Dubai: Conservations worst enemy

[Kermit]

I just finished reading an article regarding Dubai, and the decadence of the city and how unsustainable it all it. I think this is pretty interesting because they are an infant of a city with seemingly unlimited financial resources, and yet they have decided to ignore the current global trends and build boldly and without conscience.

I ask, is this right? Or is it their right to do what they want as other countries had their fun in the sun and only now are shaping up. Basically they are doing what we did in the past, but they know better. Check out the article and share your thoughts. Also is it being blown out of proportion?

http://enviralment.wordpress.com/2010/02/26/dubai-what-a-waste/

[maxkone]

To me, Dubai has always seemed like playing the computer game SimCity (anyone remember that one?), but with the cheat code punched in, so instead of starting out with like $30k, the game started you with $100 trillion. You could build and build 'till your hearts content with absolutely no regard with how much things cost, economical budgeting, or environmental impact. After all, the huge bank solved all issues eventually. ...at least until the random alien ship came in and destroyed your city. I hated that. Not sure that qualified as a "natural disaster" in the game.

Anyway, I digress. Dubai is all about excess with no regard for anything else. Life isn't a game...there will be consequences to your actions...and Dubai will pay for theirs. Aren't they basically bankrupt right now anyway as a result of the recession?

They really blew it. They built a city from scratch basically from the ground up. They could have created a utopia of the future with principals of the future. Responsibility, low-impact, zero-waste, etc., etc. Instead, they created a so-called "utopia" of the future but with principals of the past...all our past ideas of luxury, excess, and the ultimate lifestyle. Well, friends, that's NOT going to be the ultimate lifestyle of the environmentally-conscious future.

In a nutshell, they did their math wrong and missed the boat. Ideally, 2 + 2 = 4, but they were hoping 2 + -2 would equal 4, when it actually equals 0. A waste of steel and money. And a step in the wrong direction.

They do have some interesting architecture and urban planning concepts, however. (And no, I'm not referring to the Palm islands. I mean, they're cool, but...c'mon, really?) Too bad all that design talent wasn't put to use in a better application.

[brewery33]

Love the Sim City reference. You hit it spot on, a utopia of the future built on principles of the past.

We need to find the line of fiscally conservative yet environmentally sustainable. We still haven't found the balance. To builders green just means more green, meaning money. For owners the benefits do not outweigh the outlay of money needed to attain a sustainable build.

Maybe that is what happened in Dubai?

[Kermit]

@maxkone

You hit the nail on the head. And yes Sim City is friggin' awesome!

[Harry_Flew]

Isn't Dubai running out of money or something?