As seen on 60 Minutes Dubai Inc. reported by Steve Kroft.
The Biggest Story in the World — Dubai – home of the world’s largest construction site and one of the most amazing stories in our world today.

While millions flock to Dubai annually, from an American perspective it’s “the Middle East we don’t know”.

Still surrounded in misunderstanding by so many in the US, the massively positive story of Dubai and Middle East 2.0 is the real story of change in the Gulf.

It is a story of peaceful, constructive excellence and the pursuit of dreams. A story very much in line with true American values.

Dubai is a city in the emirate of Dubai which is part of the United Arab Emirates or UAE in the Persian Gulf. The UAE is part of the GCC, Gulf Cooperative Council, an economic group of nations along the lines of the European Union (EU). The GCC includes the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

The growth in Dubai is representative of the growth in the region. While many in America associate the Arab world, the Middle East, the Gulf or sadly Islam and Muslims with terror and terrorism, war and violence, the real story of the Middle East is what is going on with construction, commerce, art, development and millions of people making a better life for themselves.

There is clearly a big difference between the perceptions of Iraq or other areas in the region and reality. Some people tend to think that Iran, the UAE, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are all the same – the region is as varied as the Americas.

Richard Branson, Tiger Woods, Martha Stewart, Madonna and Donald Trump all have business ventures in Dubai. The area is known mostly for real estate but many other projects continue there daily.

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The Dubai Mall is one of the world’s largest shopping malls located in Dubai. Built at the foot and an integral component of the Burj Dubai, the 20-billion-dollar project is the world’s largest in total area with 1,200 shops.


It is 4 times as many as the new London Westfield centre. Twice delayed, Dubai Mall opened on November 4, 2008, with about 600 retailers, marking the world’s largest-ever mall opening in retail history. However it is not the largest in gross leaseable space, and is surpassed in that category by several malls including the South China Mall, Golden Resources Mall, SM City North Edsa, and SM Mall of Asia.

Sprawling over 12 million sq ft (equivalent in size to more than 50 soccer pitches), the Dubai Mall has a total internal floor area of 5.9 million square feet and leaseable space of 3.77 million square feet, about same as West Edmonton Mall.

Some More Cool Collection Of Dubai Creek Pictures-(Click on the Picture To Enlarge)

FEATURES OF DUBAI MALL

1 – Dubai Aquarium

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A key centerpiece is Dubai Aquarium, one of the of the largest tanks in the world at 51m x 20m x 11m and featuring the world’s largest viewing panel at 32.8m wide and 8.3m high. Over time, Dubai Aquarium will have more than 33,000 living animals, representing more than 85 species including over 400 sharks and rays combined. Dubai Aquarium’s 270-degree glass walkthrough tunnel makes for incredible close-encounter experiences

2 – Ice Rink

Glide into a magical winter wonderland at Dubai Ice Rink. With its larger than life Olympic-size proportions, whether you want to learn skating, perfect your technique, play ice hockey, socialise with friends or just have a great time, this spectacular venue is the coolest place to hang out any time of the year.
Prices:
* Skate hire and 2 hour session – AED 50

3 – KidZania

Imagine a city made for children and run by them. A place where they fly the aeroplanes, they drive the buses and they work in the restaurants. Imagine a world where children are free to live out their dreams – playing adult roles in a world created just for them, in meticulous detail.

4 – Reel Cinemas

Redefine the cinematic experience with sensory overload at The Dubai Mall’s massive Reel Cinemas complex. The largest in Dubai with 22 screens, the ‘multiplex’ will feature the latest International blockbusters to local indie hits. Grab some friends, load up on popcorn and prepare to be entertained.

5 – Sega Republic

Enter a nation addicted to adrenalin. The region’s first SEGA indoor theme park is a mind-altering, visually-stimulating, adrenalin-pumping attraction. SEGA Republic is where you create your own rules. Rebel against the senses and go into overdrive. Get addicted. Suppose to be opened in mid 2009.

VIDEOS

Dubai Mall


Opening of Dubai Aquarium

Dubai Mall – A Tour

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Heritage-inspired design of Al Ras and Al Ghubaiba stations on the Green Line of Dubai Metro gets approval from His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

The design of these Metro Stations derived from the heritage of the city that reflects the historical and traditional legacy profile of Dubai in a style that matches its surroundings.

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While reviewing the designs, His Highness Shaikh Mohammad directed for exploring the possibility of adopting such designs for more Metro stations, as he was impressed with the design of both stations that illustrate the history and civilization of the UAE.

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“Conceptual design of the two stations focuses on the traditional architectural ingredients used in antique buildings such as wind towers (Brajeel), oriel (mashrabia), alleyways (sukaik), internal arches and others in an advanced setting.” Mattar Al Tayer, chairman of the board and executive director of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).

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“The design of all elevated and at-grade Dubai Metro stations has been modelled on the shape of seashell, inspired from the diving and pearl-fishing heritage of the UAE, while the interior design depicts the four elements of nature – water, air, earth and fire.

“By securing the approval of this heritage design model, the RTA has combined in this project both heritage and modern designs,” said Al Tayer.

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Due attention has been given to aesthetic and technical dimensions of those elements such that the stations will look like a natural extension of the old and traditional souks in the locality. They will also be viewed as extensions of the Heritage and Diving Village and the existing old control towers in the area. Entrances of the stations will match the architecture of these areas and will be integrated with the design of the Dubai Creek Bank Development Project.

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Sheikh Mohammed launches Dubai Metro trial run

It is reported that architects behind the design of the Nakheel’s one kilometer high Dubai tower have revealed the secrets of how it will cope with high winds.

Mr Mark Mitcheson Low director in charge of the project & MD of Woods Bagot Middle East said that the cylindrical tower which will be 95 meters in diameter is in fact four towers encircling an internal void, linked at intervals by sky bridges.

He said that the design would mitigate the effects of the wind load, allowing the air to pass freely through the building. The individual quadrants of the building allow for structural rigidity against the strong winds usually experienced at the higher building levels.

Often limiting engineering possibilities beyond 500 meters, the wind will pass through vertical gills, which have been proven in wind tunnel testing to reduce the wind load by three fold.

At about every 25 levels, sky bridges will bind the building together to provide a structural integrity which, unlike any building before it, affords the tower greatly increased stability and the opportunity to build higher. They will also house mechanical, electrical and plumbing services and would provide safe crossing points if one of the towers were disabled due to an emergency.

Mr Low further said that “The design is an example of the human ability to overcome the forces of nature and harness them to create a monument dedicated to past, present and future generations of the Gulf.”

The world’s first moving building, an 80-storey tower with revolving floors giving a shifting shape, will be built in Dubai, its architect says.

The Dynamic Tower design is made up of 80 pre-fabricated apartments which will spin independently of one another.

“It’s the first building that rotates, moves, and changes shape,” said architect David Fisher, who is Italian, at a news conference in New York.

“This building never looks the same, not once in a lifetime,” he added.

The 420-metre (1,378-foot) building’s apartments would spin a full 360 degrees, at voice command, around a central column by means of 79 giant power-generating wind turbines located between each floor.

The slender building would be energy self-sufficient as the turbines would produce enough electricity to power the entire building and even feed extra power back into the grid, said the Italian architect at the unveiling of the project in New York.

The apartments, which will take between one and three hours to make a complete rotation, will cost from $3.7m to $36m.

There are also plans to build a similar, 70-storey skyscraper in Moscow.

“I call these buildings designed by time, shaped by life,” said the Florence-based architect, who has never built a sky-scraper before.

“These buildings will open our vision all around, to a new life.”

The skyscraper will cost an estimated $700m to build and should be up and running in Dubai in 2010.