A helicopter ride provides Julian Tan a rare view of the spectacular city in the making. Once completed, it will sit on the largest manmade island in the world and house a million residents.
Things can only get bigger and flashier in Dubai, a city that boasts architecture of mammoth proportions. And there I was seated comfortably in a helicopter with four other passengers, having accepted an invitation by Nakheel to view the remarkable development of its Palm islands project commissioned by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, the emirate’s forward-minded ruler.
The Dubai-based real-estate developer had recently unveiled a new master plan for The Palm Deira, the final phase of its trend-setting Palm trilogy, which includes The Palm Jumeirah (artist’s rendition above), now in the handover process, covering 4,000 units to be occupied by the likes of David Beckham and Michael Schumacher among others, and The Palm Jebel Ali whose infrastructure will be ready for occupancy in 2010 although the turnover date has yet to be firmed up.
Sprawled across 46.35 million square metres, The Palm Deira, touted as the world’s largest manmade island, is 7.5 times bigger than The Palm Jumeirah and five times the size of The Palm Jebel Ali. Construction is due to start next year. Chris O’Donnell, CEO of Nakheel, says: “When complete, The Palm Deira will be the largest manmade island in the world and a new city within Dubai for more than a million people.”
O’Donnell adds: “The master plan has been designed to sensitively integrate and enhance Deira (and will have) a regenerative effect on the oldest part of our city, (as well as) help change the very perception of old Dubai.
“The lifeblood of Dubai’s growth was the creek and so it is fitting that this major contributor to the city’s future growth should be positioned here.”
Just then, I felt a rush of adrenaline, an indescribable feeling beyond the excitement of watching my first footy match in 2002 in Perth, which saw the Fremantle Dockers clash with the West Coast Eagles. In a matter of minutes, we had left Dubai wonderland and headed straight into “Dubai Wanderland”– The Palm Deira in its initial stages. Gliding effortlessly over a vast aquamarine expanse, our whirlybird offered spectacular views of The Palm, which so far only a lucky few have glimpsed. And that beige spot, which turned out to be a small island, reportedly belongs to the Sheikh, someone in the group confided.
All that land piling for The Palm Deira will eventually add 226km of coastline to Dubai, including 121km of beach front. This “city within a city” is expected to integrate nine zones – Palm Crown, Palm Fronds, Palm Crescent and Palm Truck forming the shape of (what else) a palm tree, with a graceful corniche spanning the remaining five areas tagged as the North Island, South Island, Central Island, Al Mamzar Island and Deira Island. Bridges extending both the current road transport network and the planned Dubai Metro train system will link the entire development to the mainland.
Centrepiece of the first phase of development is a 511-hectare area at the closest point to mainland Dubai. Called Deira Island, it will be linked by bridges to Deira, between the mouth of Dubai Creek and Port Hamriya. Acting as main gateway to The Palm Deira, it will blend mix of commercial and residential buildings and recreational facilities. According to Nakheel, 17.5 percent of the total planned volume have been reclaimed and over 198 million cubic metres of sand are already in place. Land reclamation is due to be completed in 2013.
Some sandcastle, huh?
THE PALM DEIRA BY THE NUMBERS
- Surface area: 46.35 million square metres, stretching 12.5km into the sea and 7.5km wide; 1.14 billion cubic metres of sand will be used to create The Palm Deira, adding about 226km of coastline to Dubai, including 121km of beachfront.
- Components: Nine interconnected areas – Palm Crown, Palm Fronds, Palm Crescent and Palm Trunk, in the shape of a palm tree, as well as a corniche made up of North Island, South Island, Central Island, Al Mamzar Island and Deira Island.
- Capacity: Over a million people.
- Cost: The land area of Nakheel’s 16 projects currently under development is worth more than US$30 billion.
- Completion date: To be announced.
