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The Palm Islands
The World Islands
The first one makes me think of shows I have seen about Atlantis and that it supposedly had "rings" of land like that. The second makes me think of an old graphic novel series...where the land was shaped like the head of a wolf or something. You see that type of thing a lot in fiction: myths and legends and terraformed landscapes that fit with some myth or legend. It gives me this creepy feeling that in a few hundred (or thousand) years, there will be legends of a Great Civilization with Amazing Magical Powers that Shaped The Land...yadda yadda..."bed time stories" for kiddies about the great evil of our past and how it ruined the world because of the hubris of these people.
And I feel like saying: "Only in the UAE could you do something like this". If you think America is disgustingly wealthy, you don't know anything about Saudi Arabia or the UAE. Ironic that their neighbors should so loathe the USA's materialistic lifestyle and values. After the first gulf war, folks in the country that Sadaam had invaded decided that they didn't really need 3 domestic servants while mom sat around doing absolutely nothing...That, really, it would be better to have one or two domestic servants and have mom do some work around the house.Some of the youth of that country went to Europe and hung out in the discos while the youth of our country fought for their country's freedom. Can you say "Decadent"??
we should do islands in the face of uncle ronald mcdonald .. symbol of american globalisation and capitalist-consumerism.
I think we should start a collection to purchase one of the World Islands... and we can have a physical location we can call "Cyburbia."
Let's see... I've got 32 cents in my pocket. Anybody else?
Originally posted by Michele Zone
The first one makes me think of shows I have seen about Atlantis and that it supposedly had "rings" of land like that. The second makes me think of an old graphic novel series...where the land was shaped like the head of a wolf or something. You see that type of thing a lot in fiction: myths and legends and terraformed landscapes that fit with some myth or legend. It gives me this creepy feeling that in a few hundred (or thousand) years, there will be legends of a Great Civilization with Amazing Magical Powers that Shaped The Land...yadda yadda..."bed time stories" for kiddies about the great evil of our past and how it ruined the world because of the hubris of these people.
And I feel like saying: "Only in the UAE could you do something like this". If you think America is disgustingly wealthy, you don't know anything about Saudi Arabia or the UAE. Ironic that their neighbors should so loathe the USA's materialistic lifestyle and values. After the first gulf war, folks in the country that Sadaam had invaded decided that they didn't really need 3 domestic servants while mom sat around doing absolutely nothing...That, really, it would be better to have one or two domestic servants and have mom do some work around the house.
While they should indeed be grateful that American soldiers saved them from Sadaam, we weren't fighting for their freedom, but for oil and geopolitical positioning. Just sayin'
On that travel show "Globe Trekker" on PBS, the host went to the sales office for the Palms. The Arab hottie doing the spiel started talking about all the celebrities who have an interest in the Palms.
"We have David Beckham...", trailing off, like this was to be the first in a long list of celebs.
"You have Beckham?" asked the host
"We have Beckham."
The cult of personality has infiltrated the Arab world as well.
There are some amazing resort projects going up in Dubai. They're realizing that their oil economy is nearing its end. But they are decadent. I know someone who was offered six figures to ride racehorses there.
Adrift in a sea of beige
I hope I live long enough to see every oil based economy in the toilet....exchanged for something else.....remember, this won't hurt the common folk in those countries....they get shafted as it is, so it will be the same for them.....
On the ground, protecting the Cyburbia Shove since 2004.
I don't think it is an either/or thing.
It is my understanding that in some of these countries, if you are a citizen, you get plenty of money from the state and the only "common folks" are immigrants they import from other countries in the region to do all the menial labor.I hope I live long enough to see every oil based economy in the toilet....exchanged for something else.....remember, this won't hurt the common folk in those countries....they get shafted as it is, so it will be the same for them.....
Sorry. EVERY economy in the world, barring a few hunting and gathering remnants, is Oil-Based. The common folk will be hirt-their numbers may be reduced by, some doomsayers claim, 50-90%.I hope I live long enough to see every oil based economy in the toilet....exchanged for something else.....remember, this won't hurt the common folk in those countries....they get shafted as it is, so it will be the same for them.....
I am going to bring this one back because I just watched a presentation on Dubai, and I am blown away.
Has anyone been there? Has anyone worked on any of the projects? Do you think that this can be done in other places?
When compassion exceeds logic for too long, chaos will ensue. - Unknown
Gaudy and tacky. True Middle-Eastern "style"
Then again, the US has Las Vegas...
Must be somethign about hot, desertic areas that makes people build crazy stuff
Life and death of great pattern languages
I disagree with the implication that such development is tacky. I think it is an imaginative example of reclaimation and infill and development. It may be extremely elite (which annoys those of us who cant afford it) and also almost completely populated by nouvou (bad spelling) riche arrivistes (and freaks: see Micky Jackson), which in terms of adding taste and style, grates with our sensibilies.
However dopes throwing good money after bad in terms of grand building schemes to show off wealth has left the world with some of its best architectual legacies (see any of the victorian holiday "villas" along the south coast of England, Italy and New England). As has crazy waterinfill in order to create a safe island based municipality inhabited by and engined by the needs of the merchant/footballing classes. Venice anyone?
I like the idea. I think exploiting the water for land formation can create fantastic opportunities for development. Long live the Sultan of Dubai (can I have a job your Sultanship?)
I watched a program on "Ski Dubai" and about choked. Fantastic projects but Im not exactly sure how the US became the great evil with our materalistic ways when Dubai has such malls. WOW
"They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety." Ben Franklin
Remember this motto to live by: "Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, martini in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming 'WOO- HOO what a ride!'"
This is off-topic, sorry.
I have a fairly new gmail account, which my aunt, who happens to live in the UAE, and I use to communicate. Yesterday when I checked by mail, one of those "random" ads on the side bar was advertising resume services "in the style that is preferred in Dubai."
Now, how much are "they" tracking our emails? There was nothing in the heading or message that said anything about Dubai.
My aunt says Abu Dabi (sp?) is an amazing place. The way the land use (particularly commercial) is set up is so logical and convenient. It goes to show what you can do with money pouring out your ears.
BTW, is anyone up on the water policy and attempts to change weather patterns? Very generally, the idea is to plant lots of trees and vegetation, with extensive irrigation systems (obviously) in order to produce more moisture in the atmosphere. I have heard that they are actually seeing more rain since this has been in place.
I don't find the development tacky at all - it certainly is a spectacle, but a welcome one. Creative and interesting, though too bad it is only a playground for the rich. Something like this on an even larger scale might be more interesting.
I'm merely trying to wrok out what that island midway between Australia and Antartica is.
Either my geography is worse then i thought it is, or Tasmania has drifted a few thousand kilometres out of place.
It shouldnt be there dammit!
Im curious about whether such a project would be possible in the US? It's not lkely that something like that would be built, because we already have thousands of kilometers of undeveloped and underdeveloped coastline. Even if it was all developed, there's one barrier that wuld be almost impossible to overcome - the Army Corps of Engineers. I'm sure Canada has similar environmental restrictions; if there were't any, there would probably already be such a project in Lake Ontario south of Toronto.
It would never get past the results of the environmental impact statement.
That said where would it be? Tectonic coastal Callifornia? Hurricane alley? or some less desireable [i.e. no market] coastal zone? I doubt Buffy and Biff want that in their Nantucket viewshed
There's just something strange and unsettling about messing with nature like that. It's one thing to manipulate the environment, but to create completely new landforms, just strikes me as odd. I agree with Chet...the liability of creating a series of islands off the coast of anyplace in/near the U.S. would be incredible, considering the power of nature. Or maybe I just live in a place where nature rules so obviously, and I see that whenever humans over-manipulate the environment it goes to hell in a handbasket. Actually, it is -20F outside right now...an island off the coast of anyplace warm sounds pretty good
Here's a pretty good article from the bbc on dubai:http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programme...nt/4535272.stm
Awash in the money of rich expats, Dubai combines the rapid desert growth of Las Vegas (with attendent need for imported drinking water and air conditioning), with a location that's only a connonball lob across the Persian Gulf from the world's biggest powder keg. But Dubai can leach off the heavy military presence used to secure the Strait of Hormuz. Whether it will be viewed by Arabs as a detested symbol of western imperialism or a proud symbol of Arab affluence remains to be seen.
"The current American way of life is founded not just on motor transportation but on the religion of the motorcar, and the sacrifices that people are prepared to make for this religion stand outside the realm of rational criticism." -Lewis Mumford
Take a walk down to your friendly local part and docks authority and see how much messing with nature has taken place to shape them. Infill of the sea for the purposes of human use is a fact of life. The Netherlands wouldnt exist without it.
I think there is a squeamishness about infilling the sea near cities. There is obviously a balance to be struck between amenity and the sustainable use of land, but I think we a planners may shy away from this question too often.
For example, if the infilling of a bay area created less need for sprawl into greenfield site and created a more balanced central area, allowing transport to radiate outwards, then why not allow for such development.
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