Downtown Dubai, previously known as Downtown Burj Dubai, is a large-scale, mixed-use complex under development in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It is the home of some of the city’s most important landmarks. It covers an area of 2 square kilometres (0.77 sq mi), at an estimated cost of US$20 billion (Dh73 billion) upon completion. The complex is situated along Sheikh Zayed Road, across from Al Wasl locality on the Northwest. It is bounded to the South by Business Bay and to the Northeast by Financial Centre Road, which separates it from Zabeel 2 and Trade Center 2. It is connected to the Dubai Metro via the Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall Metro Station. The First Interchange, which is in its last phases of construction, will guarantee the free flow of traffic to and from the area. The Dubai Trolley is a tramway in the Downtown Dubai development which uses a fleet of double-deck heritage-style open-top trams to provide transport services and as a visitor attraction.
The development is divided into 11 projects. Burj Khalifa, Dubai Fountain, Dubai Mall, Burj Park Island, and The Address Downtown Dubai hotel are at the center of the complex. The Old Town and The Old Town Island are mostly low-rise residential buildings, in addition to three hotels and Souq Al Bahar. Emaar Boulevard, The Residences and South Ridge comprise high-rise residential towers. Emaar Square is a low-rise office complex. In May 2015, Emaar announced the twin tower project called Forte Towers – one of which will be a 70 storey building, making it the third tallest tower in the District. According to recent news, Emaar has launched two identically designed towers located on Muhammad Bin Rashid Boulevard in Downtown Dubai. One tower is 20 stories high and the other is 65 stories. Both towers consist of 640 apartments. Burj Vista offers lavish terraces that open onto stupendous views of the city’s skyline.
Burj Khalifa is the centrepiece of Downtown Dubai. At 828 m (2,717 ft), it is the tallest building in the world and the tallest man-made structure ever built. Construction began on 21 September 2004, and was completed and ready for occupancy by 4 January 2010. Burj Khalifa is estimated to have cost US$1.5 billion. The Dubai Mall is the world’s largest shopping mall by total area. It is the home of 1,200 shops in addition to numerous attractions, including an Olympic-size ice rink, an aquarium and a water zoo. Access to the mall is provided via Doha Street, rebuilt as a double-decker road in April 2009. Twice delayed, Dubai Mall opened on November 4, 2008, with about 600 retailers, marking it as the world’s largest-ever mall opening in retail history. However it is not the largest in gross leasable space, and is surpassed in that category by several malls including the West Edmonton Mall, South China Mall and others. Outside, and at a cost of Dh 800 million (US$217 million), a record-setting fountain system, Dubai Fountain, is designed by WET Design, the company responsible for the fountains at the Bellagio Hotel Lake in Las Vegas. Illuminated by 6,600 lights and 50 colored projectors, it will be 275 m (902 ft) long and able to shoot water 150 m (490 ft) into the air, accompanied by a range of classical to contemporary Arabic and world music. On 26 October 2008 Emaar announced, based on results of a naming contest, the fountain would be named the Dubai Fountain.
The Address Downtown Dubai is a supertall skyscraper rising 306 meters (1,004 feet) alongside the Dubai Mall, the Old Town, and the Burj Khalifa Lake. This hotel and residential tower contains a total of 63 floors. The tower is another supertall structure in the massive development of Downtown Dubai, which includes the centerpiece supertall building, Burj Khalifa. The tower was topped out in April 2008, becoming the 6th-tallest building in Dubai and the 36th-tallest in the world. In September 2008 the tower was completed.
[caption id="attachment_224331" align="aligncenter" width="590"] European Museum of the Year Award[/caption][responsivevoice_button voice="UK English Female" buttontext="Listen to this Post"]The European Museum of the Year Award (EMYA) is presented each year by the European Museum Forum (EMF) under ...
