The city of Dubai is home to some of the most innovative architecture in the world, but its latest skyscraper is certainly one of the most “picturesque” we’ve ever seen. The Dubai Frame, otherwise known as the “World’s Largest Picture Frame”, is a 150-meter-high rectangular structure which unique shape frames stunning views of the city’s growing skyline, including the iconic Burj Khalifa. The Dubai Frame opened to tourists and residents after five years in the making on the 1st January 2018. Now, visitors can take in 360-degree views from the 25-square-meter glass panel in the sky bridge’s center. Dubai’s newest landmark is now open to the public and allows visitors to see the city’s past, present, and future in a one-hour tour with unique views of “old” and “new” Dubai from a 150-meter-high glass 93-meter long sky bridge. The location, in Zabeel Park, was especially chosen to give visitors the best view of the city’s older neighborhoods as well as the sparkling new buildings, such as the Burj Khalifa, while telling the story of Dubai’s transformation from humble fishing village to glittering modern metropolis. The project was launched by Dubai Municipality in 2013, and anticipation has been building for the past five years. The unique skyscraper is expected to attract nearly 2 million tourists annually. The Frame is now open daily from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m. and is priced at just $US 13.61 for adults and $US 5.45 for children, while adults over 60 and people of determination can visit for free. In 2008, the Dubai Municipality and ThyssenKrupp Elevators hosted an international design competition searching for the city’s next amazing skyscraper. Architect Fernando Donis’s design was chosen as the winner of the competition. However, when it came time to collaborate on the construction of the project, the architect and the city failed to agree on contractual terms. Nonetheless, the city went on with the project, breaking ground in 2014, which resulted in Donis filing an Intellectual Property claim against the city for copyright infringement. On the ground floor museum, visitors will have the chance to take in an innovative augmented reality display that follows Dubai’s transformation from a remote fishing village to a bustling metropolis.

Finally, there will be a new, alternative, renewable geothermal, basic and relatively cheaper electricity source in Armenia. It is planned to build a geothermal power plant in Karkar, Syunik province, where the heat from the earth's own molten core can be converted into electricity. Syuniq province in Armenia is rich in geothermal resources, where Karkar, Jermaghbjur and Sisian geothermal mines are the most famous ones. The research works of such kind of geothermal resources in the area of Karkar had begun yet in Soviet Union. But they have become practical only in recent years. In 2015 July 21, the agreement on ''Geothermal Exploration Drilling Project'' signed between the RA and the International Bank of Reconstruction and Development was approved by presidential decree of RA. Deepwater drilling works started in July 2016. The drilling works of the first wells with the depth of 1500m and the second well of 1682m have been completed. The experiments and relevant analyzes connected with the project have been finished, too. The reports of the drilling results have been provided to nearly 50 major international organizations specialized in the field of geothermal energy. The total cost of the geothermal power plant construction project at Karkar site is expected to make about $100 million. Karkar geothermal power plant with a capacity of 30 MW will generate around 250 million kWh of electricity in a year. Currently, the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Fund of RA is taking steps to find investors for the construction of a geothermal power plant. Preference will be given to those investor-companies which will offer the lowest price for the produced electricity. Investigations have been launched to reveal the precise sites of geothermal energy sources for construction of geothermal power plant. One of these sites is Jermaghbyur, where according to geological and geophysical explorations high pressure (20-25 atmosphere pressure) hot water (up to 2500C) resources are considered to be available in depth of 2500-3000 meters. Geothermal energy was first used in Italy in 1904. Today, similar power stations are operating in Iceland, New Zealand, Japan, Mexico, the United States, Kamchatka (Russia), the Philippines and in a number of other locations.

Google has unveiled plans for a new campus in the Moffett Park area of Sunnyvale, California that will be located just a few kilometers from its long-awaited “Googleplex” headquarters in Mountain View. And just like the company’s Mountain View and London campuses in the works, the building has been designed by Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), reported the Archdaily. According to the architectural portal, the complex will consist of two terracing buildings containing over 93 thousand square meters of office space and room for up to 4,500 employees. And as in many of BIG’s most successful projects, the design concept centers on fostering activity and maximizing accessible space, including on its ramped roof where Google workers will be able to walk, bike or rollerblade between levels. By bringing the roof down to ground level, the buildings will become a visual extension of the surrounding parks and neighborhood, a site that Google envisions as a future mixed-use community where its employees could both work and reside. The land for the project was acquired in a US$ 210 million deal with NetApp earlier this month and in a larger land grab purchased in July of last year, totaling 164 thousand square meters. The Caribbean is envisioned as part of a larger strategy for the expansion of Google’s presence in the city. As part of their community outreach initiative, Google has already contributed over US$1million toward housing for Sunnyvale's homeless population and more than US $750 thousand toward educational projects.

The construction of the new district will soon start on the area near to Republic Square. The District 33 will be built on the plot of land between Tigran Mets Avenue, Hanrapetutyan, Buzand and Khanjyan Streets, with residential, public and service facilities, business centers, hotels, as well as with new ways of transport communication. The project construction site area is more than 5 hectares. According to the design, there are three intersecting radial streets will start from the round square with a diameter of 85 meters to the directions of Tigran Mets Avenue, Khanjyan and Buzand Streets. A unique, strictly round, square for Yerevan will be built in the center of the district with two-story underground parking lot. The round square will serve only as rest zone for walkers. Green zones, playgrounds, pools and some small architectural forms will be set up in the district. The construction area will be about 200,000 square meters with the building density about 33%. The permissible height of the buildings will vary from 27 to 50 meters, and only 3 areas neighboring Khanjyan Street will be allowed to build structures up to 60 meters high. The central square’s buildings permissible height will be up to 30-36 meters. The project is planned to be implemented in 3-4 years. At present, work is underway to develop the territory.

The foundations of the futuristic falcon-inspired UAE pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai were laid down by His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum. The groundbreaking ceremony also included his signing of an official agreement for the UAE’s participation in the expo, reported The Arabian Business. The pavilion is being built by Arabtec Construction, a subsidiary of Arabtec Holding, which won the contract after competing with various national and international companies. The UAE pavilion is designed in the shape of a flying falcon, and is designed to reflect the values of openness, communication and tolerance. Once completed, the pavilion will span an area of over 15,000 square meters, with four-floors including a 1,717 square meter top floor dedicated for hospitality and a 588-square-metre mezzanine floor to house support units. The entire structure is expected to be completed by the end of 2019, The design – by architect Santiago Calatrava – was approved after a seven month design competition in which nine international firms submitted 11 concepts, with the entries evaluated for the extent in which they embodied the main themes of the expo and their representation of UAE heritage.