The Mall of the World: The world's first temperature controlled City (Mall) in Dubai.

The City (Mall)

Yes. They're at it again!!! The UAE (who else did you expect?) are planning to build the world's first temperature controlled city emphatically called "Mall of the World".

While the sustainability pundits have no nice words to say and i can understand their stance, it does not remove from the utter Magnificence of the idea and scale of this proposal. 
(Images courtesy Designboom, Archdaily)

Cultural district

Trams along the temperature controlled promenade

The 4.5 million sqm project estimated to cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $6.8 billion, will contain the world's largest shopping mall and indoor theme park covered by retractable glass domes that open during cooler months (Goodbye, desert sun). It would also have those mega development essentials such as Serviced apartment complexes, an entertainment center to host 15,000 people, a cultural celebration district (note, DISTRICT, it is a city after all) and a range of Hotels and hospitality options providing about 20,000 rooms!! GOSH! On completion, the Mall of the World will throw its doors open to an annual crowd of around 180 million guests from all over the world.

mall of the world cultural district

Cultural district theatres

temperature controlled retail street

Designed as a foot friendly city (integrated pedestrian, for all you techies), prominent 7km promenades connect and bring together the vast array of facilities and entertainment options under one big retractable roof. From Leisure, Retail and Hospitality to business and conference facilities, the development boasts of everything such a development can boast of. The central cultural district forms the core of the development, but a major attraction would be the 280 000sqm wellness district. This 'zone' of the city is dedicated to medical and rejuvenation services providing the best possible health care quality as well as specialty surgery procedures.

indoor theme park

more of the indoor theme park

   

The Vice President of the United Arab Emirates, and constitutional monarch of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed, (the mastermind behind the burj al arab) had this to say about the project,

"the growth in family and retail tourism underpins the need to enhance dubai’s tourism infrastructure as soon as possible. this project complements our plans to transform dubai into a cultural, tourist and economic hub for the two billion people living in the region around us; and we are determined to achieve our vision."

The "mall of the world" is by all means a ground breaking and innovative idea that will, no doubt, have people the world over boarding flights to Dubai in droves, all in a bid to experience first hand the awesomeness and over-the-topedness of this development. The audacity of such a project from size and scale to technology and economics is one thing that has come to define the landscape and character of dubai, firmly cementing their place in the world of tourism.