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Lasvit is behind the spectacular chandelier on the ground floor of Hyatt Capital Gate in Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. Courtesy of Lasvit

Chandelier designers light the way

Even Dubai’s Metro passengers will be familiar with the company’s installations. When the designers of the Metro came to do the interiors of the stations, they found themselves in a unique position. With most metro stations around the world, designers have had to focus on making the space entirely vandal-proof – hence the usual cold, hard-edge palette of steel, glass and concrete.

Green and go: Formula One teams are turning to environmental thinking by reducing their carbon footprint. Julio Munoz / EPA

F1 chasing green formula in Dubai

AGT has started working with Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) to transform it into the region’s first transport regulator to achieve carbon neutrality. AGT also counts the Jebel Ali Free Zone Authority and the property company Landmark among its clients.

Nine of 10 city trips in Dubai are made in private vehicles.  Pawan Singh / The National

Push to spur Dubai motorists to use public transport

Researchers in Dubai are looking at ways to lure people out of their cars and on to public transport, after it was found that nine in 10 motorised trips are made in private vehicles. The figure is extremely high, exceeding the global average of 60 per cent, and even the Middle East average of 85 per cent.

Majid Al Futtaim, the developer of Fujairah City Centre, plans to invest billions of dirhams to open 10 more malls. Sarah Dea / The National

Majid Al Futtaim set to double mega malls

Majid Al Futtaim plans to double its portfolio of major malls across the region by the end of the decade with a US$2 billion (Dh7.3bn) funding programme in place.

Once the signals and lights are operating to the RTA's satisfaction, it will take over maintenance and operations.  Mike Young / The National

Dubai residents complain about lack of lighting

Residents in the parts of Dubailand that have opened say they have been left in the dark by the master developer, which has not switched on traffic or street lights throughout the giant development. Dubai Holdings has tried to improve the situation by putting barriers around a particularly dangerous junction that has experienced a rise in traffic since the Skycourt towers, with 2,300 apartments, opened more than six months ago.

Days as a Dubai Mall rat are numbered

Days as a Dubai Mall rat are numbered

Dubai Mall is far too big already. There are 1,200 stores and 160 food and beverage outlets, for goodness’ sake.

Dubai commuters enjoy far greater freedom of movement thanks to the Metro. The rail service has also been responsible for reducing road traffic. Above, people ride the Metro's Green Line. Jaime Puebla / The National

Metro upgrades on the right track

After two-and-a-half years of operation, Metro officials are looking at ways to improve the Dh28 billion system. Transport chiefs are considering opening both the Green and Red lines earlier on Fridays next year and setting up an out-of-hours shuttle to the airport, said Ahmad Al Hammadi, the chief executive of the Roads and Transport Authority’s rail agency.

The tram launch has been pushed back to November 2014.  Jeff Topping / The National

Dubai Marina residents told roadworks to end next year

Motorists in the Marina development will have to wait until the second half of next year for an end to the roadworks. The road and tram line between Jumeirah Beach Residence (JBR) and the Marina has been under construction for three years, forcing residents to drive on a temporary road outside the 40-storey-plus towers.