Architecture

Long before traveling to Dubai, visitors' imaginations are often captured by the city's modern architectural wonders. While many may not be familiar with Arabian wind towers or courtyard houses, most have heard about the enormous sail-shaped Burj Al Arab, the indoor snow resort Ski Dubai, and construction of the world's tallest building, the Burj Dubai. When the World Trade Center was erected in 1979, it stood as the sole skyscraper in a mostly empty desert. Many observers scratched their heads, wondering what the point was of a high-rise in the still sleepy town. Even as late as 1990, most of Sheikh Zayed Road remained an empty sand pit. But today, the World Trade Center appears antiquated next to the sleek high-rises that stretch as far as the eye can see. It's estimated that up to a quarter of the world's construction cranes are located here, and Dubai's skyline may be the fastest growing in history. This wealthy emirate is home to some of the most innovative and ambitious architectural projects in the world, and the sky seems to be the limit for future developments.

Dubai's original architecture, dating from the late 19th century, was influenced by Iranian, Indian, and Islamic designs. The hot and humid climate, religious and social customs of the inhabitants, and available selection of construction materials were crucial considerations in building styles. The main features were simplicity, functionality, durability, and suitability for the climate. Early structures were made of stone, palm leaves, and palm tree trunks, with mud substituting for mortar. The majority of Dubai's first inhabitants lived in barastis, huts made with palm fronds. Later, the strongest available materials, coral stone from the sea and gypsum from the creek's salt marshes, were used for the emirate's four common structures -- watchtowers, mosques, souks, and houses. Islamic emphasis on privacy and modesty factored into the design of courtyard homes, many of which were connected to wind towers for cooling in the summer months. Buildings were erected close together to create shaded and breezy pedestrian walkways.

With Dubai's oil discovery came an unplanned construction boom that created a hodgepodge of architectural styles. Construction often paid little attention to traditional Islamic architecture or to the environment, and Dubai was not yet courting the world's attention by building the biggest and the best. Many glass towers were erected requiring enormous amounts of electricity to keep cool.

In recent years, builders have become more conscientious about both the environment and Arabic heritage. Master planning overseen by Dubai's rulers is leading to more harmonious development. The most efficient heat-resistant materials are increasingly used in construction, and more architects are incorporating traditional designs into their work. Madinat Jumeirah is an excellent example of a thoroughly modern development that celebrates Arabian style. Dubai's leaders are also making a serious effort at last to protect the emirate's architectural past, reconstituting the Bastakiya old quarter near the creek and opening museums and cultural centers to commemorate the early days. For more information about Dubai's early architecture, visit the Architectural Heritage Society (tel. 4/353-9765) in Bastakiya. It's open Saturday to Wednesday from 8am to 1pm and again from 5 to 8pm.

To get a sense of the diversity and innovation of Dubai's architectural projects, I've picked five of Dubai's most fascinating architectural sights:

• Bastakiya: This architectural heritage site is a complete restoration of one of Dubai's original neighborhoods settled by wealthy Persian merchants in the late 1800s. The buildings are historic, but the pristine quarter looks brand-new. You can walk along meandering lanes, see traditional Gulf courtyard houses with hand-carved wood doors, and marvel at the ornate wind towers that were used for cooling in the days before air-conditioning. The coral stone and cement wind towers, defined by double or triple wind openings, arched ends, and stepped recesses, once lined the Dubai Creek and cooled the residences using innovative air-current systems that passed from the wind towers to the floors below. Bastakiya also houses a museum, cultural center, restaurants, and a heritage hotel with an art gallery. The Al Fahidi Fort, which today is the Dubai Museum, was built in 1799 and is the city's oldest surviving structure.

• Burj Al Arab: Created by architect Tom Wright to resemble the billowing sail of an Arabian dhow, the massive Burj Al Arab (which translates to "Arabian Tower") extends 321m (1,053 ft.) to the sky. The iconic structure, which rises from its own man-made island, dominates the Jumeirah Beach coastline, eclipsing the wavelike-shaped Jumeirah Beach Hotel just in front. The Burj is made of a steel frame exterior wrapped around a concrete tower, with white Teflon-coated fiberglass forming the building's white "sail." At night, the Burj is lit up in a spectacular show of changing colors. A helipad and glass-enclosed restaurant extend from the top. The expensive hotel features the world's largest atrium, and the opulent interior design includes 8,000 sq. meters (86,111 sq. ft.) of 22-carat gold leaf.

• Burj Dubai: Still under construction at press time but already the world's tallest building, Burj Dubai dominates the skyline with its thin silver steel structure and can be seen for miles. The final height remains a secret, but the project's construction manager, Greg Sang, says it will be greater than 700m (2,297 ft.); many predict it will be more than 800m (2,625 ft.). In designing the building, lead architect Adrian Smith, of Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill, drew inspiration from traditional Islamic architecture, which uses stepped ascending spirals. The building will rise from a flower-shaped base -- the flower is the hymenocallis, a white lily cultivated in the surrounding desert. At a projected cost of $4 billion, Burj Dubai will house one of the first Armani Hotels: 700 luxury apartments that, according to the developer, sold out within 8 hours of release; an outdoor swimming pool on the 78th floor; an indoor-outdoor observation deck on the 124th floor; and the world's fastest elevator. Corporate offices and retail outlets will fill most of the remaining floors, and the tower will be the centerpiece of the surrounding "Downtown Dubai" project.

• The Palm Islands: The largest artificial islands in the world sit off the coast of Dubai in the Arabian Gulf. Collectively, the Palm Islands are considered by some to be an Eighth Wonder of the World. Developed by UAE-based Nakheel Properties, this triad of islands includes the Palm Jumeirah, Palm Deira, and Palm Jebel Ali. Made with hundreds of millions of cubic meters of reclaimed land from the bottom of the Gulf, the islands are each designed in the shape of a palm tree with a trunk, fronds, and crescent, adding a total of 520km (323 miles) of coastline to Dubai. The Palm Jumeirah is the first island to have opened, and includes a 2km-long (1 1/4-mile) "trunk," 17 fronds, and an 11km (7-mile) crescent that surrounds the island, creating a breakwater. Residents are already moving into their luxury homes, and 30 beachfront hotels are being built, including an Atlantis Resort at the apex of the island's crescent. The Palm Jebel Ali and Palm Deira, which will be much larger than the first island, are still under construction and will take another decade to complete. Bridges attach the islands to the mainland, and each will house multimillion dollar villas, luxury condos, private marinas, and retail and entertainment centers. Environmentalists worry about damage to surrounding marine habitats, and there's no doubt the enormous Palm Island projects have altered the ecology.

• The World: "The World," a series of 300 man-made islands 4km (2 1/2 miles) off the coast of Dubai, is protected by an oval breakwater and situated to form the shape of a map. It was designed by UAE developer Nakheel Properties, which is also responsible for the Palm Islands project, at a cost of roughly $14 billion. Each of the islands ranges in size from 23,000 to 84,000 sq. m (247,569-904,168 sq. ft.), with 50 to 100m (164-328 ft.) of water between them, and are being sold at a mere $15 to $45 million. Although the developer won't release the names, it's reported that prospective buyers have included Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, Rod Stewart, and Tommy Lee. Reachable only by boat or helicopter, "the World" is a tourist and residential development with construction on the individual islands tailored to the owners' wishes. With land reclamation almost complete as of press time, the islands are being turned over to their new owners in 2008.

New projects seem to be announced every day. Here are a number of key developments underway:

• The Arabian Canal will link the Dubai Marina with the new Dubai Waterfront, facilitating the expansion of more waterfront communities. The $11-billion project envisions a 75km (47-mile) man-made waterway, which will flow inland from Dubai Waterfront, passing to the east of the new Dubai World Central International Airport before turning back toward Palm Jumeirah.

• Bawadi aspires to be the largest hospitality and leisure development anywhere. It will have a giant cluster of hotels, adding 60,000 guest rooms to Dubai with 51 new hotels. One of these will be Asia-Asia, the world's largest hotel expected to house 6,500 rooms. Part of the broader Dubailand project, Bawadi will create amusement centers, shopping malls, theaters, restaurants, and convention centers. It's also meant to become a model for the region of green and sustainable design.

• Culture Village may not become the Lincoln Center anytime soon, but its establishment will at last bring art and culture to Dubai in a serious way. The project envisions academies for the arts, music, and dance, as well as art and craft galleries and an outdoor amphitheater.

• Although the Burj Dubai is scheduled to open in 2008, Downtown Burj Dubai, which represents the area surrounding the world's tallest building, will not be ready until 2009. In addition to housing residences and offices, Downtown Burj Dubai will feature luxury hotels and the Dubai Mall, set to become the biggest shopping center on earth.

• At twice the size of Disney World, Dubailand intends to become the planet's largest entertainment complex, featuring resorts, sports and outdoor activities, health retreats, a huge shopping mall, and six theme parks. These will include Six Flags Dubai, Universal Studios Dubai, Paramount Studios Theme Park, Dubai Snowdome, and one of the world's largest water parks, among other attractions. About half these will be open by 2010. The Dubai Autodrome has already opened here.

• A multiuse project scheduled for completion by 2015, Dubai Festival City will add a new marina, golf course, residences, offices, and hotels, including the UAE's first W hotel. Festival Waterfront Center (also referred to as Dubai Festival City) is already open and is one of Dubai's largest malls.

• It's hard to imagine locals giving up their automobiles for a ride in the public tube, but the eventual opening of Dubai Metro should ease some of the city's spiraling congestion and quicken travel within the city. There will be two lines connecting the city's principal areas.