Impact of Economic Growth on Architecture and Urban Planning of Dubai - Essay Example

IMPACT OF ECONOMIC GROWTH ON ARCHITECTURE AND URBAN PLANNING OF DUBAI Impact of Economic Growth on Architecture and Urban Planning of Dubai Introduction: Dubai, also widely known as “The Dubai City” is located in United Arab Emirates. It is among the most visited cities in UAE for which it has gained attractions of lot tourists. The city has been governed and maintained by Maktoum Dynasty since 1900s. On the surface, it might come to notice that Dubai is just a city but in real terms, it is a house of 1.6 million people. The city has 37 billion USD turnovers. Herein, it should be noted that the economic activity in Dubai is majorly dependent upon trade and financial services. The economic activity in has transformed in Dubai greatly. There used to be a popular belief that Dubai gains economic revenue on the basis of oil and petroleum. The aim of this paper is to critically assess the impact of economic growth of Dubai on its architecture and urban planning. Furthermore, the paper will create a timeline of milestones that took place in the architectural and urban development of Dubai in a timeline manner. Discussion of Impact of Economic Growth on Architecture Initially, the architecture of the Arab Emirates has been very simple as there was less need of space consumption. Noting that UAE and especially Dubai has made its way in almost every field of economy, it has been noted that it has largely affected the architecture and urban planning. Previously, the inhabitants of Dubai were basically involved in agricultural field as discovery of oil was not marked. The crop mainly dates and sheep herding was the main source of bread and butter for the people. It can be said that the small buildings and court yards that were the iconic architectural features of Dubai reflected the lifestyle of inhabitants. Traditionally, urban planning was done on the basis of weather control and safety. The materials that were used for architectural projects had capacity of responding to the environmental changes. In simple words, it can be added that the architecture of Dubai saved people from hot weather which was considerably the major reason of deaths in Dubai1. However, with the passage of time, different source of businesses were found out in Dubai. For instance, the discovery of oil during the sixties brought profitable measures for Dubai. It was due to this reason that social values as well as traditions transformed widely in Dubai in the same era. As more and more business ventures were being noted in Dubai with foreign customers, it was necessary for inhabitants to adopt modern lifestyle. Also, the western model of business and society has always been attractive to UAE. Therefore, a thorough adoption of modern architecture and urban planning was undertaken in Dubai. It should be noted that with the aid of economic prosperity, new structures and architectural projects were started in Dubai that replaced traditional buildings. As a matter of fact, the change in lifestyle was not resisted by the inhabitants as economic prosperity made their lives much easier. The inhabitants of Dubai felt privileged and developed as they transformed their ways of living2. In order to build new structures, the inhabitants needed help from the construction companies abroad. Soon they understood that there will be a constant need of architectural planning for which deals and ventures were signed that allowed construction companies to shift their businesses to Dubai. There were new techniques and methods that were adopted in Dubai modern constructions. Advancement was also noted in the styles of architecture. It was marked that both Muslim and modern features were made use of while constructing projects. Local architects also joined hands with the foreign construction companies and learnt modern ways of construction3. Some of the most notable features that were introduced in the architecture of Dubai included air-condition units. As mentioned above, previously, inhabitants of Dubai were involved in using materials for their courtyards that responded to harsh weather conditions. However, the modern construction methods made sure that air-condition units were created in the residential as well as commercial projects of Dubai. The fact to be noted here is that people in traditional times made use of air-catcher features in the building to maintain cooling in the building. Also, solid materials such as steel, brass, glass were used in replacement of older materials of construction. In addition, variations of materials and fusion of different frames were experimented in Dubai which is now being used worldwide. It can be said that with the economic impact and advancement in architecture, people from all around the world have started to study the history of Dubai. This makes it Dubai as one of the most attractive cities of the world. One of the concerns that were noted previously was that traditional structures were not natural disaster proofed. With the economic prosperity, the inhabitants of Dubai were actually able to adopt modern way of construction that was based upon concrete framing. These frames are able to respond to natural disasters. It should be noted that despite the fact that economic activity in Dubai has increased by large, there are still many architects in Dubai who try to preserve the traditional style of architecture. Most notably, for the purpose of residential structures, traditional bricks are used with strong wall finishing that present a fusion of modern and traditional architectural design. Mobility is another aspect that has been noticed in the modern design of buildings and structures. Traditionally, structures were painted, by keeping in mind, with colors that were permanent. The point of view behind creating designs and planning structures was about keeping the structures same for years coming. However, in the modern times, the structures are mobility-proof which means the design and colors of the building can be changed over time as the owner may please. This is a very major change in the architecture of Dubai. This notes that the culture of Dubai now caters the aspect of change. People want to bring change in the way they think and like. Herein, it can be said that the defenders of the modern architecture claim that people of Dubai want to make sure that the new change in design and urban planning remains present forever. At the same time, they also make sure that they appreciate their traditions for which they rather opt for coexist style which will be a mixture of traditional and modern features of design and urban planning4. Other than the pointer of weather proof structures, it can also be well noted that modern architecture allowed people to sustain their lives in a healthy environment. Architecture involved the aspect of health as well which was not given consideration in traditional architecture of Dubai. The modern changes and structures allowed people to live and make use of spaces that provided thermal protections and insulted walls that kept them away from weather changes causing body temperatures to deflect by large. Previously, materials which were used in order to create structures in Dubai were off low quality that eroded with time. This erosion caused air to get affected badly. It was due to this reason that a number of projects were sealed by the government with a ban on living because of corroded material of the building. Talking about urban planning, increased population has resulted in space convergence and assimilation of technical building features. It could be well-stated that urban planning or development is directly associated with the population of a region. In particular, the pace is said to increase by large since 1970 when an estimate for conducted to assess the population of Dubai in coming years. This gave an indication that Dubai needs residential projects where the authorities could settle the increasing number of population. It is roughly estimated that the population of Dubai was 370 000 in 1985. This increased to 910 000 by the end of 2001. As per the reports by analysts, it was noted that Dubai experienced increased birth rate which can considerably noted as the reason behind increased population. An interesting fact to be noted here is that Dubai healthcare institutions have shown tremendous success in providing best health care to people. As a matter of fact, the rate of child mortality and increased average duration of life has been noted. All the above noted reasons have led to the constructions of building where people could make use of space. The fact remains that economic returns have also been noted in the case of tourism. It is the economic advancement that led the people to construct interesting resorts of hotels that attracted a wide majority of tourists. It resulted in increased profits and employment opportunities in Dubai. Skyscrapers of hotels such as Burj-ul-Arab and Burj-ul-Khalifa can be considered as interesting examples of architectural transformation in Dubai. Architects of Dubai can now try synthetic landmarks in Dubai which will not just allow them to receive credits for their achievement but also become famous worldwide. Some of the synthetic projects that have been constructed in Dubai in past ten years are Ski clubs, Palm Jumeriah, lakes, islands and polo grounds are all example of modern culture and modern architecture that are now being developed and constructed by the native architects of Dubai. It is for this reason that these architects are receiving recognition in different parts of the world. Criticism: At one point where many people claim modernization of architecture as a commendable development in Dubai while on the other side, there is a considerable minority that claims modernization to be a killer of traditional way of architecture. These conservatives believe that with the advancement of economic activity, population have Dubai have forgotten their values and customs. They state that there are hardly many sculptures that would narrate the history of Dubai. They claim that modern way of construction is basically a borrowed stance. It is believed that a society must never forget its origin and history by incorporating models of other societies. Furthermore, protests have been noted where older and traditional buildings were demolished which were replaced by new buildings and structures. This raised a concern that the modern way of construction is not keeping everyone happy. Also, with the increase of population, the urban planning of the city has vastly changed. Previously, the size of a normal court yard was small. However, in the modern times, houses have been designed with increased space. Therefore, the rent and property rate have been increased. Many inhabitants claim that they cannot make use of excessive space even if they are able to afford bigger homes. Cement blocks and framing of the buildings have changed that are expensive for most of the people. The impact can be noted as negative for the conservatives. It is because people coming in Dubai find it expensive to rent these buildings. As a result, they get involved in illegal actions which will further result in increased corruption5. It has often been posed by the conservatives that western civilization is now changing their focus from steel and glass material to sand and bricks for a natural habitat. This marks that they understand the importance of traditional marks. Therefore, Dubai is just causing itself a dent by following western model of construction. Also, it is believed that modern architectural is being adopted in Dubai because there is a competition going on when it comes to design. The conservatives believe that if the buildings of Dubai are going to be designed and constructed by foreign designers then there is no point of having any competition. There is a question regarding urban planning that is being put forward by conservatives. It is stated that in order to maintain the uniqueness of design, one must stick to the traditional style of society. If Dubai wants to compete with the international actors of design then it should maintain its cultural values that can be made visible through the design of its buildings and structures. It will not be incorrect to state that it is the minority of conservatives for whom the style of Dubai or its history remains reflective of its design in some of the buildings. Conclusion: Through the above assessment of major changes that have been noted in urban planning and architectural design of Dubai, it comes to understanding that the lifestyle of inhabitants of Dubai has changed majorly. The design and use of space has been so innovative in newer designs that people have appreciated the change and has rather made it a part of their life. The impact of economic prosperity has led into increased population in Dubai which has increased the horizons for the people in terms of money. In order to cater the population that is increasing because of the opportunities that Dubai is giving to the foreigners and inhabitants, structures and architectural products are being transformed to cater such increase. Health concerns as well as environmental disasters are now a crucial factor to consider while developing of designing architectural design in Dubai. At the same time, there are many conservatives who believe that there is an avid need of cultural safety. Conservatives believe that modern architecture has resulted in exploitation of traditional values and way of living. Overall, it can be well stated that economic growth is directly related to the change in urban planning. Therefore, architectural styles of Dubai have evolved and developed into a modern way of design and styles. This aspect has both negative and positive influence on the people of Dubai. BIBLIOGRAPHY Christensen, S. (2010). Frommers Dubai. New York: John Wiley & Sons. UN Habitat. (2004). The State of the Worlds Cities 2004/2005: Globalization and Urban Culture. New York: UN-HABITAT. Read More