Dubai is bearing witness to a staggering amount of expansion, the likes of which may not be rivaled any time soon. This wave of increasing construction has given birth to many architectural wonders. Next up on the list is a project that not only adds to the city’s skyline, but also has sparked some interest based on its precise location.
Dubai’s Municipality Director-chief, Hussain Nasser Lootah, broke the news to the public that the construction of Aladdin City will begin next year. Aladdin City is a major development property that was initially announced in April of last year. The project will be built over a total approximate area of over 360,000 feet along the shores of Dubai Creek, even extending close to 1500 feet out over the waters. Aladdin City will ultimately be comprised of three towers clocking in at 25, 26 and 34 stories respectively. Furthermore, these towers will contain both hotel as well as commercial space. Residential units will be a part of the project as well, with 160,000 apartment spaces included in the estimated tally. In addition, there will also be 900 total parking spaces built within the complex. The towers, parking lots and driveways will all be connected by a series of full air-conditioned bridges with moving floors.
Aladdin City draws upon a deep reverence for the region’s history, beginning with its iconic name. The legends of Aladdin and Sinbad are a driving force in the project’s architecture – main thoroughfares will be designed to resemble exotic marine life and fantasy animals such as dragons at their exterior. Consequently, the towers themselves seem to draw inspiration from tales of Aladdin’s lamp in the project’s concept drawings. The location of Aladdin City contributes heavily to this theme – Dubai Creek is also regarded as a historic port that saw merchant vessels travel to East Africa and other far-flung stops beginning in the eleventh century. Currently, the project has also gained scrutiny due to its proximity to the Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary and a zone that is awaiting word on approval to join the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. There has already been assurances that Aladdin City will be fully funded, but there has been no disclosure on the project’s overall cost as of yet.
