The 13m x 3m model that offers a tantalising glimpse of the future emirate will be on display at Cityscape Dubai next week
This is an aerial view of Dubai that could greet visitors of the near future when they fly into the emirate.
A vast scale model offering a tantalising glimpse ahead to 2020 has been created and is set to go on display in the city. The 13m x 3m model, the most up to date of its kind, was commissioned by master developer Nakheel. It has been built by Modelcraft in Al Quoz in over three months.
It shows many of Dubai's yet to be completed developments such as The Palm Deira and gives an exciting glimpse of how Dubai will look in little more than a decade.
The model, which was built at one to 4,000 scale, will form the centrepiece at Nakheel's stand during the three-day urban planning event Cityscape Dubai next week.
Matthew Roche, managing director of Modelcraft, said his team of 15 used satellite images, 3D images and developers' plans to make the model as exact as possible.
"This is the biggest model we have built so far and we are very [proud of it]," he said.
"People have... been locating their own homes [on] it." As well as using hi-tech equipment, the team took to the streets to get information about buildings that they could not find from other sources.
Charlie Taylor, senior marketing officer at Nakheel, said Cityscape gave the opportunity to tell the story of Dubai, from Sheikh Rashid's time until the near future.
"We will use the model to show the remarkable transformation of the city over the last 50 years and the development of Nakheel," he said.
But it is not only Nakheel's developments such as The World island, the three Palms, and the vast Waterfront that appear on the model.
The overview will give visitors to Cityscape an idea of how Emaar's Burj Dubai and Downtown Dubai fit to scale alongside Dubai Properties' Business Bay and Sama Dubai's The Lagoons.
The model, made up of 22 panels of plastic and polyurethane pieces for lightness and durability, will need 11 trucks to transport it from Al Quoz to the Dubai International Convention Centre for the October 16 opening of Cityscape Dubai.
By Adrian Murphy
© Emirates Today 2007
