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Snow in the Desert
The ski fields of... Dubai.
The Mall of the Emirates is one of Dubai's many shopping malls.
There's something strange, however, about the architecture of the place.
It has a large tubular structure sticking out of its roof like some malformed
appendage. This structure houses "Ski Dubai", a ski slope in the middle
of the desert. I found the sheer novelty value irresistable and gave it a go.
Ski Dubai is basically one big fridge, maintained at -1°C during the day,
and about -7°C during the night when they turn the snowmakers on.
Apparently the place consumes something in the order of 3000 barrels
of oil a day. The slope is about 400 metres long, comes with a quad chairlift,
a cafe at the midway point and a run they've overrated as black(!).
It's truly bizarre. You get up to the top of the run and there's a door marked as
a fire exit off to one side. They hire out all the gear you need (clothing, boots,
skis, stocks and snowboards) - A$55 will buy you two hours on the slope.
You get given this card which you swipe at the turnstiles just before the chairlift.
It takes about 30 seconds to ski from top to bottom. It takes about 30 minutes
before the novelty starts to wear thin.
Extreme Engineering
Extreme Engineering unveils some of the most ambitious architectural plans of
our times. Some are theoretical; others are in the works. But each of these modern
marvels poses challenges that stretch the definition of what's possible. Watch as
jaw-dropping computer animation and first-hand accounts from builders, designers
and engineers breathe life into the most extreme construction projects ever conceived.
Head to one of the hottest regions on the planet United Arab Emirates for
a look at the coolest engineering project yet: a ski resort in the middle of a desert.
Rising from the sea of sand that surrounds the Arabian peninsula's most vibrant city,
this impressive concrete structure will use 23 massive air conditioners to maintain an
indoor temperature of 30 degrees Fahrenheit – in a country where the average high
temperature reaches the low 100s in the summer months.
But before the five ski slopes and multiple half pipes can be opened to the public,
engineers must finish installing the upper portion of the resort. With the foundation
and most of the ground-level attractions complete, the goal is to raise the 4,000-ton
top-level section and carefully fit it into place. Watch as workers slowly hoist the
structure off the desert floor, using a complex system of steel cables – all the while
monitoring the ascent for any sign of buckling or cracking in the straining steel.
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