Dubai Mall

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 This article or section contains information about expected future buildings or structures.
Some or all of this information may be speculative, and the content may change as building construction begins.
Dubai Mall
A rendering of Dubai Mall.
A rendering of Dubai Mall.
Facts and statistics
Location Dubai, UAE
Coordinates 25°11′51″N 55°16′45″E / 25.1975, 55.27917Coordinates: 25°11′51″N 55°16′45″E / 25.1975, 55.27917
Opening date 31 August 2008 [1]
Developer Dutco Balfour Beatty and AGCCC
Owner Emaar Properties
No. of stores and services 1200
Total retail floor area 12.1 million ft
Website http://www.thedubaimall.com/

The Dubai Mall is a large mall being built in Dubai, United Arab Emirates by Emaar Properties. The mall is a part of "Downtown Dubai." Developers claim it will be the largest mall in the world when completed. It is scheduled to open on 31 August 2008.[1]

Contents

[edit] Description

It will cover a total area of 12.1 million ft² [2], with 10 - 15 individual smaller malls built inside it, consisting of 9 million ft² of shopping retail space (comprising of a total of 1200 stores). Featured attractions include the world's largest gold souk with 220 retailers; the 850,000 ft² Fashion Island, with 70 flagship stores dedicated to haute couture as well as the Middle East's first Galeries Lafayette department store; one of the world's largest aquariums; an Olympic-sized ice skating rink; Oasis Fountain Waterfall; WaterFront Atrium; a view of the (soon to be completed in late 2009) world's tallest building, Burj Dubai. Other attractions include the region's first SEGA indoor theme park covering 76,000 sq ft; a ; KidZania, a 80,000 sq ft children's 'edu-tainment' centre; a 22-screen cineplex; and The Grove, an indoor-outdoor streetscape with fully retractable roof. The mall has already won five awards. It won two awards at the Retail Future Project Awards at MAPIC, Cannes, in 2004, for Best Retail Development Scheme (Large), Best Use of Lighting in a Retail Environment.[3] And the Dubai Mall brochure has won three awards at the Summit Creative Awards 2005, in Portland, Oregon; Gold award for Best Art Direction / Graphic Design, Silver award for Best 4-colour B2B Brochure, and Judges Special Recognition award.[3]

Currently, the largest mall in the world is believed to be the South China Mall in Dongguan, China, spreading over 9.6 million ft² [4]

[edit] Construction

The mall is being built by a Joint Venture of Dutco Balfour Beatty and Al Ghandi/CCC[5] for client Emaar Properties and was scheduled to be completed in 2006, claiming to be the size of 50 "international-sized football(soccer) pitches". It is now expected to be completed in late 2008.

[edit] Labour controversy

The labour practices used in the construction of Dubai Mall have caused controversy. Dubai Mall has been built by vast numbers of construction workers, mainly from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. Press reports indicate that skilled carpenters at the site earn US$7.60 (£4.34)/day, and laborers earn US$4.00 (£2.84).[6][7] Unions were forbidden in the United Arab Emirates up until recently, when the government announced steps to allow construction unions.[8]

On March 21, 2006, workers upset over low wages and poor working conditions rioted, damaging cars, offices, computers, and construction equipment. A Dubai Interior Ministry official said the rioters caused approximately $1m (USD) in damage. Most workers returned the following day but refused to work. Workers building a new terminal at Dubai International Airport also joined that day's work stoppage.

[edit] Pictures

Construction work on 28 May 2006

View of Dubai Mall on 27 November 2007 from the Burj Dubai

3 January 2008

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b "Burj Dubai to be delayed", AMEInfo, 2008-03-05. Retrieved on 2008-03-08. 
  2. ^ The Dubai Mall brochure collects three awards at Summit Creative Awards 2005, AME Info, May 24, 2005, retrieved March 12, 2006.
  3. ^ a b The Dubai Mall, Emaar, retrieved March 12, 2006
  4. ^ World's 10 Largest Shopping Malls, Forbes.com, January 9, 2007, retrieved July 22, 2007
  5. ^ Balfour Beatty Website: Burj Dubai Mall
  6. ^ "Workers Riot at Site of Dubai Skyscraper", Jim Krane, breitbart.com, 2006-03-22, retrieved March 24, 2006
  7. ^ Riot by migrant workers halts construction of Dubai skyscraper, by Brian Whitaker and agencies, The Guardian, 2006-03-23, retrieved 2006-03-25
  8. ^ "UAE to allow construction unions", BBC News, 2006-03-30, retrieved 2006-04-20

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
v • d • e
Shopping malls in Dubai
Current shopping malls
Future shopping malls
Dubai Mall · Mall of Arabia
v • d • e
Developments in Dubai, proposed or under construction
Skyscrapers
Shopping centres
Mall of Arabia • Dubai Mall
Entertainment
Transportation
Land reclamation
Other projects
See also