Middle East

Planning Palestine

Suisman Urban Design was hired to design a theoretical Palestinian State, in the hopes that the plan might encourage the peace process. The plan was released in 2005, and has been gaining traction and admiration ever since.
28 December 2008 - 1:00pm
Places Journal

Environmental Concerns Surround Dubai Excess

The eccentric megaprojects keep coming in Dubai, leaving some to question the environmental wisdom of so much development in a notoriously water-poor desert.
24 December 2008 - 5:00am
Guardian

Patches of Grass Attract Unexpected Users

In Abu Dhabi, medians and 'leftover spaces' are attracting unanticipated users playing soccer, exercising or just hanging out. Planners are grappling with why people use these spaces and the public parks they've designed are less successful.
10 December 2008 - 2:00pm
The National (Abu Dhabi)

Islamic Holy City Mecca May Get Starchitect Redesign

Big-name architects -- including Norman Foster and Zaha Hadid -- have reportedly been tapped to be part of a team of designers tasked with redesigning the Islamic holy city of Mecca and its mosque.
2 December 2008 - 1:00pm
The Architects' Journal

Riding the Baghdad Express

For about a month, commuter rail has been rolling in Baghdad. Where once there was danger, now there are commuters.
24 November 2008 - 5:00am
Los Angeles Times

Cultural Preservation the Bright Side of Dubai's Tough Times

Native of the bustling United Arab Emirates are cheering the global economic slowdown, crediting it for curbing development in its cities that had been blamed for destroying much of their local heritage.
15 November 2008 - 5:00am
The New York Times

Three Oil Producing Nations Impacted By Oil Price Plunge

Plunging oil prices are hitting three oil-producing countries the hardest: Venezuela, Iran, and Russia. This article looks at each of them and evaluates how they will fare if oil prices do not rise, including their relationships to the U.S.
24 October 2008 - 12:00pm
The New York Times

Le Corbusier's Baghdad Sports Complex Revealed

In the mid-1900s architect Le Corbusier designed a grand sports complex for Baghdad as part of the city's bid for the 1960 Olympics. That bid failed and the project was never built. Now, original drawings and designs are on display.
20 October 2008 - 7:00am
Building Design

Dubai on a Path to 'Ecological Disaster'

With too much focus on "architectural bling" and a hyperactive development pattern, Dubai is in danger of becoming a modern planning disaster, according to architect Thom Mayne.
11 October 2008 - 1:00pm
Building Design

Even Dubai is Feeling the Pinch

Cityscape, Dubai's annual real estate showcase, paints a rosy picture of the booming city. But even Mideast moguls aren't immune from the global financial crisis.
7 October 2008 - 12:00pm
The Wall St. Journal

A Plea for Pedestrians in Pakistan

In this editorial, Ibne Ahmad of Rawalpindi, Pakistan claims that cars are significantly impacting the quality of life there, and that pedestrians and public space need to be reclaimed for the sake of equality.
6 October 2008 - 12:00pm
The News International

Testing Ideas in Dubai

Dubai is increasingly attracting architects and planners as a blank slate, and it's becoming a vibrant testing ground for ideas new and extreme.
30 September 2008 - 2:00pm
The Globe and Mail

Military Sprawl in Afghanistan

The military presence in Afghanistan is expanding at a rapid pace, creating a military sprawl.
29 September 2008 - 7:00am
The National Post

Baghdad's Troubling Real Estate Resurgence

Property values are up in Iraq's capital, but realtors there point out that sectarian divisions are the main reason why certain areas have become desirable.
18 September 2008 - 8:00am
Globe and Mail

The Middle East's 'Urban Prison'

In this article from Progressive Planning, Tom Angotti looks at Gaza and the land use regulations that have imposed an "urban apartheid".
4 September 2008 - 5:00am
Progressive Planning

Instant Cities in the Persian Gulf

Rami Khouri of the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs notes the unprecedented phenomenon of the "instant" cities of the Persian Gulf which, for all their wealth, lack civil societies.
3 September 2008 - 9:00am
The Globe and Mail

Ambitious Civic Project Planned by Terrorist's Brother

Osama bin Laden's brother has announced plans to build the world's longest suspension bridge, connecting Africa and Arabia, and building two state-of-the-art cities at each end -- a project that is expected to cost upwards of $200 billion.
23 August 2008 - 5:00am
The Independent

Bored With Your View? Rotate Your Apartment

The world's first moving building, a 80-storey tower with revolving floors giving an shifting shape, will be built in Dubai, its architect says.
25 June 2008 - 1:00pm
BBC

Istanbul Gentrifies a 1,000-Year-Old Roma Neighborhood

'Ottoman villas' are going up, and the world's largest Roma settlement is moving out - to suburban apartments.
16 June 2008 - 1:00pm
The Christian Science Monitor

Many Highlights, But Room for Improvement in Abu Dhabi

This article from The National takes a tour of Abu Dhabi with architect and planner Riyad Albuhlaiga, who points out the best parts of the city -- and the parts that must be improved to make Abu Dhabi a truly great city.
5 June 2008 - 8:00am
The National
Syndicate content