Dubai ups the architectural ante
Dubai is one of those places that sound utopian to anyone who's never been, and is fascinating to those who've been fortunate enough to visit. It's a city that tops everything, from height to size, luxury and quality. It pushes architectural boundaries and continues to reinvent itself over and over again. And as such, we have put together three of the latest architectural masterpieces that are planned or have been erected in the city that never fails to amaze.
Dubai Opera opened its utterly stunning doors on August 31. The building’s architecture blends state-of-the-art technology with historic design inspired by traditional Arabian dhows – key to the city’s maritime history. The exterior of the 2,000-seat performing arts centre is made from glass, contrasting with the dark wood-clad auditorium. The opera features hydraulic technology to convert from theatre to exhibition space, allowing for versatile use of space.
Construction for the city's latest structural addition started this month and it is set to be another record-breaking one. Dubai, which already holds the title of the world’s largest tower – The Burj Khalifa stands a whooping 829.8 metres tall – aims to outdo itself once again by adding an additional 100 metres to The Tower at Dubai Creek, which will be completed by 2020 – just in time for the Expo of that year.
The Museum of the Future was announced last year and is set to welcome visitors by December 2018. Not only does it look like something out of a sci-fi movie, its vision is just as ambitious. It has been labelled a permanent home for the world’s greatest innovations, and will aim to stimulate and incubate imaginative solutions to the challenges of future cities.
