After the world-acclaimed national achievements of the past few months, with the opening of the Burj Khalifa and the Dubai Metro, I would not be surprised if some Emiratis might be starting to develop a certain blasé attitude towards their examples of technical achievement.

Dubai

This week I am about to return to UAE for the first time since the opening of Burj Khalifa, and there is no reduction in my expectations for the dynamic world of Dubai.

As 2009 starts to edge away into history, my focus sharpens and my vision of that momentous year is full of eager wonderment. Perhaps as the outsider, I might be the one to remind you all just how much has been achieved.

First inevitably the Burj Khalifa, a soaring statement for which the journalists have understandably run out of superlatives. Praised as the supreme icon of civil engineering achievement, it has also been criticised by others for what they see as excessive luxury.

Criticism

Well, it can hardly conceal its luxury characteristics, and nor should it. The Empire State Building in New York originally suffered the same criticism, when it was the tallest building in the world. But now Burj Khalifa is equal to two Empire State buildings — one on top of the other! So no wonder the world is amazed.

For me, it is the prospect of visiting the world’s highest observation deck (124th floor) that is setting up the greatest anticipation. The world’s highest mosque and swimming pool also strike me as more than just engineering achievements. They somehow lift the mind and make the world nobler and loftier than it was. (But meanwhile, if anyone is thinking of inviting me to view the world’s most luxurious apartments or boardrooms, then do contact me!)

From luxury, then, to necessity and to the great Metro, with its fast, air-conditioned driverless trains equipped with in-cab signalling and wi-fi, linking smoothly with water-taxis and light railways, aiming to ease movement around Dubai as its population nears 3 million and its tourist visitors hit an annual 15 million.

Here at least, there is almost unanimous agreement on the benefits for all groups. The only resistance is psychological; people still enjoy the sensation of steering their own little capsule, and so congestion may not disappear as rapidly as we would like.

Ambition

As for myself, arriving from London, [the city that is still living with the world's first underground railway], I look with envy on this wonderfully efficient 21st century, metro network. To turn both of these dreams into reality in the same year, under the demoralising pressure of a savage recession, has taken an unusual mix of ambition, creative vision, persistence and the sheer guts now shown, under economic pressure, to be qualities profoundly symbolic of Dubai and the UAE.

The author is a BBC guest-broadcaster and Motivational Speaker. She is CEO of an international stress management and employee wellbeing consultancy based in London. Contact them for proven stress strategies – www.carolespiersgroup.co.uk

H.E. Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of Roads & Transport Authority (RTA), announced that RTA will officially operate Burj Dubai metro station on Monday 04 January 2010 to mark the fourth anniversary of the Accession Day of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, as Ruler of Dubai Emirate.

Burj Khalifa

“Burj Dubai is one of the elevated metro stations with the concourse and platform situated at a level upper than the elevated metro track, extending 132 meters in length and 29 meters in width. The station has a capacity to handle 11 thousand passengers per hour per direction, and has two entry points fitted with escalators together with lifts.

According to the currently available indicators, the station is expected to be used by about 10 thousand passengers everyday; and the daily number is set to rise during weekends and holidays to 19 thousand persons” said Al Tayer.

RTA Chairman and Executive Director added: “Burj Dubai Station mainly serves Burj Dubai district, which spans an area of 45 million square feet. It harbours residential, commercial, and recreational facilities as well as restaurants, retail outlets, the world’s tallest tower Burj Dubai, Dubai Mall, 30 thousand residential units, 9 world-class hotels, 19 residential towers, and a Boulevard measuring 73m in width and 3.5km length. The Station also serves in the other side of the road Jumeirah 2; which has a high population density.

“RTA has deployed 11 buses to operate on two routes to feed Burj Dubai Station, where six buses will operate on Route F13 at 10 minutes interval. The Route links Burj Dubai Station with Burj Dubai area; which includes Dubai Mall, The Palace & The Address hotels, the Boulevard and other locations in the area. Route F16 has 5 buses operating at 10 minutes interval to link Burj Dubai Station with Jumeirah 2. Buses start off the Station and pass across Mazaya Center, Al Wasl Road and Al Uruba Road before heading back to the Metro Station” he continued.

“The shell-shaped metro stations had been purposely built to enhance safety and security of the public as the design was intended to be clear, simple and with minimum walking distance. Entry points of stations are integrated with other transport modes; providing a link with pedestrian movement and communication with the ambient environment of the station. The interior design of the metro stations is inspired by the four elements of nature; air, earth, fire and water, and a heritage-themed design will be applied to Al Ras and Al Ghubaiba Stations” added Al Tayer.

The circular passenger movement at the stations will flow smoothly allowing a visibility range that does not rely on excessive signage. Therefore the areas available at the station lounges were intended to be free from clustered elements and barriers as much as possible in order to maintain optical communication. Moreover, the stations have been designed to be fully equipped with accessories and facilities to serve disabled travelers, strollers and commuters with personal luggage.

Dubai continued to stand alone as the preferred location for home buyers in the Gulf in 2009, despite its property market being hardest hit by the global downturn.

Dubai

More than 43 percent of respondents to the FutureBrand Gulf Real Estate Study, released on Tuesday, said Dubai was their number one choice in the region despite house prices slumping by up to 50 percent in some parts of the city during 2009.

The percentage rose from 36 percent in 2008 but its lead at the top of the list was reduced by its neighbour Abu Dhabi, the report showed.

The UAE capital more than doubled its appeal among home buyers looking to purchase a second or vacation home in the GCC countries.

Twenty-three percent of respondents picked Abu Dhabi as their preferred location in 2009, compared to just 11.5 percent the previous year.

The report said it saw Abu Dhabi as having the potential to take over from Dubai as the top property location in the long run.

“With its financial strength and its rise as a destination of note, Abu Dhabi is best placed to lead the region’s real estate recovery,” the report said.

“It is also poised to be the first place in the region to attract foreign investment and partnership opportunities in the future, should the emirate seek these,” it added.

But Jae Hwang, executive director at FutureBrand said Dubai still had a lot going for it and that it was premature to announce the death of its real estate industry.

“There is definitely a truth in the matter that the business model for real estate in Dubai needs to be reevaluated and I believe companies are starting to do that…our study shows that it’s still the most popular place to live.”

He said mega projects like the Burj Khalifa and Dubai Metro becoming a reality added to the city’s appeal to would-be home buyers.

Elsewhere in the Gulf, Doha was the third most popular city – chosen by just over 11 percent of respondents – while Jeddah (9.2 percent) and Muscat (5.9 percent) completed the top five destinations.

All top five locations increased their appeal in 2009 but Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah saw big falls last year compared to 2008.

Sharjah dropped from being the most popular location with 9.9 percent of buyers in 2008 to just 0.4 percent last year while RAK fell from 6.8 percent to 0.8 percent.

Riyadh, Manama, Kuwait City and Fujairah also lost appeal among home buyers, FutureBrand’s report said.

DUBAI // Workers have installed the first road signs bearing the new name of the world’s tallest tower, Burj Khalifa.

A new sign for the Burj Khalifa on Sheikh Zayed Road. Pawan Singh / The National

Two signs, one on Sheikh Zayed Road and the other between Al Wasl Road and the Defence Interchange, were installed overnight on Saturday, apparently the first to point the way to Burj Khalifa after its name was changed from Burj Dubai at its January 4 inauguration.

The change caught many residents and officials by surprise, including the Roads and Transport Authority, which was suddenly faced with replacing dozens of road signs and possibly renaming the tower’s newly opened Metro station.

Motorists spotted the two new signs yesterday after they were erected overnight. Both are brown, the colour used for signs indicating points of interest such as heritage sites and tourist attractions.

Motorists said the new road signs could cause some confusion for tourists who were unaware of the tower’s change of name.

“I noticed it this morning but it’s like anything here in Dubai: roads change almost daily and there is a new tower or junction around every corner,” said Richard Cartwright, 31, a chef from Australia.

“But it will be tourists who have seen it on websites or heard about it and may see it on old maps as Burj Dubai and will end up confusing taxi drivers or themselves,” he said.

The RTA has so far not announced what will happen to the name of the adjoining Metro station, until yesterday still known as Burj Dubai station.

Yesterday evening, however, the F16 feeder bus to the Burj Dubai Metro station displayed Burj Khalifa as its final destination.

eharnan@thenational.ae

www.burj-khalifa.eu

Dubai metro video, 23. Jan 2010

Source:  www.youtube.com

No oil, no cash, I still love Dubai. It will be a very long time before I can visit again.

From Dubai Mall station to FInancial District Station (I think)… just a simple video showing a bit of Dubai’s Sheikh Zayed Road area while riding the newly opened Dubai Metro. You can see the Burj Khalifa in the beginning and the Emirates Towers in the end.

OK, the song is kinda cheesy, but it gave me goosebumps the 1st time I heard it. The title is “Somebody To Love” by Glee Cast. Taken using the Nikon D90′s D-Movie feature. I had to squeeze in between two other guys taking videos using their mobile phones! Edited using iMovie. I never edited videos on a Mac before so it took a lot of time editing thru trial and error.

I would upload a higher resolution if my internet connection weren’t so bad! Wonder when will the UAE have the *best* or *fastest* internet connection in the world?

Source:  www.youtube.com

Although Burj Dubai is likely to remain its colloquial name for some time, retail and restaurant branding as well as road signs and maps were rendered instantly outdated by the announcement of the tower being renamed on Monday.

Road signs became instantly outdated after the Burj Dubai had its name changed to Burj Khalifa. Nicole Hill / The National

There was still no mention of the Burj Khalifa moniker in the vicinity of the tower two days after its historic opening. Emaar Properties, which spent US$1.5 billion (Dh5.51bn) on the structure, had yet to make a statement on the name change or its implications, nor had the Roads and Transport Authority announced whether the Burj Dubai Metro station would have its name changed.

Merchandise stalls were still selling Burj Dubai T-shirts yesterday, tourists were sending Burj Dubai postcards to friends and relatives and road signs still refer to the tower’s former name.

David Julliet, the manager of the Mango Tree restaurant, which has a terrace overlooking Burj Khalifa, said he was fortunate that the change would not have an impact on the identity of the business.

“Our promotional literature refers to ‘the world’s tallest building’ so we don’t need to change any references,” he said. “In fact, no practical changes to promotion are necessary.”

In the Dubai Mall, close to the entrance queue for the Burj Khalifa, the Scoozi pizzeria was bustling with diners eager to see the tower for themselves. Ghassan Mezher, its manager, said the landmark would remain a popular attraction whatever its name.

“The tower is still there and people are still coming to see it,” he said.

Still, changing the identification of entities already tagged with the old name could be difficult and costly, said Abed Bibi, the Dubai-based managing partner of the international branding agency Wolff Olins.

“They need to immediately work on a strategy for rebranding,” he said. “It should be about what they want Burj Khalifa to say to the world.

“Rebranding will be expensive and cost millions of dirhams. If they go crazy with logos, advertising messages and promotions then it would cost a lot more than it should.”

It was likely to take at least two years for “Burj Khalifa” to register in people’s minds, he said.

“The perception of Burj Dubai will remain as it’s something that has been talked about for the last five years,” Mr Bibi said. “People advertised it, promoted it, and it put Dubai on the world map. Now the Burj Khalifa will need a story. If said in the right way, it will live.”

One company that will be affected is Explorer Publishing, a local cartography company. Alistair McKenzie, its chief executive, said the map-making firm is used to Dubai’s rapid change and development.

“The UAE is a fast-paced country and we have learnt to embrace change and have the necessary procedures in place to ensure our guides and maps are regularly updated,” he said.

That pace was evident in the fact that Burj Khalifa T-shirts went on sale in the city’s Karama district less than 24 hours after the new name was announced.

There are signs others have begun to adapt as well. May Olinda, a sales assistant at Al Jaber Gallery, a souvenir stall in Dubai Mall, said people had started to request Burj Khalifa merchandise.

“Burj Dubai postcards have been very popular in the last few days, even since the name change,” she said. “But customers are now asking for Burj Khalifa-branded goods and we have made a request to our suppliers for a new range.”

Visitors at the Dubai airport yesterday were eager to see the landmark and were already referring to it by the new name. Ali Abbas, 25, a taxi driver from Pakistan, said he had collected five passengers who specifically asked to be taken to the Burj Khalifa.

“People from Britain and Ireland who have just got off the plane are calling it Burj Khalifa,” he said. “They obviously heard the announcement. Perhaps locals will call it one thing and tourists another.”

Email:tbrooks@thenational.ae

* Additional reporting by Praveen Menon

As the tallest building in the world opened to great fanfair in Dubai yesterday, the struggling emirate was well aware that it owed a big thank you to its oil rich neighbour.

Burj Khalifa

The thanks came in the form of a naming ceremony, Dubai’s ruler renamed the previously-known Burj Dubai the Burj Khalifa.

Just last month the tower’s namesake and leader of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahayan, bailed out indebted Dubai to the tune of $10bn – £6.13bn.

Now the needle-shaped skyscraper which stands more than 800 metres tall and can be seen from 95 kilometres away and was to be the jewel in Dubai’s crown, is a stark reminder of the debt the emirate owes its neighbour.

Construction of the tower began in 2004 at the height of Dubai’s boom, but in the last month building has ground to halt across the emirate as funds dry up.

But, although much of the office space in the tower remains empty and many parts of the building are not yet finished, owners of the Burj Khalifa are determined it will stand for the luxury and excess Dubai has become known for.

The building boasts the world’s first Armani hotel on the bottom floors, it also houses 900 Dubai residences, 37 floors of office space, a fine dining restaurant and an observation deck.

The structure, whose final height was revealed yesterday to be 828m, is far taller than the previous record holder, Taipei 101 and brings records galore to the UAE.

As well as being the tallest building in the world, it also has the most stories and highest occupied floor of any building in the world, and ranks as the world’s tallest structure. Visitors can look out from the highest observation deck in the world on the 124th floor.

‘We weren’t sure how high we could go,’ said Bill Baker, the building’s structural engineer. ‘It was kind of an exploration…a learning experience.’

The tower itself is reported to have cost $1.5 billion  – £925 million – and the celebration of a laser show and fireworks seemingly shooting out of the building itself, was a suitable grand way to welcome its opening. 

Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid al-Maktoum led the official opening which saw VIPs able to access the observation deck on the 124th floor.

Members of the public can experience a taste of the high life from today, ascending to the deck in the longest lifts in the world which will take two minutes to travel 504 metres.

For those with deep pockets, the Armani Hotel designed by Giorgio himself, will have eight restaurants, a spa, a luxury chocolate shop and florists as well as an Armani galleria when it finally opens.

To ignite oublic interest in the tower, its owner have released some facts and figures about the amount of work and materials that went into its construction.

The tower’s glass and steel exterior would apparently cover 17 football fields if laid out flat and will take some poor workers between six and eight weeks to clean.

The concrete used in the core of the building could build a pavement 1,283 miles long and the cooling system produces enough condensation to fill 20 Olympic swimming pools a year. It’s a good thing those eco-conscious developers will be using the waste to water the grounds.

Work on the Burj Dubai began in 2004 and continued rapidly. At times, new floors were being added almost every three days, reflecting Dubai’s raging push to reshape itself over a few years from a small-time desert outpost into a cosmopolitan urban giant packed with skyscrapers.

By January 2007, thousands of laborers, many of them brought in on temporary contracts from India, had completed 100 stories.

To ensure the tower doesn’t twist or break during bad weather, it is built in a Y-shape, with three ‘wings’ evenly distributing the building’s weight.

The Burj Khalifa Metro Station will officially open on Monday, making it the 11th to become operational on the Red Line.

Dubai metro

Mattar Al Tayer, chairman and executive director of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) on Wednesday announced the opening date for the station as part of celebrations to mark the opening of Burj Khalifa, the tallest tower in the world.

The Burj Khalifa Metro Station will officially open on Monday, making it the 11th to become operational on the Red Line.

Mattar Al Tayer, chairman and executive director of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) on Wednesday announced the opening date for the station as part of celebrations to mark the opening of Burj Khalifa, the tallest tower in the world.