Dubai
Dubai
The rapid transformation of Dubai from a dusty fishing town in the sixties to the ultramodern metropolis of today, is considered a success story by many. With its prestigious shopping malls and hotels, artificial islands and iconic skyscrapers, the little emirate at the Persian Gulf is a world player when it comes to tourism and business.
In 2009 the construction boom suddenly faltered. Hit by the global financial crisis, the emirate’s real estate bubble burst. Only a $20bn lifeline from Dubai's oil-rich neighbour, Abu Dhabi, saved it from going bust. Once the risk was averted, it was business as usual in Dubai: Construction works resumed. In 2020 the World Exhibition will be held in Dubai. In 2021 the United Arab Emirates will celebrate their 50th birthday. To counter Dubai’s poor reputation on environmental issues - Emiratis have the biggest ecological footprint on earth -, sustainability is the new magic word. The ambition is high. By means of the national action plan called ‘Vision 2021’, vice-president Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum promised to turn the Emirates into “one of the best countries in the world”.
Success story or megalomania? One thing is for sure. Dubai is a spectacle in itself. Its orchestrated city planning fascinates both supporters and critics. Dubai showcases a kind of urbanization that does not occur in an organic way, but that is rather the result of market driven mechanisms, thirst for prestige and extreme consumerism.
This documentary deals with different interconnected aspects of urban development in Dubai, with a strong focus on leisure and consumerism.
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news
selected works
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Thessaloniki Biennale of Contemporary Art
En de fotograaf, die was er ook
Une mer entre croisière et crise
Leben am Mittelmeer: Am Strand die Nackte, auf See die Not
De wrange realiteit van de kern van onze beschaving
Beyond compassion - How to escape the victim frame in social documentary photography today
Nick Hannes
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Under construction
Eid Al-Adha, Grand Musalla Bur Dubai
Dubailand sales office
Pyramids restaurant complex at Wafi Mall
Construction workers waiting for the bus at Dubai Marina
The Dubai Frame
Friday prayer in Deira
Dubai Marina
IMG Worlds of Adventure
Rooftop pool at Meydan Hotel
Emirates Golf Club
Emirates Golf Club
Ski Dubai at Mall of the Emirates
Pinguin show at Ski Dubai
Saoudi tourists at Chillout Ice Lounge, a sub-zero bar at Oasis Mall
The Beach, a Meraas-owned entertainment and shopping area at Dubai Marina
Jumeirah Beach
Barasti Beach Bar
Beach Club Blue Marlin Ibiza, Ghantoot
Full moon yoga session at Hotel Fairmont The Palm
The Green Planet, an indoor vertical rainforest
Hyacinth Macaws at the Green Planet
Lobby of Hotel Atlantis The Palm
Friday brunch at Bubbalicious, Hotel Westin Mina Seyahi
Lifeguard at Talise Spa at Burj Al-Arab
Pure Sky Lounge, Hilton The Walk, JBR
Royal suite at Al Qasr Hotel, Madinat Jumeirah
Cloakroom at Ski Dubai, Mall of the Emirates
Burjuman Centre, shopping mall
City Centre Mirdif, shopping mall
Olympic ice rink at the Dubai Mall
Mercato Shopping Mall, designed to look like an Italian town
The Persia Court at Ibn Battuta Shopping Mall, inspired by Persian architecture
City Centre Deira, shopping mall
Wafi Mall, with Egyptian-themed courtyard
The China Court at Ibn Battuta Shopping Mall
The Tunesia Court at Ibn Battuta Shopping Mall, modelled on a coastal Tunisian town
Dragon Mart 2, a 150000 square meter dragon-shaped mall with 3950 shops engaged in retail trade of Chinese products
City Centre Mirdif
Oasis Mall
Burjuman Centre
White Dubai, nightclub
New Year’s eve at Cavalli Club
New Year’s eve at Cavalli Club
Zinc, nightclub
New Year’s eve at Cavalli Club
White Dubai
New Year’s eve at Cavalli Club
New Year’s eve at Cavalli Club
The Billionaire Mansion
New Year’s eve at Cavalli Club
The Billionaire Mansion
Closing time at Cavalli Club
Armani Prive, nightclub
White Dubai
Ice Lounge at Barasti Beach Bar
Fireworks above Bluewaters Island, on the occasion of Eid Al-Adha
Cruise trip in the Persian Gulf
Cruise trip in the Persian Gulf
Cruise trip in the Persian Gulf
Cruise trip in the Persian Gulf
Safety drill on board of a cruise ship in the Persian Gulf
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