Encoded visions of place at Dubai Creek

Abstract

Dubai, one of the world's fastest growing cities, has created at breathtaking speed one of the world's largest waterfront developments. Much to the detriment of its ecology, multi-billion dollar projects, enormous human-made islands, are forming off its coast. The city's tourism trade is one of the largest sectors of its economy and has garnered international attention among travelers wishing to partake of luxurious Arabian ambience. At the heart of old Dubai are the districts that straddle the original creek; they harbor the original context of the city's ancient reputation as the most notorious port on the Arabian Sea. The contrast between the old and new Dubai is what attracts many of the tourists to its port center. Yet the new modernist narratives being set in place are at odds with the sustainability of the authentic experience that the Dubai Creek has to offer. An exploration of the place names around the creek points to a past intimacy between landscape and culture and tells a story that could inform how these tourist sites can retain their valuable resource of authenticity. © 2009 WIT Press.