Dubai-The Sustainability of operative artificial Systems

(translated from german, published in the scientific book "Umbau 25", Technical University Vienna, 2010)

This essay should be understood as one which looks into the wide field of the “sustainability discussion” from a slightly different point of view, an architectural and socio-cultural one, less then a technical one.  To reach this outstanding goal of a sustainable UAE, we have to start to analyze the condition of the entire society, its tradition, its culture and its challenges in a multicultural environment. We have furthermore to look into a future, which can not be compared with developments in the past in other cities worldwide.  

Until 2007 it was unthinkable for all people living in Dubai that the development of the city would soon come to a sudden breakup, like it happened midyear 2008. The vision

Remarks * to Michael Schindhelm, former director at the cultural authority Dubai, in the german press

These remarks are based on interviews and articles Michael Schindhelm gave to i.e. "financial times", "washington post", "der spiegel" and others, and on his book "dubai-speed". we were asked by several people to answer these interviews and articles and to show our point of view about the situation in Dubai at the moment. its not about a struggle, its more about the same experiences people have when they come to this country and its different interpretation.

Michael Schindhelm in his apartment at

Sheikh Zayed Road

Many things about Dubai could be read in the last weeks in the german press. Especially the former director at the “Dubai Culture & Arts Authority” of the Emirate, Michael Schindhelm, mentioned a lot of things regarding his work and his failure as the director of this institution in german media. In general the question could be asked,