Dubai Creek

24 February 2017 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, Dubai Reading Time:  14 minutes

© Imre Solt/cc-by-sa-3.0

© Imre Solt/cc-by-sa-3.0

Dubai Creek is a saltwater creek located in Dubai. It ends at Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary. Some sources say that the creek extended as far inland as Al Ain, and that the Ancient Greeks called it River Zara. Historically, the creek divided the city into two main sections – Deira and Bur Dubai. It was along the Bur Dubai creek area that members of the Bani Yas tribe first settled in the 19th century, establishing the Al Maktoum dynasty in the city. In the early 20th century, the creek, though incapable then of supporting large scale transportation, served as a minor port for dhows coming as far away as India or East Africa. Although it impeded the entry of ships due to current flow, the creek remained an important element in establishing the commercial position of Dubai, being the only port or harbour in the city. Dubai’s pearling industry, which formed the main sector of the city’s economy, was based primarily on expeditions in the creek, prior to the invention of cultured pearls in the 1930s.   read more…

Business Bay in Dubai

8 April 2016 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, Architecture, Dubai, Intelligent Buildings, Living, Working, Building Reading Time:  8 minutes

Downtown Burj Dubai and Business Bay, seen from Safa Park © Robert Luxemburg

Downtown Burj Dubai and Business Bay, seen from Safa Park © Robert Luxemburg

Business Bay is a central business district under construction in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. The project features numerous skyscrapers located in an area where Dubai Creek will be dredged and extended. Business Bay will have upwards of 240 buildings, comprising commercial and residential developments. The infrastructure of Business Bay has been completed in 2008, and the entire development is expected to be completed between 2012-2015. Business Bay is part of the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashed Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, and Ruler of Dubai. Business Bay will be a new ‘city’ within the city of Dubai and is being built as a commercial, residential and business cluster along a new extension of Dubai Creek extending from Ras Al Khor to Sheikh Zayed Road. Covering an area of 64,000,000 square feet (5,900,000 m2), once completed it will comprise office and residential towers set in landscaped gardens with a network of roads, pathways and canals. It will become the region’s business capital as well as a freehold city. There will be over 230 towers in the Business Bay district.   read more…

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