MARITIME CITY PENINSULA

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1 Dubai has always been a city with a strong maritime heritage. The pearl diving industry for hundreds of years before the discovery of oil was the primary source of income for the people and the sea was the source of food and livelihood. The rapid growth of the rural and urban economy over the last decades in combination with the construction frenzy and the creation of massive waterfront developments have had a profound effect on Dubai s aquatic ecosystem. Commercial and private real estate development in the United Arab Emirates today threatens whales, dugongs and all marine life in the Arabian Gulf. According to scientific reports, 30% of coral reef areas in the Arabian Gulf are threatened, or passing through critical times. Human and natural factors are to blame for this destruction. Coral reefs are of paramount importance, since they serve as a resort to marine life while they also contribute towards tourism wealth. The habitat of the coral reefs has several economic and ecological benefits for the marine environment as a whole. Moreover, water related activities and processes are linked to the overall hydrological cycle, ecosystems and the atmosphere. Recreational use of near-shore waters is of significant importance, not only for boating but also for underwater activities that will depend on sound management of the off- shore marine environment. The main objective of the Maritime City development in Dubai is to build a ''World's First'' Purpose-Built City for the ''Global Maritime Community''. The entire development consists of a Maritime Center, harbour offices, harbour residences, academic quarter, a marine district and an industrial precinct. The industrial precinct will be the premier destination providing ship repair and maintenance, along with yacht repair and manufacturing. Workshops, shops, showrooms and warehouses within industrial precinct will serve the needs of the maritime industry as a whole. This is considered as ideal location for a cultural project as a Maritime Museum and Research Center, which will present and protect the marine and cultural heritage of the UAE. The Museum Research Center will provide the marine enthusiasts, environmentalists and tourists with a unique sustainably created sea-based attraction that will serve as an Eco-tourism hot spot. Additionally, emphasis will be given to research field in order to: Establish a comprehensive network of marine protected areas. Endorse creation of environmental education facilities. Suggest removal of existing development that compromises the attainment of sustainable ecosystem. Advocate water conservation, harvesting and reclamation as well as energy efficiency. Promote environmental awareness in relation to industrial and technological responsibility. This project asks for a greater recognition and awareness of the oceans and marine resources as well as their importance to mankind. Furthermore, it aspires to set an example at an international level on how marine development can be achieved in a sustainable manner which will promote and guarantee the evolution of a contemporary society with respect both to the planet and to its inhabitants. There is more to sustainability than just preserving species, we need to also preserve our relationships with them. Satellite photos of before and now give light to the rate of development and wide-ranging change in land use, urban growth and depletion of marine and coastal areas in Dubai.

2 MARITIME CITY PENINSULA

3 Relating to both the sea and the city and in constant dialogue between them, the building is an extension of the city to the sea and vice-versa. Conceived as a continuation and a transition through the wide public space, the building dives into the ocean and merges with it. Concept follows the idea that buildings are not simply physical objects, but artifacts with meaning or signs dispersed across some larger social text. The museum itself is an artifact, an artificial underwater environment organized under an immense glass roof that has been designed in order to give the maximum view of the ocean and intensify the feeling of diving into the seabed. By optimizing the maritime-themed environment and combining it with breathtaking underwater views, the museum reflects in a sincere manner its function.

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5 The building is simultaneusly a vessel that supports the idea of the journey. Interior space is organised through cascading platforms that develop in a successive and continuous manner, allowing visitors to have a panoramic and clear overview of the whole museum s interior, under a «water roof». The perforation of the ceiling reinforces the solemn atmosphere of the deep sea and the large windows offer a contemplative view of the ocean.

6 The dynamic form of the building projecting from the ground towards the sky achieves additional spatial and programmatic organization, revealing its programmatic qualities into the surrounding topography. The programmatic requirements, orientation, and restrained material palette were thoroughly evaluated and considered in order to reduce the building s energy use, ongoing maintenance and provide a sustainable outcome.