Although the fate of cities often may depend more on luck than meticulous planning, Governments often try to spearhead development by launching grand projects. Officials are perhaps inspired by the few success stories, and the glory that come with them

One rare success story is the Buj Al Arab hotel in Dubai
Before the hotel, Dubai was a small town in the Gulf. Without much oil, it was economically and politically unimportant than UAE’s capital, Abu Dhabi. Completion of Buj Al Arab has marked Dubai’s transformation to a vibrant international city. Overnight, people have started flocking in. It gives hope, showing that nothing is impossible, if you have a dream. So the Dubai dream has attracted many international talents to work there. The city then enters a virtuous cycle. Everyday, new buildings are added and new grand schemes announced. It’s now one of the most dynamic cities to be in

Architectually, the hotel is a masterpiece. It combines Dubai’s tradition, sailing, fishery and pearl, with the most ultra-modern materials and design

I’ve learnt a lot from Buj Al Arab and Dubai. One lesson is that every great city needs a triggering structure. It needs to be stunning and inspiring to everyone. It needs to bring hopes to people and encourage them to dream bold. This makes me think of another masterpiece, the Eiffel Tower

For more information about the UAE’s economy, see the Economic Development section in the UAE 2006 report. Official sources, of course, will never associate a city’s success with emotional buildings