Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, a giant single site solar park in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, is set to become even bigger courtesy of a new 700-megawatt solar extension. A contract to build the extension was awarded over the weekend. The additional construction will give the park the ability to generate 5,000 megawatts by 2030 after construction is completed. Following the construction, the solar park will cover around 215 square kilometers, and be capable of reducing carbon emissions by 6.5 million tons per year. At the center of the facility will stand an enormous 260-meter solar tower, the tallest in the world. The bid for developing the project’s fourth phase was awarded to a consortium consisting of Saudi Arabia’s ACWA Power and China’s Shanghai Electric. The solar park first became operational in 2013, with a meager 13-megawatt solar first phase. Earlier this year, the second 200-megawatt phase became operational, while a third 800-megawatt phase will start operations by 2020, when the newly announced fourth phase will begin construction. The facility generates its solar power using a number of lenses and reflectors which concentrate the sun’s rays to heat fluid, which produce steam and drive a turbine: An approach which is more flexible than regular photovoltaic solar plants.

Dubai unveils plans to build the world’s first underwater luxury vessel resort, reported The Arabian Business. Valued at US$ 680 million, The Floating Venice will be located in The World islands, 4 kilometers offshore from Dubai and will bring an authentic Venetian experience to the Middle East, the developer Kleindienst Group said in a statement. This floating resort has a capacity of up to 3,000 guests daily, with accommodation, restaurants and recreation split over four decks, one of which is underwater. Guests will arrive by boat, seaplane or helicopter to the main Piazza San Marco where they can check-in at the underwater lobby. Gondola's imported from Venice will transport guests to their cabins through the winding canals, or alternatively a short stroll through canal side walkways and bridges will take them to their awaiting cabins. The developer said there will be a range of 414 bespoke cabins, alongside boutique hospitality spots and traditional artisanal shops. Throughout the year The Floating Venice will be a celebration of culture and the arts, where traditional festivals such as Carnivale di Venezia, Binnale di Venezia and Festa del Rendentore will bring the resort alive with the flair and heritage of Venice. The Floating Venice also offers 24 pools, some of which will have acrylic bases giving views of the coral reefs below. Over 37000 square meters of corals will be planted around The Floating Venice as well as 12 floating beaches. A collection of 12 restaurants and bars offer a variety of entertainment, three of which are underwater while the resort will also feature the world's first floating underwater spa. Kleindienst Group said the Floating Venice is designed to have a lifespan of at least 100 years. Construction is scheduled to begin early in 2018 with completion by the fourth quarter of 2020.

After breaking ground in October 2016, new photos have emerged showing an aerial shot of Dubai Creek Tower’s foundation, which contains 72-meter-deep foundation piles, to be capped with 45,000 cubic meters of concrete. When completed, the cable-supported tower will rise 982 meters. The design of the Emaar Properties and Dubai Holdings joint venture is inspired by the lily flower and mosque minarets, say its developers, and will feature a 109-kilometer array of supporting cables. Swiss-Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava has designed a 360-degree observation deck and a Hanging Gardens of Babylon-style floor into the structure, with views over the nearby Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary. The project is currently vying with Jeddah Tower in Saudi Arabia for the title of the world's next tallest man-made structure. As Saudi Arabia's tower will be 72 meters taller than United Arab Emirates’, Dubai Creek Tower will need to complete first if it wants to hold the record (however briefly). Emaar would not confirm a completion date, but previous reporting has said the tower would be ready in time for Dubai Expo 2020. The Dubai Creek Tower is defined as a tower, not built to be habitable or for office work. It will surpass the Tokyo Skytree, the current record holder, by 294 meters. The Jeddah Tower on the other hand will have 167 habitable floors (and 85 non-inhabitable floors) and will surpass the Burj Khalifa, currently the world's tallest building, by 171 meters. Will the so-called "city of superlatives" strike again? Time and toil will tell.

For those who deem the impressive Dubai skyline or fake palm-shaped islands not quite exotic enough, there is a new Emirati holiday home experience in town. A veritable village of 372 square meters underwater villas is set to lay anchor in the man-made World Islands, promising panoramic views of the Persian Gulf under the sea. The first Floating Seahorse villas were unveiled last year, but these new are an upgrade for those who wish to bring the whole family. Larger than its predecessors, The Signature Edition of The Floating Seahorse has three levels and four sleeping areas which can be altered to the wishes and whims of prospective owners, reported Daily Mail. One level is completely submerged under water, and features the master bedroom and entertainment room with a view of a “coral reef garden”. The living areas in the underwater level alone will span 80 square meters and the coral garden will exceed 56 square meters in size. The Floating Seahorse villas will cost between US$ 2.8 million and US$ 3.2 million and are anchored at the heart-shaped St Petersburg island. By the time of completion, estimated to 2018, there will be more than 125 floating villas. The Floating Seahorse villas are a part of a grand project which has been 15 years in the making. Construction of The World, an artificial archipelago in the shape of a world map some 4 kilometers off the coast, began in 2003. The 300 “fake” islands range from 14 000 to 42 000 square meters, and were intended to boost Dubai's property market with wealthy foreign investors. However, following the global financial crisis in 2008, the project stalled and all but a handful of the islands remain undeveloped. In 2009, the Heart of Europe project was announced, an ambitious development to turn six of the islands into a luxury tourist resort inspired by European countries, including Sweden, Germany and Italy. The Heart of Europe will be home to the world’s first climate-controlled streets, with technology that will drop artificial rain or snow on streets and plazas. Connected by bridges, the car-free islands will be able to accommodate as many as 16,000 people at once.

If you want to wake up surrounded by water world and fishes, an ongoing project on Dubai's The World Island may just be the perfect choice for you. The Dubai based developer Kleindienst Group, which at first announced about unbelievable artificial islands in the shape of the world 4 kilometers off the coast of Dubai, on February 5 private launch offered potential buyers partially submerged villas on these islands. After official launch 5 underwater villas found its owners. Two of investors are from Europe, while the remaining three are from Gulf Corporation Council (GCC) states and an Indian, with a UAE residency permit. The unusual villas are being built on Monaco Island, part of The Heart of Europe (THOE) project. Each underwater villa initially cost a whopping US$ 1,36 million. The three level villas, with a roof top at the third level and a suite at the bottom floor, submerged nearly 4 meters underwater. The 156 square meters villas are expected to be completed by 2017. THOE will have 42 underwater villas. 20 have been presented, while the developer holds the remaining 22 villas, which it plans to launch at a later stage. The World project is 9 kilometers wide and 7 kilometers long. It covers an area of 931 hectares. The islands range from 14 000 to 42 000 square meters in size. The Heart of Europe comprises six islands: Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Monaco, Sweden and St. Petersburg.