Dananjay Anandan wrote this article.
Welcome to Atlantis: A 1,539 room, destination resort that opened on the 20th of November at the Palm Jumeirah artificial island in Dubai with the most expensive private party ever thrown.
Welcome to Atlantis: A 1,539 room, destination resort that opened on the 20th of November at the Palm Jumeirah artificial island in Dubai with the most expensive private party ever thrown.
The 20 million-dollar extravaganza
that launched the 1.5 billion-dollar hotel was graced by a fireworks
display that was seven times bigger than the one at this year's Olympic Games
opening ceremony in Beijing. Spanning the 520 kilometer circumference of
the island, the display was apparently visible from space.
And among the 2500 guests were celebrities from all over the world, including Robert De Niro, Denzel Washington, Charlize Theron, Janet Jackson, Lindsay Lohan, Michael Jordan, Boris Becker, Shah Rukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Nawal al Zoghbi, Lily Allen and Petra Nemcova. Oprah Winfrey, who was supposed to occupy the bridge suite, pulled out at the last moment.
When he was asked why he was spending so much money on an opening ceremony during a global economic crisis, Sol Kerzner, the CEO and Chairman of Kerzner International, the company that owns the resort, said, "If I had to do it all over again, I might do it recognising the fact that we're living through a bit of a tough economic environment."
I've known Dubai, unlike say neighbouring Sharjah or even Abu Dhabi, to be a place where lavish and extravagant displays of wealth are as common as streetlights. This is a place where you'll see Hummers carrying children to the beach while towing a couple of personal watercrafts.
It's home to the world's only "seven-star" hotel and it has mustered a ski resort in the middle of the desert not to mention numerous water amusement parks. Set against even these standards the Atlantis party puts everything else in the shade.
Now the party is long over, the fireworks are all out, the champagne bottles are crushed, the tablecloths are laundered and the celebrities probably took the next flight out. What stays on though, is the resort itself.
With one in five cranes in the world located in this rapidly expanding desert city, Dubai has some iconic examples of state-of-the-art architecture and construction technology, from the baroque to the ultra-modern. Like the "Jumeirah Beach" and the "Burj Al Arab" to name just two.
The Atlantis though, isn't likely to be one of them.
The shape in the center of the entire building, the designers say, was incorporated as a nod to a traditional Arabic design motif.
What about the rest of it? Do you find it a humongous, obscene, monstrosity -- or do you think it could be one of humankind's greatest architectural achievements?
I am no building designer, but I would imagine that this is probably not the kind of architecture that $1.5 billion can buy.
I don't think every building needs to be awesome, but for that money the least one would expect is that it isn't awful. I'm not sure this isn't.
Do you think when construction projects like this are commissioned, either with public money or with private investment, the fact that it becomes a part of the landscape and therefore a public art installation means that the people involved are required to have some aesthetic responsibility towards the city?
And among the 2500 guests were celebrities from all over the world, including Robert De Niro, Denzel Washington, Charlize Theron, Janet Jackson, Lindsay Lohan, Michael Jordan, Boris Becker, Shah Rukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Nawal al Zoghbi, Lily Allen and Petra Nemcova. Oprah Winfrey, who was supposed to occupy the bridge suite, pulled out at the last moment.
When he was asked why he was spending so much money on an opening ceremony during a global economic crisis, Sol Kerzner, the CEO and Chairman of Kerzner International, the company that owns the resort, said, "If I had to do it all over again, I might do it recognising the fact that we're living through a bit of a tough economic environment."
I've known Dubai, unlike say neighbouring Sharjah or even Abu Dhabi, to be a place where lavish and extravagant displays of wealth are as common as streetlights. This is a place where you'll see Hummers carrying children to the beach while towing a couple of personal watercrafts.
It's home to the world's only "seven-star" hotel and it has mustered a ski resort in the middle of the desert not to mention numerous water amusement parks. Set against even these standards the Atlantis party puts everything else in the shade.
Now the party is long over, the fireworks are all out, the champagne bottles are crushed, the tablecloths are laundered and the celebrities probably took the next flight out. What stays on though, is the resort itself.
With one in five cranes in the world located in this rapidly expanding desert city, Dubai has some iconic examples of state-of-the-art architecture and construction technology, from the baroque to the ultra-modern. Like the "Jumeirah Beach" and the "Burj Al Arab" to name just two.
The Atlantis though, isn't likely to be one of them.
The shape in the center of the entire building, the designers say, was incorporated as a nod to a traditional Arabic design motif.
What about the rest of it? Do you find it a humongous, obscene, monstrosity -- or do you think it could be one of humankind's greatest architectural achievements?
I am no building designer, but I would imagine that this is probably not the kind of architecture that $1.5 billion can buy.
I don't think every building needs to be awesome, but for that money the least one would expect is that it isn't awful. I'm not sure this isn't.
Do you think when construction projects like this are commissioned, either with public money or with private investment, the fact that it becomes a part of the landscape and therefore a public art installation means that the people involved are required to have some aesthetic responsibility towards the city?
Great article, Dananjay!
I think the whole thing looks obscene -- it has the vibe of an amusement park than a serious attempt at great architecture and meaning.
Thanks, David!
That's true it does have that vibe. Apparently the rooms are tastefully done, but why would I want to stay in a place like this?
That's what I'm trying to figure out, Dananjay. Who is this for? The rich elite in the Middle East? Are they going for the Disneyland crowd? The Palm Springs crowd? The Vegas whales?
It's hard to tell, David. Though going by the number of rooms it would seem that they're prepared for all of them.
It's a strange setup, Dananjay. I have a hard time believing American families would travel all the way to Dubai for a vacation when the Disney attractions are closer and more convenient.
I don't think they're competing with Disney resorts for custom. The hotel must be catering to the steady tourist traffic that Dubai enjoys. The amusement park activities may be more for the local population. Water-based activities are very popular, especially during the summer months.
That makes sense, Dananjay, thanks.
I too am reminded of Disneyland and WDW hotels - have you seen some of the designs for their sillier hotels? :)
Not really, Gordon! But I see what you mean :) I looked up on Google and some of them are quite hideous, yes!
Hi Dananjay,
This is a weird mix of religion and fashion, and it is surely looking awkward like any other mixed-breed ( I know it sounds harsh, but that's what I could come up with).
It's the least stylish project I have ever seen in my life.
You're right, Katha. The classic Arabic motif seems almost like an afterthought. And apart from it there's very little that seems to be part of a coherent expression of style.