Artificial islands: a brilliant solution or a questionable project?

Artificial Islands: Innovations and Solutions to Coastal Erosion

Artificial islands are truly an original and practical solution to the problem of the lack of coastlines. If we look at the shapes of the already well-known artificial "palm" islands and projects like The World or Dubai Waterfront, the skill of Eastern designers becomes evident. Thanks to the pioneer—Palm Jumeirah— the United Arab Emirates were able to significantly increase their coastlines, effectively doubling their length. The coastline of Palm Jumeirah, consisting of 17 "fronds," each named after a type of date palm (there are about 400 varieties in the world), along with the protective dam around the "crown" and the double "trunk" structure, reaches a length of about 78 kilometers.

Elite real estate and commercial properties

Naturally, such artificial coastlines are developed with elite residential and commercial real estate, as well as hotels. The developer Nakheel, which is one of the main players in the creation of artificial islands in Dubai, regards these projects with particular respect, calling them the "eighth wonder of the world." These projects are indeed unique. Firstly, they challenge the scale of their construction, as the creation of such artificial land has no precedent, although some countries had technologies for building reclaimed islands. Dubai's early achievements in this area are associated with the legendary Burj Al Arab hotel, which is located on a small artificial island.

Diversity of architectural styles

Secondly, the concepts and architectural styles characteristic of artificial islands in various emirates and countries of the Persian Gulf region demonstrate incredible diversity. Nevertheless, the Palm Jumeirah project remains the first and most iconic among them. The name of the company Nakheel translates from Arabic as "palms," and this symbolism is not accidental:

• The importance of the palm tree:This tree has been of great significance to the lives of Bedouins for centuries.
• Export of dates:The UAE ranks sixth in the world in date exports.

This highlights the significance of the date palm as an architectural symbol.

Modern construction technologies

Creating artificial islands requires the use of the most modern construction technologies. The main materials used in this process are sand and stone. To ensure the necessary amount of sand, 26 specialized vessels equipped with pumps extract it from the seabed located near the construction site and deposit it onto a pre-prepared stone base. To prevent sand erosion, it is instantly compacted using hydraulic compressors, which creates certain challenges during the construction process.

Symbols of luxury and technology

Thus, artificial islands become symbols not only of luxury and elegance but also of technological achievements, turning plans into real architecture. These projects have the potential to change our perception of modern construction and architectural art. The significance of these islands goes beyond mere aesthetics; they represent true accomplishments in engineering and design, opening new horizons in the world of urban development.

Introduction

For the construction of just one planned island, built from stone sourced from neighboring emirates, about 22,000 tons of material were delivered daily on 400 trucks. If the establishment of The Palm Jumeirah required around 94 million cubic meters of sand and 7 million tons of stone, the new project, Palm Jebel Ali, will need 117 million cubic meters of sand.

Project scale

Such large-scale artificial structures are impressive, but they also become a topic for disputes and discussions. The project's clients assure us of the complete reliability and practical value of Palm Jumeirah, but there are also many skeptics who question these claims.

Problems with the population

Experts point to the risk of a "bottleneck" as one of the drawbacks of the first project, which is bound to arise when several thousand people start moving to the new island.

Transport issues

An important issue remains the fact that the connection between the island and the mainland is provided by only one road, which is no wider than five lanes on each side. Additionally, the only bridge links the island to the main transport artery of the emirate — Sheikh Zayed Road, which is always congested to the limit.

Nevertheless, the company Nakheel has prepared a worthy response for the skeptics by announcing plans to create water taxis that will transport people between the island and the coastline, as well as the construction of a metro line that will have a stop at Palm Jumeirah.

Growth of hotel infrastructure

There are also well-founded concerns about the growth of residential and hotel infrastructure on the island since its announcement. A striking example is the Atlantis hotel, being built on the crescent surrounding the top of Palm Jumeirah. The originally planned capacity of the hotel, which was 1,000 rooms, was doubled during the design process.

Economic difficulties

It should also be noted that with the launch of the project, many difficulties arose in assessing its economic indicators — property prices in the emirate have significantly increased, which has affected the cost of building materials and wage levels, ultimately slowing down the pace of work. Back in 2001, to attract the first clients, profit was hardly taken into account when setting prices for villas and apartments.

Assessment of potential population

According to an analysis published in the British newspaper The Daily Telegraph, the potential population of Palm Jumeirah is estimated to be around 150,000 people, including all existing residential and hotel projects, not counting the service staff. Such a high population density in a limited area contradicts the concept of creating a privileged vacation in a closed, cozy environment for the select few.

However, the official press release from Nakheel cites a completely different figure — only 70,000 people. This indicates discrepancies in the assessments of the island's potential and the resources associated with it.

Conclusion

As a result, the project continues to spark active debates and attract attention from both supporters and opponents. Let's take a closer look at what additional factors may influence the final perception and development of the island structure idea, both at the investment level and in terms of the overall appeal of this project.

General trends in construction investment

There is an opinion among many experts that even planned investments in construction projects may not be fully realized. This is explained by the fact that villa and apartment owners do not plan to live in their properties permanently, and the idea of renting out real estate is not relevant for most of them. The current situation does not allow for an accurate prediction of how events will unfold in the future.

Environmental issues

Moreover, ecology presents an additional problem. Large-scale seabed extraction operations for construction have seriously damaged the ecosystem of the Persian Gulf, which is not particularly rich in flora and fauna. Nakheel has recognized the need for restoration efforts and the creation of a more diverse ecosystem after the completion of the new islands' construction.

Artificial reefs

In the Palm Jumeirah area, the wrecks of old airplanes and barges were placed on the seabed, which now serve as artificial reefs. Special concrete tiles were also used, which were designed to match the reef shapes found in places such as:

• Bali
• Palau
• Maldives
• Cayman Islands
• South Africa
• Belize
• Red Sea

These measures are aimed at restoring the underwater world, which will allow tourists to truly enjoy diving.

Interest in artificial islands

Interest in artificial islands remains strong.

Property owners on the famous islands should not expect a quick occupancy of their homes, as the final stages of construction on the main artery of the "palm" are expected to be completed around 2009-2010. Currently, hotels are actively being built on the winding arch, where work is already underway on several luxurious hotels, including Taj Exotica, Kempinski, Atlantis, and Fairmont.

Palm Jebel Ali

The second "palm" branch, called Palm Jebel Ali, is a larger project that exceeds its predecessor by one and a half times, although the number of "branches" remains unchanged. This new structure is located to the left of Palm Jumeirah in the Jebel Ali area. The main concept of the project has been preserved, but it now includes new elements, such as homes situated on the water, which are strikingly placed on the surface of the sea and attract attention with their original architecture.

Sea village

A key aspect of this development will be the "marine village" — a unique entertainment complex that will house the only marine aquarium of its kind in the region. Construction of this unusual facility began in late 2002, but the scale of the work raised doubts about whether it would be completed by 2008. At this point, it can be confidently stated that, despite the framework of the structure already being visible, the first homes will not be delivered any earlier than 2010.

This, in turn, affects market prices — they are not as high at Palm Jebel Ali. Nevertheless, the price of the Garden Home villa has increased from $726,000 to $1.068 million, while the price of the Signature Villa has risen from $1.4 million to $1.918 million.

Palm Deira

Now let's turn our attention to Palm Deira, which, if the first "palms" are associated with housing for the elite, clearly belongs to the mass construction segment. With a length of 14 kilometers and an area comparable to Manhattan, Palm Deira plans to build around 8,000 villas across all 41 "branches," and an investment of $9.5 billion was already planned for the first five years of the project.

The initial cost of residential properties corresponded to the current prices in Palm Jebel Ali.

The situation with the project

During the project presentation in October 2004, Nakheel assured that the first homes would be delivered by 2010. However, after only preliminary work was completed, further construction activities were suspended indefinitely. Optimists suggest a new completion date of 2015, while pessimists talk about the possibility of the project being completely abandoned.

The World

Now about The World, which can be considered the most romantic among all artificially created islands. This unique project is a scaled-down version of the globe and is located four kilometers off the coast. The project was originally conceived as a long-term endeavor, and its main feature is the lack of connection to the mainland.

It includes about three hundred islands.The areas range from 2 to 8 hectares and are currently only available to large investors who can purchase entire "continents" and "regions." The transaction amounts for these properties can reach hundreds of millions of dollars, highlighting the exceptional appeal of this project for investors.

Recently, the Australian government has been actively investing in the development of its region, while the United States continues to expand its territorial boundaries through various projects. In the near future, there will be an opportunity on the international stage to participate in the acquisition of one of the many islands associated with Russia, as our country, as expected, holds a significant position in this endeavor.

Currently, serious efforts are being made to construct these islands and the necessary infrastructure, one of which already features a model villa with a well-maintained palm garden and a private yacht dock.

Dubai Waterfront Project

The project known as Dubai Waterfront was launched in early 2005 and became the most ambitious undertaking by Nakheel among all previously conceived island projects. According to the plan, this unique complex will be located 35 kilometers southwest of Dubai, at the border with the emirate of Abu Dhabi.

Project features

• As part of the first phase of construction in the waters of the Persian Gulf, it is planned to create ten unique districts that will include both residential and hotel complexes.
• The total built-up area will be 81 million square meters, making it the largest artificial island in the world.

A city within a city

Currently, Dubai Waterfront can already be referred to as a "city within a city." The master plan, which includes all important aspects, has been developed by specialists over the past three years. It is reported that construction could take up to ten years.

Planned number of hotels

• As part of this project, 150-200 plots are designated for luxury hotels.
• There is a possibility of some hotels merging into larger resort complexes, which will lead to a reduction in the overall number of hotels.

It is expected that this project will help between 400,000 and 750,000 people find housing and employment.

Foreign investments

It's interesting to note that this initiative is the first in the history of Dubai, where until49%Shares are planned to be transferred to foreign investors. The creation of artificial islands has allowed Dubai to become a kind of leader in this area in the Middle East.

With every step it takes, the emirate showcases its grand ambitions, encouraging other countries in the region, even those with vast areas of unexploited desert, to develop similar projects.

Examples of other initiatives in the region

• For example, Qatar with the Pearl of Qatar project is a striking example of success in this area.
• As Bahrain begins to develop both natural and man-made islands.

Development of Abu Dhabi

Even the capital of the United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi, which essentially does not need active development of its tourism sector or an increase in beach area, is opting to create several small islands to enhance its coastal landscape.

Although artificial islands may seem unusual for the countries of the Persian Gulf, on a global scale, they appear as true "wonders of the world." At the same time, in Dubai, these artificial islands have already become an important part of the urban ecosystem and the daily life of its residents.

Conclusion

In concluding our review of artificial islands, it is impossible not to reflect on how these unique architectural achievements are transforming the face of the modern world. It is clear that projects like the "Palm Jumeirah" have become not just symbols of luxury and exclusivity, but also embodiments of advanced technologies, bold ideas, and humanity's desire to conquer nature.

Diving into the details of creating these islands, we can appreciate the scale of the work and effort that has gone into each stage. The use of modern technologies and materials, such assandandstoneIt demonstrates how far these projects are from traditional construction. But behind this beauty and innovation lie ambiguous aspects that evoke not only admiration but also criticism.

Positive and negative sides

• Positive aspects:
  • Creation of new beach resources;
  • Expanding opportunities for business and tourism;
  • Increase in residential construction.
• Negative aspects:
  • Overpopulation;
  • Load on the infrastructure;
  • Environmental risks.

It's also important to note that projects are constantly evolving. Support from the companyNakheeland also the initiative withwater taxisThe metro line emphasizes the commitment to addressing emerging challenges and ensuring comfortable living for future residents. However, the question arises: to what extent can the ideals of elite leisure and uniqueness truly be upheld in such areas?

New Horizons in Urban Planning

Against the backdrop of the discussed issues, one thing is clear: artificial islands open up new horizons for us, contributing to the development of architecture and the formation of cultural heritage. They not only reflect the ambitions and dreams of people but also serve as a reminder that behind great achievements lie complex processes and important decisions that require careful consideration and attention to the interests of all stakeholders.

So, artificial islands are not just geographical constructions, but true symbols of modernity that require further research and reflection. We stand on the brink of a new era in urban planning, where every new idea can become not only a successful project but also an example of the interaction between humans and nature, opening up new opportunities for living and working in harmony with the surrounding world.