A new project on Bluewaters Island, adjacent to the
Jumeirah Beach coastline near Dubai, is promising a revolutionary up-in-the-air experience for visitors.
An observation wheel known as “Ain Dubai” or
“Dubai-I” will bring guests over 120 meters up into the air for stunning
panoramic views of the Dubai skyline and local areas.
A Dubai company called Meraas, known for its innovative real
estate designs, brought pieces of the observation wheel structure, a hub and
spindle, from the Dubai mainland out to Bluewaters Island, where cranes with
booms 180 meters long are deployed to set up the apparatus, which weighs nearly
2,000 tons.
Soon, those with access will be able to get a real “bird’s eye view”
of a Persian Gulf topography that’s becoming a cosmopolitan, global destination
for both business and entertainment, a city that’s constantly getting updated
with new luxury hotels, resorts, restaurants and other attractions.
“Once completed, Ain Dubai will emerge as an engineering
masterpiece, the first of its kind in the industry and a truly spectacular
must-visit attraction, adding a unique experience and vantage point to the list
of things to do in Dubai,” Meraas Chief Projects Officer Omar Delawar said
in a press statement. “Ferris wheels and observation wheels offer the gentle
thrill of being conveyed up in the air and have fascinated people for several
hundred years. Our iconic attraction heralds a new era in the world of
entertainment and will introduce the unforgettable option of viewing Dubai from
the skies.”
In a recent interview with Gulf News Journal, Meraas
spokesperson Brian Schofield
elaborated on project details.
“Ain Dubai will offer a unique experience and is unlike any
other structure of its kind,” Schofield told Gulf News Journal. “To achieve this, there are a
number of very important features that go into developing a structure of this
magnitude … the talented team of international consultants have constantly been
required to push engineering boundaries by the use of pioneering techniques and
technology to provide an unparalleled experience and iconic structure.”
Schofield said Ain Dubai will be surrounded by dedicated
retail, residential, hospitality and entertainment zones. Guests will get
up into the wheel through a terminal building with various other attractions
and amenities for visitors.
The architecture and engineering of this project, Schofield
said, was a truly international one. Structural engineers from the
Netherlands collaborated with consultants from the U.K. and the
U.S., as well as Germany and other nations.
“We have engineers and
project managers working from more than 25 countries on the project,” Schofield
said.
As for the specific height, the details are
still being worked out.
“We will be sure to communicate further details in due
time,” Schofield said. “However, Ain Dubai will be the largest and tallest
observations wheel in the world.”
With so much development happening around the Jumeirah Beach
area, the wheel will likely prove a popular spot for guests wanting a quick
jaunt away from lower vistas, as Dubai’s tourist inflow continues.
