DXB. THE OLD & THE NEW

 

When I first came to Dubai there was a lot of "novelty for novelty's sake" in the architectural expression, plus a few standout icons. The Burj Khalifa was just getting going, still branded the Burj Dubai and just a concrete core a few stories high. It could be seen from the roof of the villa where I had a room.

These shots were taken early on Xmas morning from the apartment we have rented for this year's family get together. Missing the UK branch, but of course, once your children get married things get a bit more complicated, especially when your family is spread widely across the continents.

 

There is still a tendency towards design hyperbole, but I do think the "Dubai style" has matured into something genuinely interesting from an architectural history perspective. Ranging from brash to super-cool with the occasional Islamic motif blended into the mix.

Is it more of a regional style nowadays? Gulf State Modern?... Perhaps, but I don't think there's any doubt that Dubai led the way. These days I'm totally comfortable with the sprinkling of whimsy. References to Big Ben or the Chrysler Tower. There is enough disciplined, rectangular, abstract design to allow these flights of fancy

 

These images are from 23rd December, wandering around Marsa Al Seef with family visitors. It's at its best at night but has also mellowed and matured as more and more of the tenant businesses add their own personalisations.

Al Seef was a great project to be involved in. My role lay mostly in developing a library of Revit families based on hand drawn sketches and expressing traditional Gulf vernacular in a BIM friendly format. We had a great team, from the project leads down to the document controllers, and I will always savour that period of my time at GAJ.

I have always been suspicious of cries of "fake" and "pastiche" when it comes to architectural criticism. If you have to frame your critique in moralistic terms it suggests that your argument may be a little weak. Rather ask if the scheme fulfills it's mission, in this case as a tourist destination. Then perhaps are the spaces well composed? Do the transitions from overall massing to fine detail work? What about the balance between consistency and variety.

 

You get the idea. In my view it's a resounding YES on all fronts. The whole place was alive and the many small outlets thriving. Good food, good fun, good aromas and associations. Much credit must go to our client who had the vision to recreate this childhood memory of creek-side life.