Apart from the world’s tallest building Burj Khalifa, Dubai is home to almost 20 per cent of the world's tallest residential buildings and seven out of 10 tallest hotels. Therefore, no story of Dubai's dynamic growth can be complete without paying homage to its magnificent skyline. A host of skyscrapers bloomed in the desert as Dubai's economy diversified into tourism and hospitality. As the population increased, there emerged luxury residential towers and sprawling malls in areas, which were just miles of sand less than 20 years ago. Dubai's ever-changing skyline shows how a humble port town transformed itself into an unmatched world-class city. It also has a message for the world: If you have the courage, determination and conviction to succeed, then the sky is not the limit. As a photojournalist working in Dubai, I started following Dubai’s epic journey of growth for almost two decades to come up with a series that showcases how change is the only constant in Dubai, as it continues to grow from strength to strength and embellish its skyline with one towering structure after another.
Image Credit: Sankha Kar/Gulf News
2 of 26
View of Sheikh Zayed Road and the 1st interchage formerly known as Defence roundbout. The Nasser Rashid Lootah (right) constructed in 1974, a stadium (left) and the deffence area where the world’s tallest building now stands. This picture was taken in 2003 through a glass window of a hotel.
Image Credit: Sankha Kar/Gulf News
3 of 26
A landmark until early 2000, the Nasser Rashid Lootah building (right), now dwarfed by a chrome forest of skyscrapers inlcuding the Burj Khalifa and a spaghetti junction. This picture was taken in 2019 through a glass window of a hotel.
Image Credit: Sankha Kar/Gulf News
4 of 26
View of Dubai skyline at dawn from Ras Al Khor wildlife sanctuary.
Image Credit: Sankha Kar/Gulf News
5 of 26
View of Dubai skyline at dawn from Ras Al Khor wildlife senctuary. A dacade ago few high-rise buildings were there and now numerous skyscraper including the tallest building of the world can be seen in the skyline.
Image Credit: Sankha Kar/Gulf News
6 of 26
Under construction 1st phase of Dubai Marina project with a four-and-a-half kilometer long man made waterway in 2004.
Image Credit: Sankha Kar/Gulf News
7 of 26
Dubai Marina project with a four-and-a-half kilometer long man made waterway in Dubai.
Image Credit: Sankha Kar/Gulf News
8 of 26
Workers busy constructing the gate of Zabeel Park in the backdrop of two iconic building of Dubai. On the right is Dubai World Trade Centre inaugurated by Queen Elizabeth in 1979 and on the left iconic Emirates Towers opened in 2000.
Image Credit: Sankha Kar/Gulf News
9 of 26
World's tallest tower under construction and other buildings in Downtown area are seen as workers erecting new overhead power transmission line near a camel race track, which is now relocated.
Image Credit: Sankha Kar/Gulf News
10 of 26
Work in progress for a new road as the construction of the tallest building along with other buildings in Business Bay area are in full swing
Image Credit: Sankha Kar/Gulf News
11 of 26
Business Bay and Downtown area in 2007. Construction work of the Dh2 billion project of Dubai water canal (right side) and other buildings along with Burj Khalifa are seen.
Image Credit: Sankha Kar/Gulf News
12 of 26
An old neighborhood and high-rise buildings along Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai.
Image Credit: Sankha Kar/Gulf News
13 of 26
First fireworks in Burj Khalifa during the opening ceremony of the tallest building in Dubai.
Image Credit: Sankha Kar/Gulf News
14 of 26
iconic Burj Al Arab hotel and Burj Khalifa from the man made island Palm Island in Dubai.
Image Credit: Sankha Kar/Gulf News
15 of 26
View of Dubai from the viewing deck of Burj Khalifa. It was the highest observation deck in the world when it opened.
Image Credit: Sankha Kar/Gulf News
16 of 26
Tower crane and construction site is a very familiar sight in Dubai. According to media report ,there were bout 30,000, or 24 per cent of the world's 125,000 construction cranes in Dubai in 2006.
Image Credit: Sankha Kar/Gulf News
17 of 26
New buildings are coming up constantly to support the growth in non-oil sector.
Image Credit: Sankha Kar/Gulf News
18 of 26
Workers busy on a beautification project of a new walkway in Design district near Dubai Canal.
Image Credit: Sankha Kar/Gulf News
19 of 26
Dubai's main artery Sheikh Zayed Road and surrounding high-rise buildings in the evening during a dust storm.
Image Credit: Sankha Kar/Gulf News
20 of 26
Work of a new housing development project in progress .
Image Credit: Sankha Kar/Gulf News
21 of 26
Seagulls flying over Dubai. Apart from international tourist,but Dubai is also a preferred destination for migrating birds that come to Dubai every winter from Mediterranean region.
Image Credit: Sankha Kar/Gulf News
22 of 26
Flamingos at the Ras Al Khor wildlife sanctuary as the skyscrapers are seen in the backdrop.
Image Credit: Sankha Kar/Gulf News
23 of 26
Sunset along Dubai Skyline.
Image Credit: Sankha Kar/Gulf News
24 of 26
Sunset along Dubai Skyline.
Image Credit: Sankha Kar/Gulf News
25 of 26
Sunset along Dubai Skyline.
Image Credit: Sankha Kar/Gulf News
26 of 26
Cloudy sky over Dubai skyline is reflected on a water pond created by waterlogging in a parking area during a rainy day.
Image Credit: Sankha Kar/Gulf News
This website stores cookies on your computer. These cookies are used to improve your experience and provide more personalized service to you.
Both on your website and other media. To find out more about the cookies and data we use, please check out our Privacy Policy.
![Copy of 01 Dubai Skyline 2003 [1]-1583226833204](https://imagevars.gulfnews.com/2020/03/03/Copy-of-01-Dubai-Skyline-2003--1--1583226833204_1709fac4939_original-ratio.jpg)
![Copy of 02 Dubai Skyline 2019 [1]-1583226828858](https://imagevars.gulfnews.com/2020/03/03/Copy-of-02-Dubai-Skyline-2019--1--1583226828858_1709fac383e_original-ratio.jpg)
![Copy of 03 Dubai Skyline 2003 [1]-1583226863704](https://imagevars.gulfnews.com/2020/03/03/Copy-of-03-Dubai-Skyline-2003--1--1583226863704_1709facc059_original-ratio.jpg)
![Copy of 04 Dubai Skyline 2015 [1]-1583226861271](https://imagevars.gulfnews.com/2020/03/03/Copy-of-04-Dubai-Skyline-2015--1--1583226861271_1709facb6db_original-ratio.jpg)
![Copy of 05 Dubai Skyline 2004 1 [1]-1583226856467](https://imagevars.gulfnews.com/2020/03/03/Copy-of-05-Dubai-Skyline-2004-1--1--1583226856467_1709faca416_original-ratio.jpg)
![Copy of 06 Dubai Skyline 2015 [1]-1583226853042](https://imagevars.gulfnews.com/2020/03/03/Copy-of-06-Dubai-Skyline-2015--1--1583226853042_1709fac96b4_original-ratio.jpg)
![Copy of 07 Dubai Skyline 2004 [1]-1583226846157](https://imagevars.gulfnews.com/2020/03/03/Copy-of-07-Dubai-Skyline-2004--1--1583226846157_1709fac7bcd_original-ratio.jpg)
![Copy of 08 Dubai Skyline 2006 [1]-1583226848622](https://imagevars.gulfnews.com/2020/03/03/Copy-of-08-Dubai-Skyline-2006--1--1583226848622_1709fac856f_original-ratio.jpg)
![Copy of 09 Dubai Skyline 2006 [1]-1583226843870](https://imagevars.gulfnews.com/2020/03/03/Copy-of-09-Dubai-Skyline-2006--1--1583226843870_1709fac72e2_original-ratio.jpg)
![Copy of 10 Dubai Skyline 2007 1 [1]-1583226879333](https://imagevars.gulfnews.com/2020/03/03/Copy-of-10-Dubai-Skyline-2007-1--1--1583226879333_1709facfd69_original-ratio.jpg)
![Copy of 11 Dubai Skyline 2008 [1]-1583226789235](https://imagevars.gulfnews.com/2020/03/03/Copy-of-11-Dubai-Skyline-2008--1--1583226789235_1709fab9d77_original-ratio.jpg)
![Copy of 12 Dubai Skyline 2010 [1]-1583226785534](https://imagevars.gulfnews.com/2020/03/03/Copy-of-12-Dubai-Skyline-2010--1--1583226785534_1709fab8f01_original-ratio.jpg)
![Copy of 13 Dubai Skyline 2016 [1]-1583226782225](https://imagevars.gulfnews.com/2020/03/03/Copy-of-13-Dubai-Skyline-2016--1--1583226782225_1709fab8213_original-ratio.jpg)
![Copy of 14 Dubai Skyline 2014 1 [1]-1583226777696](https://imagevars.gulfnews.com/2020/03/03/Copy-of-14-Dubai-Skyline-2014-1--1--1583226777696_1709fab7066_original-ratio.jpg)
![Copy of 15 Dubai Skyline 2016 [1]-1583226772477](https://imagevars.gulfnews.com/2020/03/03/Copy-of-15-Dubai-Skyline-2016--1--1583226772477_1709fab5c01_original-ratio.jpg)
![Copy of 17 Dubai Skyline 2019 [1]-1583226820786](https://imagevars.gulfnews.com/2020/03/03/Copy-of-17-Dubai-Skyline-2019--1--1583226820786_1709fac18b4_original-ratio.jpg)
![Copy of 18 Dubai Skyline 2019 [1]-1583226814186](https://imagevars.gulfnews.com/2020/03/03/Copy-of-18-Dubai-Skyline-2019--1--1583226814186_1709fabfeed_original-ratio.jpg)
![Copy of 19 Dubai Skyline 2019 [1]-1583226806983](https://imagevars.gulfnews.com/2020/03/03/Copy-of-19-Dubai-Skyline-2019--1--1583226806983_1709fabe2ca_original-ratio.jpg)
![Copy of 20 Dubai Skyline 2015 [1]-1583226800111](https://imagevars.gulfnews.com/2020/03/03/Copy-of-20-Dubai-Skyline-2015--1--1583226800111_1709fabc7f0_original-ratio.jpg)
![Copy of 21 Dubai Skyline 2019 [1]-1583226795337](https://imagevars.gulfnews.com/2020/03/03/Copy-of-21-Dubai-Skyline-2019--1--1583226795337_1709fabb54b_original-ratio.jpg)
![Copy of 22 Dubai Skyline 2017 [1]-1583226875701](https://imagevars.gulfnews.com/2020/03/03/Copy-of-22-Dubai-Skyline-2017--1--1583226875701_1709facef38_original-ratio.jpg)
![Copy of 23 Dubai Skyline 2018 [1]-1583226869645](https://imagevars.gulfnews.com/2020/03/03/Copy-of-23-Dubai-Skyline-2018--1--1583226869645_1709facd78e_original-ratio.jpg)
![Copy of 24 Dubai Skyline 2019 [1]-1583226766976](https://imagevars.gulfnews.com/2020/03/03/Copy-of-24-Dubai-Skyline-2019--1--1583226766976_1709fab4682_original-ratio.jpg)
![Copy of 25 Dubai Skyline 2018 [1]-1583226839497](https://imagevars.gulfnews.com/2020/03/03/Copy-of-25-Dubai-Skyline-2018--1--1583226839497_1709fac61cb_original-ratio.jpg)
