The words “skiing” and “desert” aren’t often used in the same sentence. But that’s changing in Dubai, which appears to be on a mission to have the “biggest” of everything, including extravagant shopping malls, towers, and, now, ski slopes.
Gulf News reports that the oil-rich country is planning a project that will cover 3.67 million sm (39.5 million sf) and include a shopping mall, civic plaza, a 4-kilometer canal, a marina with 100 boat slots, and what’s being touted as the world’s longest indoor ski slope.
The developer, Meydan City Corporation, states that this project should be completed before 2020, the year that Dubai hosts the World Expo 2020. While the developer didn’t disclose what this project might cost, The Guardian reports estimates of up to 25 billion dirhams (about $6.8 billion).
The Dubai newspaper Al-Bayan reports that this project would extend from the Meydan racetrack to Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest tower.
The shopping mall component of this project, called Meydan One Mall, alone will cover 25,000 sm (269,000 sf), and include a retractable roof measuring 150 x 80 meters. The mall will be adjacent to the 1.2-kilometer (4,922-foot) long ski slope. (The Emirate already holds the record for the largest indoor ski slope, at 400 meters long, which runs year-round inside the Mall of the Emirates, according to The Guardian.)
At the base of the ski slope will be 25,000-sm Meydan Arena, which will seat up to 8,000 people, and could be used for a variety of sporting contests and live shows.
This project also includes the construction of The Dubai One, a 711-sm-tall building that would be the tallest residential tower in the world. It will have 885 apartments and a five-star hotel with 350 rooms, as well as a conference center, a 655-meter observation deck, and skytop restaurant.
Residents and visitors will be able to avail themselves of more than 5.3 kilometers of bicycle and hogging trails, a 300-meter-long beach, and a heritage village that could house up to 78,000 people. The project will also feature a 420-meter-long “dancing” fountain, also said to be the world’s largest.
Related Stories
| Feb 6, 2014
New Hampshire metal building awes visitors
Visitors to the Keene Family YMCA in New Hampshire are often surprised by what they encounter. Liz Coppola calls it the “wow factor.” “Literally, there’s jaw dropping,” says Coppola, director of financial and program development for the Keene Family YMCA.
| Jan 29, 2014
Hotel, retail, recreation sectors to lead growth in 2014
AIA's Consensus Construction Forecast, a survey of the nation’s leading construction forecasters, is projecting that spending will see a 5.8% increase in 2014, led by the hotel, retail, and amusement/recreation sectors.
| Jan 29, 2014
Notre Dame to expand football stadium in largest project in school history
The $400 million Campus Crossroads Project will add more than 750,000 sf of academic, student life, and athletic space in three new buildings attached to the school's iconic football stadium.
| Jan 28, 2014
16 awe-inspiring interior designs from around the world [slideshow]
The International Interior Design Association released the winners of its 4th Annual Global Excellence Awards. Here's a recap of the winning projects.
| Jan 28, 2014
Big Ten Conference opens swanky HQ and museum [slideshow]
The new mixed-use headquarters includes a museum, broadcast studios, conference facilities, office spaces, and, oh yeah, a Brazilian steakhouse.
| Jan 27, 2014
A climber's dream: Rock climbing hall planned near Iran's highest peak
Forget the rock climbing wall. A developer in Iran is building a rock climbing hall. That's right, an entire building dedicated to the sport, with more than 48,000 sf of program space.
| Jan 13, 2014
Custom exterior fabricator A. Zahner unveils free façade design software for architects
The web-based tool uses the company's factory floor like "a massive rapid prototype machine,” allowing designers to manipulate designs on the fly based on cost and other factors, according to CEO/President Bill Zahner.
| Jan 11, 2014
Getting to net-zero energy with brick masonry construction [AIA course]
When targeting net-zero energy performance, AEC professionals are advised to tackle energy demand first. This AIA course covers brick masonry's role in reducing energy consumption in buildings.
| Jan 7, 2014
Concrete solutions: 9 innovations for a construction essential
BD+C editors offer a roundup of new products and case studies that represent the latest breakthroughs in concrete technology.
Smart Buildings | Jan 7, 2014
9 mega redevelopments poised to transform the urban landscape
Slowed by the recession—and often by protracted negotiations—some big redevelopment plans are now moving ahead. Here’s a sampling of nine major mixed-use projects throughout the country.
