International City is a pretty vibrant (messy) suburb. Somewhat unregulated, very hot and dusty. I’ve been living here for 15 years. Like much in my life, I just kind of stumbled into it but it’s worked out pretty well.
This is a drawing I did in 2016: digital sketching over a digital photo. Tried to catch some of the action on the street, the “lived in” feeling that transforms mediocre architecture into a place called home.
People notice the pace of development in Dubai. There is a lack of obstacles to coming up with a wacky concept, securing land and pushing it through to completion.
Hence the place I live, with clusters named after nations. Apartment blocks styled to vaguely resemble regional vernaculars. It’s possible to assemble a flattering set of images. And I do enjoy living here. It also has a squalid side, of course
These paragraphs are all taken from my LinkedIn posts, in this case, a comment. Use of coral as a building material in various parts of the…