Palm Jumeirah

The Palm Jumeirah in 2005
Developments in Dubai as of 2010 with Palm Jumeirah in the center.

The Palm Jumeirah (Arabic: نخلة الجميرة‎) is an artificial archipelago in the United Arab Emirates, created using land reclamation by Nakheel which extends into the Persian Gulf. It is part of a larger series of developments called the Palm Islands, including Palm Jebel Ali and Palm Deira), which, when completed, will together increase Dubai's shoreline by a total of 520 kilometres (320 mi).[1] It is located on the Jumeirah coastal area of the emirate of Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates.

Transportation

Palm Jumeirah Monorail

Palm Jumeirah Monorail is a 5.4-kilometre-long (3.4 mi) monorail connecting the Atlantis Hotel to the Gateway Towers at the foot of the island.[2]. The monorail connects the Palm Jumeirah to the mainland, with a planned further extension to the Red Line of the Dubai Metro.[3] The line began operating on 30 April 2009.[4] It is the first monorail in the Middle East.[5]

Construction

Villas on a frond
Palm Jumeirah's Fronds
Palm Jumeirah aerial view on 5 January 2013

Construction of the Palm Jumeirah island began in June 2001 and the developers announced handover of the first residential units in 2006.[6]

In early October 2007, the Palm Jumeirah had already become the world's largest artificial island.[7] Also at this time, 75% of the properties were ready to hand over, with 500 families already residing on the island.[7] By the end of 2009, 28 hotels were opened on the Crescent.[7]

The complexities of the construction were blamed, in part, for the extended delays to the completion of the project, the date of which was pushed back multiple times and was nearly two years late.

In a 2009 article describing the collapsing Dubai economy, The New York Times reported that the Palm was sinking. This was confirmed by geological surveys to be taking place at the rate of 5 millimetres (0.20 in) per year. [8] Nakheel refuted the claims by the New York Times who had quoted one small ground survey firm that the island was sinking. They defended the single claim by saying that there had been no reports of any structural problems on any of the buildings on the island which would be expected if there were any subsidence. Nakheel also outlined that claims suggesting Palm Jumeirah has sunk by 5 mm, as detected by remote sensing (satellite) techniques, are not possible given that NASA's laser altimeter satellites have an accuracy of only ± 50 millimetres (2.0 in).[9]

Housing density

After launching the project, it was revealed that Nakheel increased the number of residential units on the island (with a concomitant reduction in the amount of physical space between individual properties) from the originally announced 4,500 (comprising 2,000 villas purchased early in the expectation of greater separation between properties.[10] This increase was attributed to Nakheel miscalculating the actual cost of construction and requiring the raising of additional capital, although Nakheel has never commented publicly on the matter. The New York Times reported in 2009 that many people had bought houses before they were built and are furious about the space available now and the way they seem to be living on top of each other.[8]

Water quality

The outer breakwater was designed as a continuous barrier, but by preventing natural tidal movement, the seawater within the Palm became stagnant. The problem was corrected by adding another gap in the barrier.[11] As explained in the National Geographic Channel's documentary Impossible Islands, part of its MegaStructures series, the breakwater was subsequently modified to create gaps on either side, allowing tidal movement to oxygenate the water within and prevent it stagnating, albeit less efficiently than would be the case if the breakwater did not exist.[11][12] This same episode addressed the issue of marine life as well, but stated that the breakwater has actually encouraged marine life and that new marine species are moving into the area.

Hotels and resorts

The Palm Jumeirah has a number of hotels, resorts, and hotel residences:

  • Anantara The Palm Dubai Resort
  • Atlantis, The Palm
  • The Fairmont Palm Hotel & Resort
  • St. Regis Dubai - The Palm
  • Emerald Palace Kempinski Dubai
  • Kempinski Hotel & Residences
  • Rixos The Palm Dubai
  • Sofitel Dubai, The Palm Resort & Spa
  • The Langham, Palm Jumeirah
  • Jumeirah Zabeel Saray
  • One & Only The Palm
  • Taj Exotica Resort & Spa
  • The Residences, Palm Jumeirah
  • The Retreat Palm Dubai
  • Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah[13]
  • Kingdom Of Sheba, Palm Jumeirah
  • The 8
  • The Palm Resort & Spa
  • Viceroy Palm Jumeirah Dubai
  • W Hotel
  • Dukes Dubai [14]

Retail and Dining Destinations:

  • Nakheel Mall
  • The Pointe
  • Palm Views West and East
  • The Boardwalk
  • Al Ittihad Park
  • Club Vista Mare
  • Golden Mile Galleria

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Top 8 Engineering and Architectural Wonders of Dubai". 14 December 2016.
  2. ↑ Nice and Easy, but Fares Not So Fair
  3. ↑ "Middle East's first monorail to start services in Palm Jumeirah by April". Gulf News. 7 August 2008. Archived from the original on 16 July 2009. Retrieved 11 August 2008.
  4. ↑ "Palm monorail tried and tested – The Knowledge News". TimeOutDubai.com. Retrieved 27 August 2010.
  5. ↑ "ME's 1st monorail to begin services in April". MENAFN.com. 8 August 2008. Archived from the original on 11 June 2011. Retrieved 11 August 2008.
  6. ↑ "The Palm Jumeirah". Nakheel. 2006. Archived from the original on 17 February 2007. Retrieved 11 February 2007. External link in |publisher= (help)
  7. 1 2 3 "Dubai's Palm and World Islands – progress update". AMEInfo. 4 October 2007. Archived from the original on 11 October 2007. Retrieved 28 October 2007.
  8. 1 2 Laid-Off Foreigners Flee as Dubai Spirals Down, New York Times, 11 February 2009
  9. ↑ "Nakheel: Palm Jumeirah is 'not sinking' - Real Estate". ArabianBusiness.com. Retrieved 2016-01-15.
  10. ↑ ""Palm before a storm?" Daily Telegraph article by Catherine Moye, 20th August 2005". The Daily Telegraph. London. 20 August 2005. Retrieved 21 May 2010.
  11. 1 2 "Palm Island Dubai FAQ".
  12. ↑ "MegaStructures – National Geographic Channel episode guide".
  13. ↑ "Waldorf Astoria Palm Jumeirah set for January opening in Dubai". GulfNews.com. 2013-12-27. Retrieved 2016-01-15.
  14. ↑ http://www.dukesdubai.com/contact/

Coordinates: 25°07′05″N 55°08′00″E / 25.11806°N 55.13333°E / 25.11806; 55.13333

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