Sometimes it takes an outsider to point out what is right before one's eyes. For the UAE, that person was acclaimed architect Rem Koolhaas and his message was that Dubai's architecture had escaped from what he dubbed its "architectural caricature" era and now reflected sophistication and authenticity.
It is easy for those of us who live here, whether Emirati or expatriate, to stop noticing the extraordinary nature of the UAE’s cities. Mr Koolhaas’s lecture at the American University of Sharjah served as a reaffirmation of what has been achieved so far and the optimistic trajectory of architecture here.
He is best known for the CCTV building in Beijing but his biggest project would have been Waterfront City development near Jebel Ali, intended to be home to 1.5 million people before it fell prey to economics in the recession. With or without his fingerprints on Dubai's built environment, his words affirm its promising direction.
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
Company profile
Name: Infinite8
Based: Dubai
Launch year: 2017
Number of employees: 90
Sector: Online gaming industry
Funding: $1.2m from a UAE angel investor
How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
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Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
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The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)