Perspective of buildings in Dubai. The Marina and Jumeriah Beach Residence.

Is it small and far away or near and tall? 

I'll leave Father Ted to explain that one to you, it's something we struggle with on occasion even though we've lived here for 6 years.

No 1 is the Cayan Tower.

No 2 is Princess Tower.

This photo was taken from our apartment on the 32nd floor, The Royal Beach Residence.

This photo showing where the first photo was taken from, was taken from the Palm, to give you an idea of the perspective.

Museum of the Future. 3D printed building in Dubai

Located by the World Trade Centre, off the Sheik Zayed Road in Dubai, stands the Museum of the Future designed by South African Architect Shaun Killa. A large part of the building is 3D printed.

I've been photographing the construction of many buildings in Dubai since we moved there in 2014. I find it fascinating watching them grow in such a short period of time. This is one of the few projects that is actually finished and not still being developed.

The Museum of the Future was due to open in September 2020 ready for Expo2020 which has now been delayed till next year, but was only completed last month.

April 2018

September 2018

June 2019

My husband sent me this photo earlier in the week. 

November 2020

For all the other construction photography photos I've been taking over the past few years, please click on the links below.

Week 158 Dubai Bluewater Islands and Dubai Eye. Man made island a 210m high Big Wheel
Week 159 Dubai Dubai Marina - Reflections
Week 160 Dubai Dubai Frame. A window between the Old and New Dubai and a 150m high glass floor.

Week 161 Dubai Dubai Marina 3 years apart.

Week 162 Dubai Dubai Water Canal Bridge Construction and reconfiguration of roads

Week 163 Dubai New Metro Line for Expo 2020
Week 164 Arizona and Nevada Hoover Dam 2002 - 2010
Week 165 Dubai Dubai Opera House What a difference a year makes
Week 166 Dubai Unfinished buildings. The Pentominium
Week 167 Coventry Mixing the old and the new. Coventry Catherdral
Week 168 Dubai New Dubai Metro Station 
Week 169 Dubai The new extension of the Dubai Mall and Burj Khalifa 
Week 170 Dubai Hotel fire After the Address fire 
Week 171 Dubai Unusual designs The Opus Building
Week 172 Dubai District Cooling. Keeping the desert cool.
Week 173 Dubai Can I visit the Burj Al Arab
Week 174 Dubai The Almas Tower
Week 175 Dubai The Cayan Tower
Week 176 Toronto The CN Tower
Week 177 Nevada The Paris Hotel 
Week 178 Dubai Ibn Battuta Gate
Week 179 A Wedding Our first child got married
Week 180 Dubai The World's Tallest Tower
Week 181 Dubai and Wales Al Fahidi Fort and Chepstow Castle 
Week 182 Dubai New Metro Station in Al Furjan 
Week 183 Dubai Ski Dubai
Week 184 Another Wedding
Week 185 South Africa Life in a township
Week 186 Austria Ski Jump 
Week 187 Dubai Green Plant Bio Dome 
Week 188 Dubai Update on the Metro Station
Week 189 Dubai My view from the balcony changed in 8 months
Week 190 Greece Just how instagramable is it?
Week 191-192 Dubai Before and After. 3 months out of Dubai
Week 193 Dubai Building a boat in the sky
Week 194 An African Sunset
Week 195 Building with boxes Charity work in South Africa
Week 196 UK wedding and a year of travel

Spot the difference - View from Dubai Festival City Skyline

Can you spot the differences in the skyline?

There are 2 obvious ones. Can you spot anymore?

April 2018

December 2018

My Sunday Photo for a year 2018

I completed 207 My Sunday Photo's over 3 years. In 2018 I focused each week on a different construction project around the world, mainly in Dubai. We also had 3 weddings, 3 funerals and many many visitors and lots of travel so of course that was all incorporated into the year.

I'm changing the My Sunday Photo tag, now it's come to an end, to construction photography and will continue to update my blog posts over future years.

But for now here's a summary of my year. Some of the photo's were taken on visits this year on my travels to the UK, Germany, Austria, Greece, South Africa and Egypt. Most of the construction projects are in Dubai, but there are a few posts from previous trips to the US and Canada. Not all of the Dubai photo's were taken in 2018.

January spent in Dubai. Completion of the final section of the big wheel. Dubai Frame and the Marina.

February starting to build the new metro station, revisiting the Hoover Dam in America. Dubai Opera House and a new road bridge. A trip back to the UK in the snow for my SIL's funeral.

March The Address hotel after the fire, 2 years ago. Coventry Cathedral, The Burj Khalifa and a forgotten building in Dubai.

April How they cool Dubai, inside the Burj Al Arab, The Opus Building and The Fire in the Almas Tower.

May Ibn Battuta Mall, The CN Tower in Toronto and Spiderman climbs the Cayan Tower.

June Chepstow castle, new train station in Dubai, Construction plans for the Tower in Dubai and The Old Fort. Back in the UK for Child 4's wedding and a funeral.

July Best friend's wedding, the ski slope in Dubai, how they clean the windows on the world's tallest building and Innsbruck Ski Jump in Austria on a day trip from a trip to Germany.

August another train station being built and a bio dome in Dubai and a trip to Greece.

September building a ship in the sky, road construction and Christmas charity work in South Africa.

October niece's wedding, a new building, yet unknown in Dubai and proposed new building in South Wales.

November off to Cairo to visit the pyramids, volunteering on the European Golf Tour, building with bamboo in Hong Kong and Dubai's changing skyline.

December in South Africa and Dubai, Christmas, gift giving and housing in South Africa.

You can see more of the projects by clicking on the links below:

Week 158 Dubai Bluewater Islands and Dubai Eye. Man made island a 210m high Big Wheel
Week 159 Dubai Dubai Marina - Reflections
Week 160 Dubai Dubai Frame. A window between the Old and New Dubai and a 150m high glass floor.

Week 161 Dubai Dubai Marina 3 years apart.

Week 162 Dubai Dubai Water Canal Bridge Construction and reconfiguration of roads

Week 163 Dubai New Metro Line for Expo 2020
Week 164 Arizona and Nevada Hoover Dam 2002 - 2010
Week 165 Dubai Dubai Opera House What a difference a year makes
Week 166 Dubai Unfinished buildings. The Pentominium
Week 167 Coventry Mixing the old and the new. Coventry Catherdral
Week 168 Dubai New Dubai Metro Station 
Week 169 Dubai The new extension of the Dubai Mall and Burj Khalifa 
Week 170 Dubai Hotel fire After the Address fire 
Week 171 Dubai Unusual designs The Opus Building
Week 172 Dubai District Cooling. Keeping the desert cool.
Week 173 Dubai Can I visit the Burj Al Arab
Week 174 Dubai The Almas Tower
Week 175 Dubai The Cayan Tower
Week 176 Toronto The CN Tower
Week 177 Nevada The Paris Hotel 
Week 178 Dubai Ibn Battuta Gate
Week 179 A Wedding Our first child got married
Week 180 Dubai The World's Tallest Tower
Week 181 Dubai and Wales Al Fahidi Fort and Chepstow Castle 
Week 182 Dubai New Metro Station in Al Furjan 
Week 183 Dubai Ski Dubai
Week 184 Another Wedding
Week 185 South Africa Life in a township
Week 186 Austria Ski Jump 
Week 187 Dubai Green Plant Bio Dome 
Week 188 Dubai Update on the Metro Station
Week 189 Dubai My view from the balcony changed in 8 months
Week 190 Greece Just how instagramable is it?
Week 191-192 Dubai Before and After. 3 months out of Dubai
Week 193 Dubai Building a boat in the sky
Week 194 South Africa An African Sunset
Week 195 South Africa Building with boxes Charity work in South Africa
Week 196 Another family wedding and a year of travel
Week 197 Dubai What are they building now? World Trade Centre
Week 198 Monmouth Building work in South Wales
Week 198 Dubai The cladding is going on, on the metro station
Week 199 Dubai They're building on the beaches in Dubai
Week 200 Hong Kong Building with Bamboo
Week 201 Dubai My Week as a volunteer on the European Tour
Week 202 Cairo Probably the largest construction project in the world. The Pyramids
Week 203 South Africa Christmas gift giving in a South African township
Week 204 South Africa A sense of community in South African Townships
Week 205 Dubai Christmas in Dubai
Week 206 Dubai When Bob met Santa 
Week 207 Dubai Al Furjan Construction Project

Dubai Metro Station Al Furjan.

This is one of the two new Metro stations being built in Al Furjan where we live in Dubai. It's the new line for the 2020 expo and will be opened in January 2019.

I started photographing the progress of the metro line in November 2018 when we moved to the area. It's unbelievable the speed at which they build over there. The construction of the station started in March 2018.

 March 2018

 April 2018

 May 2018

 June 2018

Peter took the last photo for me yesterday, while I'm in the UK, I suspect by the time I return it will be complete.

I've been documenting various construction projects in Dubai since we moved there in 2014 and have included unusual building designs and other places of interest we've visited around the world.

Week 158 Dubai Bluewater Islands and Dubai Eye. Man made island a 210m high Big Wheel
Week 159 Dubai Dubai Marina - Reflections
Week 160 Dubai Dubai Frame. A window between the Old and New Dubai and a 150m high glass floor.

Week 161 Dubai Dubai Marina 3 years apart.

Week 162 Dubai Dubai Water Canal Bridge Construction and reconfiguration of roads

Week 163 Dubai New Metro Line for Expo 2020
Week 164 Arizona and Nevada Hoover Dam 2002 - 2010
Week 165 Dubai Dubai Opera House What a difference a year makes
Week 166 Dubai Unfinished buildings. The Pentominium
Week 167 Coventry Mixing the old and the new. Coventry Catherdral
Week 168 Dubai New Dubai Metro Station 
Week 169 Dubai The new extension of the Dubai Mall and Burj Khalifa 
Week 170 Dubai Hotel fire After the Address fire 
Week 171 Dubai Unusual designs The Opus Building
Week 172 Dubai District Cooling. Keeping the desert cool.
Week 173 Dubai Can I visit the Burj Al Arab
Week 174 Dubai The Almas Tower
Week 175 Dubai The Cayan Tower
Week 176 Toronto The CN Tower
Week 177 Nevada The Paris Hotel 
Week 178 Dubai Ibn Battuta Gate
Week 179 A Wedding
Week 180 Dubai The World's Tallest Tower
Week 181 Dubai and Wales Al Fahidi Fort and Chepstow Castle 

The CN Tower Toronto

As you may have gathered my now from My Sunday Photo's this year, I have a bit of a thing for construction projects, tall buildings and glass floors. You'll find a list at the end of this post of other places I've visited around the world.

The CN Tower in Toronto was opened on 26th june 1976 and until September 2007 it was the tallest structure in the world until the Burj Khalifa in Dubai was constructed.

I made my visit in July 2015.

The CN stands for Canadian National Railway who wanted to build a large TV and radio communication tower to demonstrate the strength of the Canadian industry.

There are now different categories to determine the official heights of buildings around the world. Freestanding, structure, building and tower. The CN building is a tower of which it held the record for being the tallest in the world for over 3 decades.

At 553.33m tall, with 1,1776 and 114 flights to the top.

There are 3 observation decks. Skypod at 447m. Indoor observation level at 346m and outdoor observation area at 342m.With 360 views of the City.

The world's first glass floor was also opened on June 26th 1994 and is accessed at 342m.

Load tests are performed annually on the 2 1/2 inch thick glass and measures 23.8 square meters. It is 5 times stronger than it needs to be and should 35 moose ever ascend the tower it would support their weight.

Week 158 Dubai Bluewater Islands and Dubai Eye. Man made island a 210m high Big Wheel
Week 159 Dubai Dubai Marina - Reflections
Week 160 Dubai Dubai Frame. A window between the Old and New Dubai and a 150m high glass floor.

Week 161 Dubai Dubai Marina 3 years apart.

Week 162 Dubai Dubai Water Canal Bridge Construction and reconfiguration of roads

Week 163 Dubai New Metro Line for Expo 2020
Week 164 Arizona and Nevada Hoover Dam 2002 - 2010
Week 165 Dubai Dubai Opera House What a difference a year makes
Week 166 Dubai Unfinished buildings. The Pentominium
Week 167 Coventry Mixing the old and the new. Coventry Catherdral
Week 168 Dubai New Dubai Metro Station 
Week 169 Dubai The new extension of the Dubai Mall and Burj Khalifa 
Week 170 Dubai Hotel fire After the Address fire 
Week 171 Dubai Unusual designs The Opus Building
Week 172 Dubai District Cooling. Keeping the desert cool.
Week 173 Dubai Can I visit the Burj Al Arab
Week 174 Dubai The Almas Tower
Week 175 Dubai The Cayan Tower

The Cayan Tower

As with everything in Dubai, it starts with 'The World's biggest/tallest/fastest/most expensive.'

But in the case of the Cayan Tower it is known as the 'World's most twisted building' with a twist of 90 degrees. Although it only held that record for just under 2 years before the completion of the Shanghai Tower.

The Cayan Tower is located in Dubai Marina. It is 306ms tall and has 75 stories. It was designed by the same architectural company who did the concept design for the Burj Khalifa.

Viewed from the land.

Viewed from the sea.

In April 2015, the teen and I sat at the base of the Cayan Tower for 2 hours, watching 55 year old Alain Robert aka The French Spiderman, climb the tower free hand, no ropes, no safety nets.

Week 158 Bluewater Islands and Dubai Eye. Man made island a 210m high Big Wheel
Week 159 Dubai Marina - Reflections
Week 160 Dubai Frame. A window between the Old and New Dubai and a 150m high glass floor.

Week 161 Dubai Marina 3 years apart.

Week 162 Dubai Water Canal Bridge Construction and reconfiguration of roads

Week 163 New Metro Line for Expo 2020
Week 164 Hoover Dam 2002 - 2010
Week 165 Dubai Opera House What a difference a year makes
Week 166 Unfinished buildings. The Pentominium
Week 167 Mixing the old and the new. Coventry Catherdral
Week 168 New Dubai Metro Station 
Week 169 Dubai Mall and Burj Khalifa 
Week 170 After the Address fire 
Week 171 The Opus Building
Week 172 District Cooling. Keeping the desert cool.
Week 173 Can I visit the Burj Al Arab
Week 174 The Almas Tower

The Almas Tower

Up until 2009 and the completion of the Burj Khalifa at 828ms. The Almas Tower, also known as the Diamond Tower, was the tallest building in Dubai. Located at JLT (Jumeriah Lake Towers) it dominates the skyline as you look from the land towards the sea.

As the crow flies this is 3 miles away.

Viewed from the other side, it doesn't look that much taller than the other buildings.

Every tower in Dubai has a name and despite this dominating the Dubai Skyline, I've only ever referred to it 'the building that's the same height at The Shard in London, just to give you some idea of how big these building in Dubai are'

The Almas Tower is 306ms to the top floor and the antenna brings it up to 360ms. The top floor is measured at 279.3ms, with 68 floors of which 5 are below the ground.

The Shard (completed in 2012) is the tallest building in the UK, the tallest building in the European Union, the 5th tallest building in Europe and the 96th tallest building in the world, stands at 309.7ms, with 95 floors of which 72 are habitable. The observatory is at 244ms.

Last Sunday whilst visiting JBR (Jumeriah Beach Residence) I noticed smoke coming out the top of the Almas Tower. There have been several major fires in skyscrapers in Dubai in the 4 years we've lived here. The Torch in February 2015 and the Address Hotel on New Years Eve 2015 in Downtown Dubai being 2 of the biggest.

Along with 100's of other people I dialled 911 to report the fire. I was aware that I didn't know the name of the building and described it as the 'tallest one in JLT.' The emergency services were already aware and within seconds I heard the emergency services arrive. The building was evacuated and the fire was brought under control in 20 mins. it was contained to the spire only.

Quite a few people asked me what the spire is for, as far as I can find out, it's to add height, it's decorative, acts as a lightening conductor and can be used for telecommunication purposes.

Week 158 Bluewater Islands and Dubai Eye. Man made island a 210m high Big Wheel
Week 159 Dubai Marina - Reflections
Week 160 Dubai Frame. A window between the Old and New Dubai and a 150m high glass floor.

Week 161 Dubai Marina 3 years apart.

Week 162 Dubai Water Canal Bridge Construction and reconfiguration of roads

Week 163 New Metro Line for Expo 2020
Week 164 Hoover Dam 2002 - 2010
Week 165 Dubai Opera House What a difference a year makes
Week 166 Unfinished buildings. The Pentominium
Week 167 Mixing the old and the new. Coventry Catherdral
Week 168 New Dubai Metro Station 
Week 169 Dubai Mall and Burj Khalifa 
Week 170 After the Address fire 
Week 171 The Opus Building
Week 172 District Cooling. Keeping the desert cool.
Week 173 Can I visit the Burj Al Arab

Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall and Fountains 2014-2018

 Both photos taken from the same spot on the bridge between the Dubai Mall and Souk Al Bahar, 4 years apart but with different cameras. The curved building bottom right on the first photo is now almost obscured by the new mall extension and you can see a couple of additional buildings behind.

January 2014

March 2018

Week 158 Bluewater Islands and Dubai Eye. Man made island a 210m high Big Wheel
Week 159 Dubai Marina - Reflections
Week 160 Dubai Frame. A window between the Old and New Dubai and a 150m high glass floor.

Week 161 Dubai Marina 3 years apart.

Week 162 Dubai Water Canal Bridge Construction and reconfiguration of roads

Week 163 New Metro Line for Expo 2020
Week 164 Hoover Dam 2002 - 2010
Week 165 Dubai Opera House What a difference a year makes
Week 166 Unfinished buildings. The Pentominium
Week 167 Mixing the old and the new. Coventry Catherdral
Week 168 New Dubai Metro Station 

Unfinished Buildings in Dubai. The Pentominium

Artists impression of the Pentominium as taken from Wikipedia page, last updated May 2013.

Sadly this is what the Pentominium looks like now. Work on what would've been the 2nd tallest building in the world at 516 meters tall, started in July 2009 and was due to be completed in 2013. In May 2011 work stopped at the 22nd floor, due to the construction company falling behind with their loan repayments.

Now the Pentominium stands dwarfed by the completed residential buildings at Dubai Marina. Sadly it doesn't look like the building will ever be completed now as the views of the sea are no longer available due to recent construction of surrounding skyscrapers.

I can't find anything on the internet other than a proposed plan to restart work in 2014, which obviously never happened, but I'm keeping my eye on it.

You can see the other building projects in Dubai and around the World, I've been following below:

Week 158 Bluewater Islands and Dubai Eye. Man made island a 210m high Big Wheel
Week 159 Dubai Marina - Reflections
Week 160 Dubai Frame. A window between the Old and New Dubai and a 150m high glass floor.

Week 161 Dubai Marina 3 years apart.

Week 162 Dubai Water Canal Bridge Construction and reconfiguration of roads

Week 163 New Metro Line for Expo 2020
Week 164 Hoover Dam 2002 - 2010
Week 165 Dubai Opera House What a difference a year makes

Dubai Marina Then and Now

Believe it or not, these two photos were only less than 3 years apart. The top one in March 2015, the bottom one last week.

I was unable to return to the exact spot where I took the first photo as all I would have taken a photo of was a new skyscraper and I wouldn't have been able to show you the view to compare the difference, so I had to move round the next bend, but you can still see how much new development has gone on in such a short time. There's still so much more to be completed.

This year I'm focusing on Buildings and construction projects for My Sunday Photo. They will mainly be in Dubai, however I do have a lot of travel planned to the UK this year and I love visiting historical sites, castles and wandering around city centres.

If you're interested in the other construction projects I've been following you can click on the links below.

Week 158 Bluewater Islands and Dubai Eye. Man made island a 210m high Big Wheel
Week 159 Dubai Marina - Reflections
Week 160 Dubai Frame. A window between the Old and New Dubai and a 150m high glass floor.

Dubai Marina

Reflections of Jumeriah Beach Residence in Dubai Marina.

Bluewaters Island and the Dubai Eye

Dubai will never be finished, there are so many building projects going on here, it is difficult to keep track of what is going where and when. However there are several projects and areas that I've been keeping an eye on and taking photographs of since we moved here. The Dubai Mall, The Dubai Water Canal and the Dubai Eye, seen below. 

The Dubai Eye is a 210 meter tall Ferris Well and the tallest in the World, scheduled to open in April 2018. It will carry 1,400 passengers in 48 capsules will views of the Marina, Burj Al Arab, Palm Jumeriah and the Burj Khalifa. It will also have a view of our villa which is 4 miles away and seen here from our garden.

Taken in January 2014 from the Sheraton Hotel, on a visit to Dubai prior to us moving here at the end of the year. New land created in the sea.

The frame for Dubai Eye in place in August 2015, but another 20 months before the wheel was started to be assembled.

 Although I visited The Beach in 2016, there was no work on the Dubai Eye so I didn't take any photographs, by March 2017 the first piece was in place, resembling a Pirate Ship.

By  December 2017 the wheel was almost complete. I missed the rest of the sections going in during the year as I was out of the country.

In January 2018 the final piece was in place. Just the capsules to add now.

25th January 2019

You'll notice some of the struts have been removed and the new buildings behind.

31st January 2019

Night time view, more struts removed over the last 6 days. You can really see the scale of the project from the beach in a similar location to the 2nd photo.