Dubai has changed a lot since the beginning of its building boom about 10 to 15 years ago, but it has always been an exciting mix of old and new, east and west, history and building something from scratch.

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An Architecture Tour of Dubai’sAn Architecture Tour of Dubai’s
Design MarvelsDesign Marvels
From the Burj Khalifa to The Opus, a look atFrom the Burj Khalifa to The Opus, a look at
some of the city’s most iconic buildingssome of the city’s most iconic buildings
By Ariel Ramchandani
Dubai has changed a lot since the beginning of its building boom about 10 to 15 years ago, but it has always
been an exciting mix of old and new, east and west, history and building something from scratch.
“The city’s heritage has certainly been a guiding factor in its architectural style, though it enjoys design
influence from both East and West owing to its position at the crossroads of the world,” said Jason Hayes,
founder and CEO of Luxuryproperty.com, a high-end property firm serving Dubai. “Fusion is at the core of
Dubai’s being as a city, and that is also reflected in its architecture.”
But throughout this fusion, the city has evolved considerably, from starchitecture to a more local intention.
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2. “Over the past 10 to 15 years, the focus has always been on making iconic buildings with the shape of the
skyline,” said Ariadna Casanovas, co-founder of Luxhabitat. “Whilst in the beginning, there was lesser
homage to the region with more references to buildings in the west, in the past 10 to 15 years, Dubai’s
architecture scene has really come into its own. Architects are taking a deeper look at the country’s origins,
local culture and history, and traditional architectural concepts and are incorporating them into
contemporary designs.”
According to Ms. Casanovas, there’s also been a shift from “grandiose, to simple but functional.” As the city
grows, there is a new focus on masterplanning, walkability, co-working spaces, and public spaces like skate
parks. This sentiment was echoed by architects Gordon Gill and Robert Forest from the firm Adrian Smith
and Gordon Gill, who have done many projects in Dubai and are currently working on two for Expo 2020, a
world’s fair starting next October, including the Al Wasl Pavillion.
“As the city expands, it becomes focused on becoming more holistic,” Mr. Forest said. Instead of simply
being about the name or the height, projects are being constructed to support the way people need to live.
They have been working on a project to develop the corridor from the airport to the rest of the city, and have
noticed an interest in completing the city.
“The strategy to fill in the city seems like a big vision,” Mr. Gill said. At the same time, “the scale is becoming
more intimate.” There is much more attention to how people really live, how they go to school and commute
to work.
As the architecture of the city develops, it has also started to shift toward long-term thinking—not just of
architectural style, but how the buildings exist in the space in the Gulf, whether it is wind, sun, or local flora
and fauna.
Below are some of the most important architectural marvels in the city, according to experts.
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