If you’re sick of hearing the words Dubai and architecture in the same sentence put up your hand. It’s not as though I dislike the new radical buildings being created in the dessert oasis, however I am disappointed that I have to go halfway around the world to see them all. The silver lining is that these new buildings are concentrated in one region, so people can cross off umpteen must see buildings when they visit Dubai. Even so, a new massive island of architectural goodness reminds me of a galaxy that’s far, far away. I sense something. A presence I’ve not felt since…
The 1.5-billion-square-foot Waterfront City designed by Rem Koolhaas, is a self-contained city resting atop a man made island. Divided into 25 identical blocks, the island will be populated by a mix of tall and squat towers punctuated by more fantastic buildings, like a spiraling 82-story tower, and a 44-story sphere. The orb shaped deathstar will serve as a mini-city within the larger island city. Complete with a sprawling network of escalator tubes, and other elements plucked from the pages of science fiction, it makes me wonder when Dubai will say enough is enough.
