Dubailand takes shape

Construction Week visits the construction site of the world's largest theme park.

Launched in October 2003 as a member of Tatweer, Dubailand represents dizzying new heights in fantasy environment development.

Covering an area of 278 million m² and comprising significant attraction-based experiences, including 23 mega projects, Dubailand will be the world's most ambitious tourism, leisure and entertainment destination.

Operating under the motto 'the fun is building in Dubailand', its diverse projects range from theme parks to shopping malls; restaurants to residential units, and include Dubai Sports City, Motor City and City of Arabia.

Three mega projects - Dreamworks Animation Parks, the Little Big Club from Hit entertainment at Global Village and Six Flags Theme Park - were launched earlier this year, and total investment in Dubailand is currently running at US $88.4 billion (AED325 billion), a 38% increase on the previous amount of $63.9 billion.

The project is so huge that one commentator has referred to it as 'bursting with architectural steroids'.

The development will be more than twice the size of Disney World, and is expected to attract 40,000 visitors per day, which will contribute to Dubai's vision of attracting 15 million visitors a year by 2015.

On completion of all projects, Dubailand estimates that it will host a population of 2.5 million people, including workers and residents.

In Dubailand, a series of projects will include replicas of world landmarks such as the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the Eiffel Tower, the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Taj Mahal, all located in the Falcon City of Wonders.

This cultural district will be spread over an area of 4 million m² and will be shaped like a falcon, to represent the UAE's cultural legacy.