Abu Dhabi Rebranding and progress Emma Rawlings Smith Rawlings.emma@hotmail.co.uk British school - al khubairat Ga Post 16 & HE committee

Outline Urban growth of abu dhabi Green cities – masdar initiative Cultural developments on saadiyat Formula 1tm Abu dhabi grand prix on yas All images unless otherwise stated are sourced from Emma Rawlings Smith (These can be used in the original context, but cannot be edited or extracted for use in other publishable workunless

Abu Dhabi Arabian Gulf Arabian Gulf Public domain image source NASA location http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Abu_Dhabi.png NASA public domain Abu Dhabi is capital of the largest of the seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and it is the administrative center of the emirates with the same name. The United Arab Emirates is home to 4.7 million people (UN 2010), 75% of which are foreign workers.

Abu Dhabi ‘Desert outpost to modern paragon’ in 50 years A modern Al-Barjeel wind tower

1960s Insert images of Abu Dhabi from the 1960s

What factors have aided rapid growth in Abu Dhabi? Oil - currently oil reserves are worth$12 trillion Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan – left a legacy of pro-western modernisation and diversification away from an economy based on hydrocarbons Technology including desalinisation and A/C are available and essential for life in an arid environment fuelled by the region’s access to cheap energy Location – 80% of the global population live no more than 7 hours away by plane Movement of goods and people – The ports of Kizad and Jebel Ali are centrally located to receive and re-export goods by ship. Source: E Smith

Urban development Abu Dhabi continues to construct high-end residential and business properties. Demand in the city still outstrips supply. The lifespan of a building in Abu Dhabi was only 25 yrs, but is increasing. Much of the new development is in the Capital District and ‘off’ island. Public domain author: United States Department of Transportation employee http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Traffic06.jpg?uselang=en-gb 10 000 commuters arrive daily in the city from Dubai where property can be half the price Source: E Smith

iconic architecture The Grand Mosque Aldar HQ – The Smartie Capital Gate ADNEC Photos – all E.Smith Landmark the tallest building in Abu Dhabi

Sustainable development: green cities Masdar City Masdar was designed by Foster & Partners $15 billion has been invested into the Masdar Initiative. Read the Spring 2011 Edition of Geography Matters available from the Post 16 committee on the GA website for more information. The Estidama Pearl Rating System is used in the UAE to rate sustainable built environments on a scale of 1 to 5. Masdar reaches the 5 Pearl standard. Sustainable development: green cities “Abu Dhabi is becoming justifiably renowned as a hub for progress… we are on the brink of an exciting sustainable future - clean energy for all” HE Ban Ki-Moon, Secretary General, UN @WFES

Sustainable futures: the Masdar Initiative Established in 2006, Masdar has built upon the green vision of the UAE’s founding father. Through five integrated units Masdar aims to be the world’s benchmark for sustainable development. Masdar City Once completed in 2016 the 7 sq km Masdar City will house 40 000 residence and 1 500 businesses working in the cleantech field. As Abu Dhabi diversifies its energy sector, it is hoped that the zero-carbon zero-waste project will create 70 000 new jobs and increase the emirate’s GDP by more than 2% pa. The rapid transit is fuelled by a 10MW photovoltaic solar farm. PRT car designed by Zagato, unveiled recently at the World Future Energy Summit

The Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) system uses driverless pods to transport people across Masdar City. Only electric cars will be allowed.

ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION ‘Abu Dhabi’s Non-Oil Sector is to Exceed 64% of GDP. by 2030 Abu Dhabi will see the economy diversifying across several non-oil sectors, including the financial sector; the UAE as a trading node (KIZAD); tourism and cultural sectors’ Abu Dhabi Report Urban planning council 2009

Cultural developments 2016? The Island of Saadiyat will host the cultural hub of Abu Dhabi with the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, designed by Frank Gehry; the Louvre Abu Dhabi designed by Jean Nouvel; the Performing Arts Center designed by Zaha Hadid; and the Zayed National Museum designed by Norman Foster and unveiled by the HRH Queen Elizabeth in Abu Dhabi in November 2010. Models shown are for the hotels and links golf course developments on Saadiyat Island which will complement the cultural district designed by the Abu Dhabi government department - TDIC. There will be nine five-star hotels in place by 2020. The Hyatt should open by the end of 2011.

Zayed National Museum the museum is dedicated to the late great founder of the UAE Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan AND will showcase exhibits from the british museum All photos E Smith Mesopotamia – electronic version of ticket

Tourism Rebranding A total of 1 Tourism Rebranding A total of 1.81 million guests stayed in Abu Dhabi’s 114 hotels in 2010. Guest nights rose to 5.13 million – 19% up on 2009 contributing $1.15 billion or 10% to the emirate’s overall non-oil GDP Yas Marina Saadiyat Marina Abu Dhabi is planning a 20 year expansion focusing on developing tourism. the abu dhabi 2030 plan aims for 7.9 million hotel guests staying in 80 000 rooms, the government hopes to set up 45 marinas with enough space to cater to 10,000 luxury yachts. Data: ADTA Feb 2011

Yas.ae Yas is known for the Formula One Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix; the recent opening of Ferrari World Abu Dhabi and the arrival of the Yas Island Show Weekends. Room occupancy in 2010 reached 74.2% with room rates of $279 The 2010 race was televised across 188 countries and attracted 254 million viewers ADTA 2011

Developing free public space Developing free public space ... The Corniche Beach Development will be extended to 8km.

Risk and Insecurity in Abu Dhabi The Federal National Council of the UAE set up by Sheik Zayed bin Sultan al Nahyan has representatives from the Sunni Nationals including the Al Nahyan royal family “The U.A.E. and Qatar are the only places that have not seen any form of protests, and I think it does strengthen the argument of the U.A.E and Dubai in particular being the natural hub for businesses working across the Middle East,” said Simon Williams, a Dubai-based economist at HSBC Holdings. Sheik Zayed Author Hisham 100 Public domain http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/93/Shiekh_Zayed.jpg?uselang=en-gb Sheik Khalifa Author a work of the United States Federal Government public domain http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/97/Khalifa_Bin_Zayed_Al_Nahyan-CROPPED.jpg?uselang=en-gb Abu Dhabi sits on 100 billion barrels or 9% of global oil supplies. UAE President and ruler of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahayan

Rebranding and progress in Abu Dhabi In 2011 the United Arab Emirates will be celebrating it’s 40th birthday. The Abu Dhabi Plan 2030 written by the Urban Planning Council is a very impressive vision for the city. With the opening of Ferrari world in 2010, Yas is squarely on the global sport calendar. Developments at Masdar and Saadiyat are well underway, with the golf links and exhibition space at Manarat al Saadiyat attracting greater numbers every month. Time will see whether take-up by tourists matches the ambitious predictions Abu Dhabi Tourist Board publish.

Not everything always goes to plan... E.Smith

Resources: Masdar website: http://www.masdar.ae Yas Island website: http://www.yasisland.ae/ Saadiyat Island website: http://www.saadiyat.ae/en/ Guardian Article focussed on Masdar: http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2010/dec/19/norman-foster-masdar-city-review The Urban Planning Council Public Realm Design Manual (lengthy but detailed) http://www.upc.gov.ae/prdm/common/docs/Public%20Realm%20Design%20Manual.pdf All pictures in this PowerPoint were taken by myself, unless otherwise stated. They can only be used in the context given and cannot be edited or republished. © E. Rawlings Smith