In Dubai, they're thinking big these days. Emaar Properties has unveiled it plans to build one of the largest fountains in the world with an integral light and sound show, as the centerpiece of its Downtown Burj Dubai project.
This new iconic feature will be one of the city’s major tourist attractions and is expected to draw over 10 million visitors annually.
At 825 feet long, the $218 million project will be 25 percent larger than the iconic fountains at the Bellagio hotel in Las Vegas. Powerful water nozzles will shoot water sprays to heights of over 500 ft (150 metres) – equivalent to that of a 50-storey building. 
A light and sound show produced by a network of 6,600 lights and 50 projectors will illuminate the Dubai skyline at night. About 22,000 gallons of water are expected to cycle through the fountain at any given time
The fountain will be operational by early 2009 adding to the varied leisure and entertainment attractions of Downtown Burj Dubai, described as the “new soul of the city”. The flagship mega-project of Emaar Properties, Downtown Burj Dubai has a development value of US$20 billion!
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Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Worlds largest water fountain in Dubai
The Largest Fireworks in the History of the World in Dubai
Dubai heralded the new year as only it knows how to, by trying to outdo everyone on planet earth. As always, it had to be the biggest and best spectacular that anyone has ever seen. Their attempt was to break the world record for a fireworks display.
Grucci, the fireworks company that created displays at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles and the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, was hired by organizers to create the world's largest fireworks display -reaching as high as 1,000 feet reports UPI. Via thedubailife
check out the video !
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Solar Powered Sea Limousine For Dubai
Designed and developed by Dennis Ingemansson, the Dubai Sea Limousine is an idea based on the “The World”- a man-made archipelago of 300 islands constructed in the shape of a world map and located 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) off the coast of Dubai.
Since access to all these islands, which are currently under construction, from the coast and also amongst themselves is only by water, this ambitious new taxi service seeks to become the sort of marine transportation between artificial islands.
Powered by sun’s energy, it comes with solar cells integrated in the window skin and moves forward with the help of a hovercraft.
The vehicle is controlled by a satellite navigation system and therefore needs no human pilot. This concept delivers a new dimension of discrete sea limousine in terms of luxury yacht design. 
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Donald Trump’s $30 Million Dubai Penthouse
Al Nakheel Properties and the Trump Organization announced Monday that one of the two exclusive penthouses in Trump International Hotel & Tower on Palm Jumeirah will be breaking property records by selling for more than $30 million (The earlier record was $12 million for a penthouse at the Burje Tower, Dubai).
The two towers of the Trump International Hotel & Tower, scheduled for completion in 2011, will form the gateway to Palm Jumeirah, the offshore development that will co-host a permanent residence for the Cirque du Soleil and the retired QE2 cruise liner, along with hotels, apartments and villas.
Besides the penthouses, the Tower is selling 399 freehold residential apartments between 890 to 7,500 sq. feet in size. Pre-sales for some units are said to be in the vicinity of around $3,000 per square foot.
The development is the first in the region for Donald Trump, the US property magnate. He has reserved a penthouse apartment in the tower for himself, which will have views across the Gulf. “People will continue to pay for good locations and good product – it is an iconic building in the middle of the iconic Palm, with Trump branding on top,” he told the Financial Times.
Dubai’s real estate market is booming as the diversified city-state attracts much of the petrodollar surpluses caused by record oil prices. According to property consultants Colliers International, Dubai property prices have surged 78 per cent in the first quarter of this year.
Still, Dubai lags well behind the average property prices in centres such as New York and London. London’s most expensive flats are the Candy brothers’ One Hyde Park, where penthouses have allegedly sold for more than £80m ($157m).
Via Financial TimesRelated articles :
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Dubai’s Rotating Wind Power Tower
Dubai has garnered much attention in recent years with a never-ending supply of architectural wonders being built, or proposed, at a head spinning pace. Mostly these towering structures are grand and tall, but some are also green
An ambitious project by David Fisher’s firm Dynamic Architecture looks set to be yet another new addition to Dubai’s skyline.
The building’s 59 floors will be capable of rotating about a central axis, their continuous motion allowing residents in the tower’s 200 apartments to choose a new view at the touch of a button. The form of the building would constantly change as each floor rotates separately giving a new view of the building as it turns.
The new tower is the first building of its size to produced in a factory. Each floor, made up of 12 individual units, complete with plumbing, electric connections, air conditioning, etc., will be fabricated in a factory. These modular units will be fitted on the concrete core or spine of the building at the central tower.
The 59-floor building will be powered entirely by sun and wind energy. And, the architect claims that the building will generate 10 times more energy than required to power it, thus making it a positive energy building. Solar panels will be fitted on the roof to harness sunlight, and a total of 48 wind turbines will be sandwiched between the rotating floors, placed so that they are practically invisible.
Construction is going to start soon, with an official launch later this month, and plans are also afoot to build a similar tower in Moscow.
Monday, June 9, 2008
Dubai opera house
Zaha Hadid Architects have developed designs for a new opera house and cultural centre for Dubai.
The fluid, dune-shaped will accommodate an opera house, playhouse, arts gallery, performing arts school and themed hotel on an island in Dubai Creek, just off the mainland part of the district.
All of these facilities will be state of the art to host world class performances and exhibitions. The opera house will have a seating capacity of 2,500 while the playhouse will have a seating capacity of 800.
The arts gallery with 5000m2 of exhibition space is indeed a full size exhibition facility comparable to the Guggenheim Museum in New York. The hotel will accommodate guests in a 6 star setting.
Sited on an island in Dubai Creek, the development will be connected to Greater Dubai by a road connection to the mainland.
The proposal houses all of the facilities within a single striking structure,” Zaha Hadid Architects describe the project. “The gentle winding form evokes images of mountains or sand dunes. Rising out of the ground, this form is both a part of the landscape yet very much a distinct element in the skyline. The surrounding landscape forms build up to the main building. These constitute open park spaces as well as ancillary functions such as the parking facilities and the monorail station, which are either tucked under or integrated into the landscape forms.
Source : DezeenSaturday, May 31, 2008
Exclusive Private Residential Estate, Abu Dhabi
Zaya, a Abu Dhabi-based real estate company has launched its first of many property ventures; Nurai, a spectacular private community of limited edition resort beach-front estates and water villas on a natural island off the coast of Abu Dhabi.
Derived from the Arabic word “nour” meaning light, Nurai is surrounded by clear waters and ringed with pristine sandy beaches. Lying immediately northeast of Abu Dhabi, the island is set in isolation away from the hustle and bustle of city life yet is within minutes from the mainland.
People interested in resort beachfront estates will have their choice of two designs - 'The Shoreline' or 'The Seaside'.
The Shoreline estates will consist of six bedrooms, seven bathrooms, private beach and rooftop garden with a total build area of 12,275 square feet.
Similar in size, but with five bedrooms and six baths, will be The Seaside estates. No detail has been overlooked. Each resort residence includes luxurious amenities such as a private beach and garden, infinity swimming pool, concealed service quarters and outdoor showers.
The resort is due to open in 2010 and the prices for the residences start at €20 million ($30 million)
Via zawyaSaturday, May 10, 2008
The Platinum Yacht becomes the Golden Star
In 1996 Prince Jefri Bolkiah of Brunei commissioned a secret project called 'The Platinum Yacht' but ran into financial difficulty and the project was put on hold.
The project was taken over in 2001 by the Crown Prince of Dubai, Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum and the yacht was renamed the 'Golden Star'. It is now in dry dock awaiting completion, but when it is finally completed the Golden Star will not only be the world's most expensive yacht at a cost of over $300 million USD, but also the longest at 525 feet.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
The Palazzo Versace Hotel in Dubai
The Palazzo Versace Hotel in Dubai will ultimately be one of 16 luxury branded resorts located around the world, which will take Gianni Versace inspired ostentation to a new level.
The completed hotel will incorporate 169 private flats all decorated and furnished in the Versace style.
Some of the more interesting features will include Hand cut mosaic floors, Communal areas will have immense seawater aquariums with exotic Red Sea fish and also under beach cooling system to ensure you don’t burn your feet.
This market seems to be defying the global doom with 100 units already sold. Kate Hudson is reported to be one of the purchasers having bought a 2,210 sq ft flat for £2.23 million ($4.46 million).
Palazzo Versace already have a resort on Australia’s Gold Coast with other’s planned for Goa, Abu Dhabi, India, China, Russia, Paris, London, New York and Rome.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Kulthoum’s antique necklace fetches $1.3 million
An antique necklace made up of 1,888 pearls that once belonged to the Arab world's most famous singer was sold Tuesday for more than $1,385,000 at an auction in this rich Gulf emirate, organizers said.
Christie's Dubai branch said an anonymous buyer from the Middle East bought the nine-strand necklace that belonged to Umm Kulthoum for more than 10 times the price expected by Christie's [...]
The necklace was one of the few valuables the Egyptian-born singer kept. The diva's descendants had offered the necklace for sale. It was Umm Kulthoum's favorite piece of jewelry, one she wore only for special occasions and never while performing on stage.
Umm Kulthoum was famous for her emotive songs that continue to transfix audiences across the Arab world, 30 years after her death. She was also adored by ordinary people and heads of state alike both for her voice and her pursuit of humanitarian causes across the Middle East.
The pearl necklace with its multicolored enamel and white stone details was designed in 19th century India. It was a gift to the diva by the late president of the United Arab Emirates, Sheik Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, a few years before her death in 1975 at the age of 70. [...]
Thursday, April 10, 2008
$2.72 Million Camels - Dubai Prince Splurges on a Dry Hump
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashed al-Maktoum, crown prince of the United Arab Emirates of Dubai, purchased the female camel for 10 million dirhams (2.72 million dollars) at a camel beauty pageant in the UAE capital of Abu Dhabi.
When you are a crown prince and can have any camel in the world, what are the criteria for making the final decision? Reportedly Sheikh Hamdan fell for what he said were eight of the most perfect camel toes that he had ever seen. Personally, I’m a hump man.
Amiri, quoted by the official WAM news agency, made the remarks on the sidelines of the nine-day beauty pageant which opened on Wednesday in the UAE capital of Abu Dhabi. More than 10,000 camels -- including females which are the fasting racing camels -- from across the Gulf are competing for prize money totalling around 9.5 million dollars. One hundred cars are also up for grabs. The contest is part of a camel festival in Abu Dhabi that aims to celebrate and preserve the region's cultural heritage.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Champagne Inspired Buildings
The 18-story Pixel Tower by James Law Cybertecture, which is planned for Dubai’s Waterfront, is inspired by the moving bubbles in a champagne glass with a design that targets the young and trendy.
The geometry of the openings minimizes in the southern direction of the sun to minimize heat gain, and maximizes in the northern direction of the sun to maximize views to the sea.
Due for completion in 2010, the building forms part of the agency’s ‘Cybertecture’ series, a range of high-tech solutions that thinks of structures as intelligent, customizable spaces. No matter where they are in the world, residents are always able to control and view their apartment, as well as the appliances within it, using mobile phones and PDAs. Fiber optic projections and animatronics presentations will also be incorporated.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
acknowledged as the best hotel in the world...
The Burj Al Arab Jumeirah resort in Dubai, is acknowledged as the best hotel in the world.
The stellar customer service starts the moment you land in Dubai, with a chauffeur picking you up in the Rolls Royce that will be yours for the duration of your stay. When you arrive at the breathtaking hotel which stands 321 meters tall in the shape of a sail, you are taken directly to one of the 202 suites where you are checked in, a service that guarantees your privacy.
Each sprawling suite is two levels, and has floor to ceiling windows providing breathtaking views of the Arabian Gulf. Some of the listed in room features are, a private elevator, private cinema, a rotating four-post canopy bed,a separate butler entrance and a study area with a library.
Should you venture out of your palace, activities made available to guests include hot air ballooning, horse back riding, golf at the world class Montgomerie Golf Course, desert safari day trips, chartered yacht trips and helicopter tours. After working up and appetite you are invited to dine at one of the hotels award winning restaurants.
The signature restaurant, 'Al Mahara is frequently listed as one of the top ten restaurants in the world and offers the finest seafood and Mediterranean cuisine in an underwater setting, complete with a mock submarine ride. Unparalleled luxury, set in paradise... truly a once in a lifetime experience, especially when you consider the prices.
An evening at the Burj Al Arab will cost you between $3,000 and $5,000 per night!
Monday, March 10, 2008
Diamond-studded card shows you’ve arrived
How would you like to own a credit card with a solitaire diamond embedded in it? Can you imagine the look on the faces of your fellow diners when you casually whip it out and hand it over to the waiter to pay the bill? And, to make things even better, there is no pre-set spending limit on the card.
Before you go running to apply, here’s the catch – the Dubai First Royale MasterCard is by invitation only and as the name “Royale” suggests is only for the VVIPs of UAE society and the movers and shakers of the business world.
Ravi Bhardwaj, country corporate officer, Dubai First, told Emirates Business: “Our Royale MasterCard is by invitation only and it is for a select group of people, who represent the upper echelons of the business and social community.
“More than the income level, we look at prospective card holders as people who must possess the right criteria in terms of social standing and profile. People who meet these attributes are then invited to enjoy the benefits of our Royale card.”
Due to the exclusive nature of the Royale card only a limited number of them will be issued each year and only a privileged few will then be able to join this elite group.
Bhardwaj said: “Our aim is to invite a limited number of high net worth individuals each year to benefit from the elite lifestyle support that is an inherent proposition of the card.”
So what was the idea behind launching such a card? Bhardwaj said: “Since Dubai First’s inception, we have been working to position the company as a dominant player in the financial services industry.
So what better way to do it than by launching the Royale which is the first of its kind in the world and the first in the Middle East to use a certified diamond that has been embedded within its crest.”
The card is black and has a golden metallic border. It has a crest in the middle and the diamond is embedded within this crest. Bhardwaj said: “The card was designed by an internationally acclaimed design consultancy called Inno Design. The Royale Mastercard is the first of its kind in the world to use a certified diamond and metal implant technology.
“The card is handcrafted and only nine cards are produced in a day. The manufacture involves 36 processes from metal casting to diamond setting by a jeweller.”
The million-dirham question is what privileges will the Royale cardholder have? Well, for one, all transactions will be processed regardless of their size and amount of available credit. Second, holders will have preferential access to the Burj Al Arab hotel, special yacht charter deals in Dubai and around the world and will also have a personal relationship manager to meet all their financial and lifestyle needs.
Bhardwaj said: “The card will become a part of the members’ everyday lives as our personal relationship managers and lifestyle managers will be involved in every lifestyle aspect, from booking jets to arranging invitations to exclusive openings around the world.
“Royale will offer personalised services on an international level through numerous worldwide affiliations such as hospitality brands, yacht charters, polo clubs, VIP restaurant services and others. One innovative example is the Royale City Business Package by which customers can order a set of four key personal services in more than 13 international business gateways, from Los Angeles to Shanghai.
“For a person on the go, it will meet last-minute requests, while offering insider information on select events through its global network. In other words, the ‘Royale’ card is an all-in-one package catering to the needs of distinguished individuals.”
Friday, March 7, 2008
City on the Gulf: Koolhaas Lays Out a Grand Urban Experiment in Dubai
An architect and urban designer, Rem Koolhaas' concept of the "generic city" created years ago may finally get the chance to be constructed in Dubai as a 1.5 billion square foot project called Waterfront City.
It will be like picking up a section of Manhattan and placing it on an artificial island just off the Persian Gulf, balancing elements of unique construction, such as the 44-story sphere, with rows of towering skyscrapers. This bold statement would establish Dubai as the center for urban experimentation and one of the world's fastest growing metropolises.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Girard-Perregaux ww.tc 24 Hour Shopping
The ww.tc 24 Hour Shopping gives the time in twenty-four time zones, with its own particular interpretation of the planet: it indicates the time not in cities, but in places famous for their fashion and luxury boutiques, such as Faubourg Saint-Honoré, Dubai or Ginza.
The mechanism allows for a subtlety in the world time display: Paris, New York and Tokyo have disappeared from the city ring, yielding pride of place to avenues and squares world-renowned as cult shopping locations. As an additional finesse, it is possible to adapt your ww.tc 24 Hour Shopping to your favourite locations, as there are several versions available. Each of them focuses on two specific venues: Faubourg Saint-Honoré and Orchard Road, or Montenapoleone and Central or Rue du Rhône and Nan Jing Xi Lu. The other time zones are indicated on the city ring by fifteen different sized diamonds, adding up to 0.18 carat.
On the dial, the hours are also punctuated by eight diamonds alternating with soft arabesques. From midnight to midday, the hour ring displays a day/night contrast, while the all-black city ring stands out elegantly against the white mother-of-pearl dial. Black also adorns the alligator strap and the onyx cabochons on the crowns. To round off the work to perfection, a bezel set with fifty-four diamonds (c. 1.95 carats) gleams against the steel case. This sophisticated watch has been designed as a haute couture model, aimed at elegant women who know what they want. With its forty-one millimetre diameter case, this piece asserts its refined style on the most graceful wrists.
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