in the world!!!!! Racism everywhere! Class racism repression! Lost souls roaming throughout the streets. Its truly bogus and suited for the weak and destitute. If you come from nothing chances are you’ll make nothing, however if you can make to America you will truly become free!