dubai has opened its latest landmark attraction — a giant picture frame that presents contrasting views of the city’s historic and modern buildings. located in zabeel park, the appropriately titled ‘dubai frame’ is made from two 150 meter-tall towers (492 feet), connected at the top by a 93 meter (305 feet) glass bridge with 360 degree panoramic views. closer to the ground, the project also houses a museum that shows the city’s journey from a small fishing village to a bustling metropolis.
image courtesy of the dubai frame | video courtesy of khaleej times
the monuments of the old city are visible from one side of the frame, while from the other you can see skyscrapers such as burj khalifa — the world’s tallest building. at its peak, the dubai frame features a state-of-the-art clear glass bridge, which has been described as ‘completely crack-proof’. the frame is clad with a decorative gold pattern that celebrates the upcoming EXPO in 2020. admission to the new venue costs AED 50 ($13.50 USD) for adults and 20 AUD ($5.50 USD) for children.
despite the intrigue that surrounds the landmark’s opening, the frame has also been the subject of controversy. in a recent interview with the guardian, architect fernando donis — who won the project’s international competition in 2008 — claims that dubai stole his idea and sought to limit his involvement in its realization. ‘they took my project, changed the design and built it without me,’ says donis. read the full feature here.
architecture in the united arab emirates (63 articles)
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What is new? Dubai used to be a home for thieves, gold smugglers and low-grade criminals. So not surprised if Fernando donis was shafted. Among the world of Architects, there also lives a conniving design thief in New York who stepped over other architects in a competition, to take the new WTC as only his, by collaborating with the Developer, and you would’ve thought that AIA may disbar him for life, oh no, and that never happened either!