Dubai has always been known not to shy away from the grand, and even sometimes the absurd side of architecture.
Here are some of the craziest designs proposed, and planned to be built, in the coming years.
Dubai Police Musuem
Starting with the most bizarre of all, Dubai Police has revealed plans to build the world’s largest policeman cap to house the new Dubai Police Museum, which is expected to enter the Guinness World Records.
Falcon City of Wonders
The Falconcity of Wonders aims to recreate many of the world’s most famous buildings in one Dubai location, including the Taj Mahal and the Eiffel Tower.
Dubai Frame
The Dubai Frame will feature a clear glass walkway and is already under construction. It comprises of a 150m-high, 93m-wide structure being built to resemble a huge picture frame, through which landmarks representing modern Dubai like Emirates Towers and Burj Khalifa can be seen on one side, while from the other side, visitors can view older parts of the city like Deira, Umm Harair and Karama.
The Dubai Rainforest
Dubai is set to be home to yet another first for the Middle East – a man-made rain forest.
Housed under a dome it will form part of DAMAC’s Akoya Oxygen project and will include a forest canopy zip wire ride, rock climbing walls, steam baths and pool spas.
Floating Seahorses villas
Kleindienst Group said it is to build 42 Floating Seahorses, a cross between a villa and a boat which has one floor submerged, as part of The Heart of Europe islands.
The Floating Seahorses, designed and developed in Dubai, will be located just offshore from St Petersburg and the main Europe Island which will be a short boat ride from the coast of Dubai. They were officially launched at the recent Dubai International Boat Show.
The World Islands
Much like the Palm Jumeirah, the World Islands are designed in the shape of the world map. There has been recent signs of progress in construction since the project’s halt. The island of Lebanon is now open and plans for the Europe Islands have been unveiled.
Mall of the World
Billed as the world’s first temperature-controlled pedestrian city, the $6.8bn Mall of the World, set to located along Dubai’s Sheikh Zayed Road is one of the most ambitious projects to be unveiled in the Middle East this century.
Covered by a massive dome and roofs which can be open in winter but closed during hot months the project includes kilometer long promenades lined with shops, based on London’s Oxford Street, along with the world’s largest indoor theme park.
Akoya Drive
Plans to build a Rodeo Drive-inspired street of shops and cafes at the Akoya project in Dubai complete with the UAE’s first outdoor ice skating rink have been revealed by developer DAMAC.
The project includes a 1.3-kilometre long, high-end shopping street similar to The Walk at Jumeirah Beach Residences, which it says will echo the likes of Rodeo Drive in Los Angeles, the Champs Elyseés in Paris and the Croisette in Cannes.
Damac said that the new shopping street at its Donald Trump-designed golf course-led development would be one of the longest outdoor parades of shops and restaurants in Dubai.
The company said that the new street would comprise four piazzas containing an artificial ice rink, an outdoor cinema, a nine-hole putting green and a children’s play area.