Dubai is
already home to the tallest tower in the world, so it was just a matter
of time until the glitzy emirate planned another record-breaking
construction.
Its
next project involves building the largest shopping mall om the planet,
complete with climate-controlled streets, the world's largest indoor
theme park and 100 hotels and apartments.
In fact, the ambitious emirate has dubbed the project a 'temperature-controlled pedestrian city'.
Occupying
48 million square feet, the Mall of the World will also contain health
resorts, theatres, a Celebration Steet modelled on the Ramblas boulevard
in Barcelona and 'retail streets network' that will stretch over
four-and-a-half miles.
The
grand project is part of Dubai's bid to become a year-round tourism
destination, despite soaring temperatures in summer that can reach
nearly 50C.
The
new mall, which will be a city-within-a-city, will be the emirate's
chance to attract visitors even in the height of the summer, by
providing a completely climate-controlled experience.
The
shopping mall itself will occupy eight million square feet, housed below
a glass dome, with other attractions extending beyond the central
shopping area.
In the cooler winter months, the dome will open, allowing people to shop in the fresh air, closing as the summer heats up.
It is thought the huge construction will
attract 180 million visitors a year and developers hope it will secure
Dubai's futures as a tourism hub.
The
emirate's ruler and vice president of the UAE Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid
Al Maktoum, said: 'This project complements our plans to transform
Dubai into a cultural, tourist and economic hub for the two billion
people living in the region around us; and we are determined to achieve
our vision.
'The growth in family and retail tourism underpins the need to enhance Dubai’s tourism infrastructure as soon as possible.
'We are confident of our economy’s strength, optimistic about our country’s future and we continue to broaden our vision.'
The
supersized mall will be built near the existing Mall of the Emirates,
already one of the largest shopping centres in the world, with its own
indoor ski slope.
It will also be a short drive to the world's tallest tower, the Burj Khalifa, which stands at 2,717ft.
The
idea is to create a cultural area, with theatres hosting shows at West
End and Broadway levels, as well as a network of streets that will be
entirely climate controlled.
Sheikh
Mohammad stated: 'Our ambitions are higher than having seasonal tourism
- tourism is key driver of our economy and we aim to make the UAE an
attractive destination all-year long.
'This is why we will start working on providing pleasant temperature-controlled environments during the summer months.
