Man-made islands in Dubai: No Small Feat
Where It All Began
When you think of man-made islands, Palm Jumeirah is usually the first one that comes to the mind. Palm Jumeirah is actually part of ‘The Palm Islands’, which includes the Palm Jebel Ali and the Deira Islands. Developed by master builder Nakheel properties, the first residential units in Palm Jumeirah were handed over in 2006 after which the area saw a meteoric rise as a central entertainment and recreational hub in Dubai. The other two islands are still under construction.
The Palm Islands
Another under-construction palm-shaped island
The Third Palm Island project
What protects the island?
That’s a million dollar question right there! For one, the islands literally sit on the face of the sea. Luckily, constructors in Dubai have a solution for every problem. The inner islands are protected by the crescent-shaped breakwater which is 11-km long. This was originally the first section of the Palm built to tackle the seasonal north-western winds and the strong sea currents. By now you must be wondering what exactly prevents the sand that was “sprayed” from being washed off. The thing that keeps the sand intact is an erosion-preventing geotextile membrane which makes up the breakwater’s lowest layer. This is topped by a layer of 1-ton rocks which are further covered by two layers of large rocks weighing up to 6-tons each. At its deepest point, the crescent of Palm Jumeirah sits at 34 ft of water and stands a little over 13 ft above low tide sea level. It also features a 6-metre-wide boardwalk that stretches along its entire length, perfect for a leisurely stroll on the weekends.
A world map made with islands
How would you feel about a 3D world map made out of small artificial islands? Sounds bonkers, doesn’t it? But there it is, a mega project kickstarted by the famous Nakheel Properties back in 2003. Known as ‘The World’, the project focuses on constructing around 300 small islands into the shape of the world map. While there have been some initial hiccups, several islands in this project are now complete and even feature properties for sale.
The world’s largest observation wheel
Bluewaters Island is another planned man-made island which has an estimated net cost (upon project completion) of AED 6B. Soon about-to-become home to the world’s largest observation wheel in Dubai, Bluewaters Island is a project of Meraas Holdings which opened to the public in the latter half of 2018. This location is set to become a popular addition to the list of ultimate touristic destinations in Dubai featuring over 200 hotels, apartment multiplexes, dining options, retail stores and townhouses. If you are interested in knowing more about this island you can check out Bluewaters Island Review.
Burj Al Arab is actually on an island!
Even though construction of some of these artificial islands in Dubai has not yet been completed, there’s no denying the excellence and intelligence in this man-made marvel. Now that you know all about the man-made islands in the city, check out some of the other record-breaking facts about Dubai!
