Visitors' imaginations are mesmerized by Dubai’s architectural wonders. While many people are not familiar with Arabian wind towers or courtyard houses, most have heard about the evocative sail-shaped Burj Al Arab, the indoor snow resort Ski Dubai, and the world's tallest building, the Burj Khalifa. When the World Trade Centre was built in 1979, it stood as the sole skyscraper in a desert landscape, raising questions about its purpose. But today, the World Trade Centre appears antiquated next to the sleek high-rises that stretch into the horizon, Dubai's skyline is now longer than that of Manhattan, and Dubai is home to some of the most innovative and ambitious architectural projects in the world.

This architectural heritage site is a complete restoration of one of Dubai's original neighborhoods where wealthy Persian merchants settled in the late 1800s. The buildings are historic, but the pristine quarter looks brand-new. You can walk along meandering lanes, see traditional Gulf courtyard houses with hand-carved wooden doors, and marvel at the ornate wind towers that were used for cooling in the days before air-conditioning. The coral stone and cement wind towers, defined by double or triple wind openings, arched ends, and stepped recesses, once lined the Dubai Creek and cooled the residences using innovative air-current systems that passed from the wind towers to the floors below. Bastakiya also houses a museum, cultural center, restaurants, and a heritage hotel with an art gallery. The Al Fahidi Fort, which today is the Dubai Museum, was built in 1799, and is the city's oldest surviving structure.

The largest artificial islands in the world sit off the coast of Dubai in the Gulf. Collectively, the Palm Islands are considered by some to be an Eighth Wonder of the World. Developed by U.A.E.-based Nakheel Properties, this triad of islands includes the Palm Jumeirah, Palm Deira, and Palm Jebel Ali. However, only the Palm Jumeirah is complete, and the others have been delayed - some believe permanently - as a result of debt problems facing Nakheel. Made with hundreds of millions of cubic meters of reclaimed land from the bottom of the Gulf, the islands are each designed in the shape of a palm tree with a trunk, fronds, and crescent, adding a total of 520km (323 miles) of coastline to Dubai. The Palm Jumeirah includes a 2km-long (1 1/4-mile) "trunk," 17 fronds, and an 11km (7-mile) crescent that surrounds the island, creating a breakwater. Many residents have already moved into their luxury villas and apartments, and dozens of beachfront hotels are planned. The Atlantis Resort opened at the apex of the island's crescent in late 2008, and along with it Aquaventure, Dolphin Bay, and The Lost Chambers. A high-tech monorail runs from the base of the island to the crescent.
The Palm Jebel Ali and Palm Deira, which are planned to be much larger than the first island, are still under construction and will take at least another decade to complete. Bridges attach the islands to the mainland, and each is expected to house multimillion dollar villas, luxury condos, private marinas, and retail and entertainment centers. Environmentalists worry about damage to surrounding marine habitats, and there's no doubt the enormous Palm Island projects have altered the ecology.
The other major island project, "The World," has also been indefinitely postponed amidst financial troubles. It was intended to comprise a series of 300 man-made islands 4km (2 1/2 miles) off the coast of Dubai, protected by an oval breakwater and situated to form the shape of a map. It was designed by the same troubled U.A.E. developer Nakheel Properties, at a cost of roughly $14 billion. Each of the islands ranges in size from 23,000 to 84,000 sq. meters (247,569-904,168 sq. ft.), with 50 to 100m (164-328 ft.) of water between them. Much of the groundwork has already been laid.

Perhaps one of the world’s most iconic hotels, the Atlantis, The Palm has been in the spotlight since its launch in 2008, thanks to its eye-catching pink sandcastle design, glam interiors and prime position on the apex of the Palm Jumeirah island in Dubai. While only hotel guests are privy to the luxurious resort, everyone can take that bucket list selfie in front of the hotel’s memorable turrets and towers from the adjacent Palm Boardwalk. Alternatively, book a table at the resort’s celebrity-led restaurants, including Nobu by Michelin-starred chef Nobu Matsuhisa and Bread Street Kitchen by Gordon Ramsay.

Visitors to Dubai Marina won’t be able to miss this incredible structure. The shimmering silver Cayan Tower twists 90 degrees as it rises. In an amazing feat of clever engineering, each of the 75 floors is rotated by 1.2 degrees to create the helix shape. It was designed by the same architectural firm behind Burj Khalifa, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, together with local specialists Khatib & Alami Dubai. While the tower itself is home to residential apartments, a day spa and a gym, it is best viewed from across the water on the Marina Walk to be able to fully appreciate the building’s beauty.

One of the city’s newest attractions is the Dubai Water Canal, a 3.2km long waterway which winds its way to the Arabian Gulf from the Creek in Old Dubai through Business Bay. Its effectively made parts of old Dubai, including Bur Dubai and Karama, an island in one of the greatest urban transformations in the city’s history. There are five pedestrian bridges in the area, each offering prime vantage points of the city skyline. One of the most famous ones is the Tolerance Bridge that marks the International Day for Tolerance, which falls on 16 November. The Habtoor City is nearby, home to the spectacular La Perle show masterminded by artistic director Franco Dragone, five-star hotels and a dining and entertainment destination known as The Atrium.

https://www.visitdubai.com/en/articles/architecture-in-dubai