Dubai may offer a range of buildings that are built in different architectural styles.
The Dubai Frame located in Zabeel Park is regarded as the most substantial frame in the world. However, it is also considered the ‘biggest stolen building of all time' as its creator, Fernando Donis, had his intellectual property stolen and was not given credits for his project. The project won the competition held in 1988 and sponsored by one of the leading elevator companies. However, the owner of the project has not received any compensation or contract for his design and currently the legal dispute over the ownership is held between the architecture and the Municipality of Dubai.
The Burj Khalifa built in 2010 is the symbol of Dubai and is the tallest building in the world with the total height of 829.9 meters and a roof height (excluding antenna) reaching 828 meters relatively. The decision to build the skyscraper as a part of a new development Downtown Dubai was based on the government's desire to move away from the oil-based economy and instead gain the international acknowledgment. The design for the building was derived from Islamic architecture that was, in turn, influenced by Persian, Roman, and Byzantine. The Burj Khalifa is surrounded by the 11-hectare park which has a system of fountains and pools located in the center of the park. The Hymenocallis flower influenced the design of both the park and the skyscraper. Outside of the complex, there is also the second-largest choreographed fountain designed by WET Enterprises. The overall amount of the investments has reached $217 million. The fountain system is equipped with 50 colored projects, 6.600 lights, the fountain itself is 270 meters long and shoots water 150 meters in the air.
The Burj Al Arab is considered the only ‘7-star' hotel in the world; however, that was not encouraged by the administration of the hotel, neither it was used in their advertising. It is also the third-tallest hotel with the height of about 321 meters. The hotel is situated on the artificial islands constructed near the Jumeirah Beach on the coast of the Persian Gulf. Being another icon of Dubai, the hotel stands in the same row with the Big Ben in London, the Eiffel Tower in Paris, Opera House in Sydney, etc. The shape of the building reminds the sail of a ship as it should have become the symbol of Dubai.
The Palm Jumeirah is the artificial archipelago constructed between 2011 and 2006 by the Dubai government company Nakheel. That is one of the three Palm Islands together with the Deira Island and Palm Jebel Ali. By 2007 the Palm Jumeirah has become the largest artificial island in the word. In 2009, The New York Times announced that the island is sinking and proved it by the geological surveys that stated that the island is dropping by 5 millimeters into the water every year. The information was not confirmed by Nakheel that stated that there were no reports of any structural problems that would cause any issues in construction.
Dubai City Map
