One thing that can be said about the Emirates without exaggeration is that once the leadership here decides they want to build something, construction starts pretty much right away. The risk obviously is that some projects could have been thought through a bit more thoroughly, but in general this means that the skylines of Dubai and Abu Dhabi are (or will be) dotted with some of the most interesting buildings in the world. Take the
Burj Khalifa
or the new headquarters of
Abu Dhabi Investment Council
as good examples of buildings that will long remain a sight to see.
Just across the pond,
Jean Nouvel
is coming up against the opposite situation in New York City. He designed a slender and elegant building called Tower Verre for a narrow space next to the Museum of Modern Art, but local opposition from the community board and other municipal authorities has sent him back to the drawing board. Their main concern: it's too tall.
's the full story in
New York Magazine
.
"What is surprising is that Manhattan should be afraid of verticality," he says, according to the article.
The interesting question is which form of development provides the most livable, interesting, inspiring city?
