Our Urban Excursions would not be complete without a tour of Dubai, the focus of phenomenal construction activity over the last decade. So come along with Kerrianne as she explores this big, bold and bash city.

Yes I am going to let my inner geek out, and admit that I do really love urban places and the economics of urban places: it's not just my business, but my inspiration. I loved playing Lego when I was young (and now have the perfect excuse with an 8 year old passionate Legoer!) and my favourite ap on Facebook is Social City, where I get to build infrastructure, housing, jobs and generally make sure that my city grows and prospers, and that my people are happy. For many years now the nirvana of urban places for me therefore, has been to experience the whirl of construction activity and economic development that is Dubai. Dubai is just like a Lego town or computer game; building for building's sake.

My Dubai experience has not necessarily left me inspired as to its contribution to the future of urban spaces and experiences in Australia, but I was awe inspired when I consider where this city has come from and the vision for this city's development. Everywhere you look, in old and new Dubai, there is construction activity; on land, in the sea and in the airspaces. Infrastructure, housing, ports, airports, tourist facilities, all equal jobs, apparently.

Our first experience of Dubai was accompanied by a helicopter circling our ship, tug boats spraying water, bands playing, children handing all the passengers a gorgeous rose in welcome and our double decker Dubai hop-on-hop-off tour bus becoming our own personal taxi, delivering us to the door of our hotel. The city certainly laid on the charm.

The City has relied on the "build it and they will come" philosophy, and everything must be bigger, better, brighter than what has been achieved before, including Burj Khalifa the world's tallest building, 80km of new beachfront, the world's largest shopping mall Dubai Mall (in terms of total area), world's biggest themepark currently under construction (Dubailand) including a big wheel to be larger than the London Eye, world's third tallest building used for a hotel, world's largerst passenger and cargo hub etc etc. Legoland has even committed to the development of a themepark in Dubailand!

And like its big projects, Dubai has big visions and plans for tourism and economic growth, underpinned by Free Zones to encourage foreign investment and activity, and the Dubai Strategic Plan 2015.

In 2002, some 4.7million visitors arrived in Dubai, with visitor numbers projected to increase to some 15million visitors per annum by 2016, with shopping the key pastime. Having established its importance as a shopping mecca, Dubai is now seeking to broaden its tourist base, setting itself up to cater for a visitor experience with some 20,000 hotel rooms to be built as part of Dubailand theme park precinct alone, and its new airport expected to have capacity for some 120million passengers per annum.

Like any Greenfield site (or lego town!), the city has the scope to be planned, and its development plan is reflected in the Dubai Strategic Plan 2015. A series of precincts have been developed including Healthcare City, Dubai Internet City with its foreign ownership privileges and tax free benefits, the logistics integrated Dubai World Central and Dubai Media City also a Free Zone. As an urban economist, I almost salivated at the thought of the mix of activities and land uses that have sprung up in Healthcare City alone-medical, dental and nursing training colleges, Harvard Medical School, Boston Unversity, specialists, residential, medical equipment companies etc. We urban economists love the amalgamation of attraction, the economies of agglomeration of "like" urban land uses and activities, and the opportunities and economic benefits that ensue in planning for such precincts. In Australia, with our population base and limited expenditure on research, these developments take time, commitment and investment from both the public and private sectors; all of which Dubai appears to have in spades at the present.

It was notable however, that Dubai has not escaped the economic downturn. The hiccup before the opening of Burj Khalifa in January,  that was the economic bubble bursting in Dubai, is being felt with a downturn in construction activity and, to the delight of locals, a resultant improvement in traffic congestion levels because of the loss of jobs! I would not want to own a shop in Wafi Mall. This 350 store luxury brands centre whilst fully occupied, was desserted at my visit, whilst Mall of the Emirates and Dubai Mall were bustling.

Time will tell if the level of investment and planning in Dubai generates the medium and long term expected returns in profile, tourism numbers and sustained economic growth and, importantly, if the City's development will actually generate a level of character that makes it memorable as a wonderful urban space and environment, not simply a giant sterile lego land. In saying that, Dubai was still an exciting place to visit, simply to stand in awe of its massive construction and investment projects, to shop and to enjoy the friendliness of its people.
 

~Kerrianne Bonwick