Dubai skyline: Beautiful or Grotesque?
You could be forgiven for viewing the architects of Dubai–the United Arab Emirates’ most grandiose city–as frat boys, interested only in size and feats of competitive excess. Is Dubai’s titanic architectural ambition something to celebrate, itself, or is it an experiment turned grotesque?
Renowned Canadian architect, Frank Gehry, has slammed Dubai’s ever-growing skyline, saying it lacks originality and is just like any other American or European city.
Since the inception of Dubai’s blooming real estate, the skyline has sprouted and left people in awe of intimidating glittery buildings, including the world’s tallest tower, twisted building and hotel. However, Gehry, the chosen architect for Abu Dhabi’s Guggenheim museum, begs to differ.
“It’s just cheap copies of buildings that have already been built somewhere else,” Gehry said in an interview with Foreign Policy magazine.
Gehry went as far as to say: “The worst thing is when you go to places like Dubai. They’re on steroids, but they just end up looking like American or European cities with these anonymous skyscrapers – like every cruddy city in the world.”
The legendary architect said Dubai has forgetten the arabesque touch, adding that there is no originality or theme that sustains culture and couture.
Gehry added that he is trying to encourage Dubai authorities to look for original themes such as the ones he saw when he visited Abu Dhabi few months ago. “One would hope there would be more support from within these places for architecture that responds to the place and culture,” he said
Read full article here.
Renowned Canadian architect, Frank Gehry, has slammed Dubai’s ever-growing skyline, saying it lacks originality and is just like any other American or European city.
Since the inception of Dubai’s blooming real estate, the skyline has sprouted and left people in awe of intimidating glittery buildings, including the world’s tallest tower, twisted building and hotel. However, Gehry, the chosen architect for Abu Dhabi’s Guggenheim museum, begs to differ.
“It’s just cheap copies of buildings that have already been built somewhere else,” Gehry said in an interview with Foreign Policy magazine.
Gehry went as far as to say: “The worst thing is when you go to places like Dubai. They’re on steroids, but they just end up looking like American or European cities with these anonymous skyscrapers – like every cruddy city in the world.”
The legendary architect said Dubai has forgetten the arabesque touch, adding that there is no originality or theme that sustains culture and couture.
Gehry added that he is trying to encourage Dubai authorities to look for original themes such as the ones he saw when he visited Abu Dhabi few months ago. “One would hope there would be more support from within these places for architecture that responds to the place and culture,” he said
Read full article here.
