architecture enlightens life

the hype of burj khalifa (formerly burj dubai) image source

so only a few weeks after the opening of burj khalifa; now it mysteriously closed down from public, giving a bitch slap to tourists in dubai. I believe the name dubai itself disgraces the field of architecture.

first, architecture in dubai is not driven by demand or even wealth; since the fishing village has little oil compared to its neighbour abu dhabi. dubai literally has nothing, it’s just a sand castle built off the desert. today’s population of dubai consists of only 17% emirati locals and 3% “western” with awfully lot 70% of foreign south asian workers. you thought you would meet celebrities like brad pitt or davd beckham in dubai? think again.

how messed up dubai is can be described with its address system. I quote:

“Despite having a large population, Dubai has no address system. None at all. If you want something delivered, you have to draw a map. If you want to take a taxi, you have to draw a map. If you want to find your way home drunk, you’re fucked.” - cracked.com

ultimately architecture there is driven by hype; a tradition started by burj al-arab, taunted as the world’s only 7 star hotel.

burj freaking arab. image source

now the economic recession has hit dubai and literally dubai is now the city of debt with amounts up to $59 billion or 145% of its GDP. burj khalifa is probably the last proper project completed in dubai; all other mega projects are either postponed or cancelled.

and those workers that build those glimmering skyline of dubai are slaves, modern-day slaves! their passports are confiscated, authorities doesn’t give a damn and they’re stuck there working less than $150 a month for the rest of their lives. their living conditions are worse off than dogs; yes even dogs have better ‘human’ rights than these trapped workers! buildings built by slaves are not architecture; they are just phallic icons as if it is shoving middle finger to human rights to the rest of the world.

did the slaves built them? or alien UFOs?

p/s: aren’t the great pyramids were built by slaves you say? no, the pyramids were built by skilled workers with paid salary as a respect for the king. and I quote,

“These farmers and local villagers gathered at Giza to work for their god kings, to build their monuments to the hereafter. This would ensure their own afterlife and would also benefit the future and prosperity of Egypt as a whole. They may well have been willing workers, a labor force working for ample rations, for the benefit of man, king, and country.”  - NOVA PBS

interesting read / references:

• archinect: burj khalifa closed indefinitely
• cracked: how fked up is dubai
• nytimes: dubai debt woes
• independent: dubai modern-day slaves
• nova: who build the pyramids

so what about dubai?
“dubai, the best fked up place in the name of architecture.” - yangsquare