Category: Design

Competition in the designing industry has increased significantly and this has resulted to several implications on the players in the market. Clearly, there are major differences between the new generations designers and the old ones. Unfortunately, the new innovators in the market are challenging old players forcing them to exit the industry unwillingly. In essence, the rising new trends and designs in the market have created a challenge to the old players forcing them to give way for the new innovator. The author puts it clearly when he asserts that There has always been a constant churn of new companies coming in, old companies dying out (Lumarch par. 3).

Apparently, the numerous displays of sexual designs have won the hearts of many young customers. In the current market, young designers are tending to create sexually provocative designs in order to remain relevant in the market. This strategy has been a notable success considering the high demand for sexual and cool designs globally. However, young designers are maximizing their profits using this approach which is a major advantage. However, most of the sexy designs in the market are only appealing to a particular and specific group of customers. To be precise, only the youth are attracted to such designs. On the other hand, the older designers are notably conservatives (Lumarch par. 7).

They value and uphold the original and outdated designs and for this reason they end up losing the advantage of new markets. Business environments and the entire world are changing and the things that were appealing two decades ago may not be relevant to the market today. Such changes have to be put into consideration if the old designers are interested in making any significant and recognizable contributions in the industry. Changes in preference in the market are influenced by the changing demography as well as the effects of globalization. In design, it is impossible to maintain a monopoly. Great ideas are created from the existing ones and this has been the trend even in the design industry.

Therefore, both the old and young designers have a role to play in making their designs relevant in the market. Currently, new companies that are on their formative stages are the most preferred employers by young engineers. The big names in the industry like Cisco have lost their glory as young people are looking for young companies where their ideas can be appreciated. Big companies are difficult to work for because of the supremacy battles between the old and the new designers. Designing is a creative profession and engineers need to be actively involved in new projects in order to keep their proficiency at the most favorable level (Lumarch par. 8). Therefore, new upcoming design companies are the most appropriate for young engineers who are seeking to assert themselves in the industry.

In order to reach a lasting consensus between the old and the new designers, there are several compromises that have to be made. Primarily, both generations need to establish a working cooperation based on mutual respect and recognition. The old designers must stop competing against the new designers and vice-versa. The two generations must come together and cooperate to be able to mitigate the problem of unhealthy competition between them. In addition, the two wings need to appreciate and adopt each others innovations as a sign of mutual business cooperation.

Works Cited

Lumarch, Yiren. Silicon Valleys Youth Problem. 2014. Web.

The lighting inside a room makes a great difference. Lighting generally influences relations with elements inside the room and can transform the appearance and feel of the space alongside an individuals idea and perception about it. It is therefore vital to assess the current lighting setting and improve upon them if necessary. The purpose of this essay is to focus on a living room, evaluate its roles, analyze the current lighting and propose a different method of improving space utilization.

The living room selected for this review is rectangular. It has a transparent wall made of glass and a door on the east side facing the balcony. The living area consists of a two-seat sofa on the east section, a distance of one meter separates the balcony and the sofa. On the north, there is a three-seat sofa. In addition, on the south side, one can locate the television screen and the table adjacent to a tall cabinet for books situated on the southeastern section of the room. Lastly, the room also consists of a large coffee table in the middle and additional coffee table situated in the northeastern corner. With regard to the rooms texture and colors, white paint has been used on both the walls and ceiling. Brown glossy leather was chosen for the sofas and the coffee table at the center. The cupboard and tables made from wood were dark brown in color (see figures 1 and 2).

The living room has multiple purposes. It is used as a conversation area for any social occasion, reading, watching television, general eating or listening to music. People in a living room tend to navigate the space with their eyes and observe its contents, decorations and watch television and gaze materials at the bookshelf. Living rooms are considered personal and intimate to their occupants and therefore a sense of welcoming ambiance is required in such a place. Normally, occupants of houses tend to spend most of their time relaxing. It is therefore necessary for lighting to account for the desired mood of occupants (Steffy 1990). Overall, occupants should derive visual satisfaction from the living room.

The reviewed living room lighting system has four 50-watts Tungsten halogen bulbs that form a square shape in the middle of the ceiling. The four bulbs emit yellow lighting with strong, intense light (see figure 3). Clearly, the installed lighting system does the role of highlighting the living room. It does not serve this purpose effectively, apart from the central beam on the cupboard. According to DAprano and Diprose (2013), halogen reflector lamps are not considered as the best options for normal purpose living room. This has been identified as a common mistake in interior lighting. One can observe shades in the east side of the living room and the upper parts of the walls. This situation affects the general ability to see other contents of the room such as the wall clock. In addition, it creates a sense of anxiety in the room. Further, the position of the light creates a beam and intensity that impairs visual abilities because of extremely glowing bright lights in wrong locations. The glare is most likely to affect people seated on the sofas. This may create eye fatigue and impair other visual activities such as watching television. Finally, the installed lighting cannot sufficiently meet readers lighting requirements.

The proposed lighting alternative to the living room is based on its functions, visual tasks and the installed design patterns. First, it is imperative to install lighting that creates ambient light in the location with most activities within the room. It is believed that ambient lighting will offer better lighting for the room and ensure that all items and people in the room are visible (Karlen, Benya, & Spangler 2004). The room will have adequate bright light to highlight sofas and coffee table at the center, as well as sufficient lighting for navigating the entire room. Second, the living room should have portable lamps for certain visual tasks like reading. Reading usually needs medium to high lighting based on the size and texture of the text and paper respectively (DiLouie 2008). A portable lamp will therefore bring convenience to occupants when reading and performing other related tasks. Lastly, the design should also introduce another central glow on the cupboard to illuminate its contents and highlight that section of the living room. Smith and Bertolone (1986) noted that this method highlights and draws occupants focus to the least lit areas of the room. According to DiLouie (2008) and Fielder and Jones (2001), a living room should have low to moderate mode of lighting. The living room space, however, has varied roles, a situation that makes it critical to regulate the lighting glow. Steffy (1990) had observed that lighting flexibility could result in creating some preferred moods in the room. When one opts for a cinematic atmosphere or an intimate mood, for instance, dimmer switches could be used to create low illumination within the room. This implies that an alternative dimmer switch may also be introduced in the living room.

Overall, the essay has focused on the living room as a space for improvement, offered explanations on its varied functions, strived to provide critical overview of the installed lighting and offered an alternative method of enhancing lighting in the living room. The currently installed lighting is not appropriate for the living space. Therefore, the proposed alternative will assist in overcoming these challenges.

Figures of the Living Room

Reference List

DAprano, A & Diprose, S, 2013, Section 4: Energy Efficient Lighting, Lamp choices, viewed 2 Febreuary 2015, via Electrical Energy Efficiency Starter Kit. Web.

DiLouie, C 2008, Lighting Control Handbook, The Fairmont Press, Lilburn, GA.

Fielder, W & Jones, F 2001, The Lit Interior, Architectural Press, Oxford.

Karlen, M, Benya, J & Spangler, C 2004, Lighting Design Basics, John Wiley & Sons, New York.

Smith, F & Bertolone, F 1986, Bringing Interiors to Light, The Principles and Practices of Lighting Design, The Whitney Library of Design, New York.

Steffy, G 1990, Architectural Lighting Design, Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York.

Introduction

Hilton (10) says that Australian contractors have been engaged in carrying out projects in Emirates. However, there are many challenges that they face in this country in the process of carrying out their work. The contractors have also come up with ways to address such challenges so that they can be successful in their activities. In this paper, analysis of the factors that affect the Australian contractors have been done and more specifically in the Emirates. The emirate is a major city in The United Arabs Emirates. In the process of carrying out their business, the contractors are faced with many challenges in this country. However, they have to come up with appropriate strategies to cope with such challenges for their continued survival in this business. This project analyzed the different factors and their levels of influence. To achieve this data was collected from different sources and analyzed and the ranking of such factors was also done. From the ranking, conclusions have also been derived and appropriate remedy measures postulated. This project is important to contractors as they can use it to cope with such challenges or help them develop ways of improving against such issues. Considering these two countries are geographically apart it may seem like a challenge to such foreign. In addition, the two countries seem different in many aspects. From this project analysis, the main question that one will be able to answer is whether the contractors have successes or failures?

Executive summary

The paper looks into details the major challenges that Australian contractors face while undertaking construction projects in the Emirates. One of the major challenges notable is the economic disruptions as a result of the exaggeration of the business cycle. High-interest rates and economic fluctuations affect the direct cost of the materials of these contractors. Terrorism is noted as another challenge as well as the foreign policies regulating the foreigners working in this country. The region is known for insecurity issues and this is another key challenge. The global economic meltdown of the year 2008 is noted as another challenge facing these contractors. Operating environment in Emirates is a bit challenging to the contractors and this makes them takes sometimes before they familiarize themselves. Recruitment of the employees pose another key challenge to the contractors as well as the political up heals faced in that country. Cultural differences between those two countries are a major challenge as well the high cost of living in Emirates. Relationship, health issues and some government decisions which cannot be appealed also negatively affect the contractors. Another issue that could be affected by the diverse cultural background is the level of trusting each other. It has been postulated that trust is one of the key ingredients that can enhance the operations of the contractor. As such, the contractor faces the challenge of creating a harmonious relationship that can be instrumental in forging that trust because it is highly unlikely that people from the diverse background can trust each other unless effort is taken to cultivate it.

The contractors have come up with the methods to deal with such challenges. The contractors request the payments to be done in their home currencies. Security has also been beefed up as well as ensuring they comply with the laid down rules and regulations on migration issues. These companies have embraced the construction of high-quality products to remain competitive in the market

This paper gives details of the indicators for the construction industry from the Australian contractors perspective. It also goes further to analyze the ranking of these indicators and gives explanations on why the contractors rank such factors in that order. Traditionally the measurement of the Key indicators had focused on the outcome sided. A good example which was a key focus was the lost time by the employees due to injuries. However, the construction industry has in the modern days broadened the net to consider other indicators. This paper, therefore, outlines all the indicators of the construction industry as well as having good recruitment policies. Other methods that have been used to deal with some of these challenges by the contractors include: abiding by the laid down rules and regulations and informing themselves about the culture of this country. The financial cost challenges have been dealt with by the contractor coming up with ways of planning their finances. This has enabled them to reduce their costs and plan themselves financially. There are other major issues discussed in this project. These are the performance indicators to measure preparedness for the major challenges. Under this analysis of the survey and research the foreigner do before they engages in emirates have been critically analyzed. Ranking of these factors is done through collection of the data and its analysis. The explanation of the rankings is also given. Some of these factors notable include religion, education, Politics and economics. Detailed explanations of these factors have been given and reasons for its ranking done. A conclusion of this project is also availed. This part summarizes the whole paper and gives a few objective views of these Australian contractors doing projects in emirates.

Indicators in the construction industry

Hilton (10) says there are many indicators in the performance in the construction industry. Primary data were collected using questionnaire. Initially the pilot test was done to determine whether the process will be successful. The respondents were required to determine and give responses on the indicators in construction industry. Some other questions were also included with the responses of yes or no. The questionnaires were distributed and the respondents were expected to give their answers. The data is then analyzed using different statistical tools and the inferences obtained from them. Secondary source of data has also been used. Researchers which have been done previously were critically studied and the results. Some of the information obtained from such research was used to come up with our data (Bailey 24). The previous researches also an important reference for our research. Good example of the secondary sources of data used included the published sources containing any information on indicators about Australian contractors working in Emirates. These published sources included compiled reports by international bodies, publications, newspapers and other publications. It is worth noting that, there were some few challenges that were faced in the process of data collection. Secondary sources of data were not readily available and the some of the information obtained was sketchy. According to Bailey (24), another key challenge the expensive source of some books which were to be read and the information in them internalized. Some secondary sources of data used were expensive since they had to be purchased online. These materials were all necessary for my research and therefore they had to be obtained.

Data analysis

Data has been collected from the field during interview where representative samples have been taken. Other sources of data used during this research include government archives, and other secondary sources. Where samples have been taken n has been taken as 25 for the construction companies. In this analysis, employees have been taken as a target group. Contributions of these industries to the Gross Domestic Product, and the employment level have been taken as macro variables measuring the performance of these industries. However, during the analysis of these performance indicators, some variables have not been accounted for. For example the environmental impact, damages and number of accidents are some indicators not analyzed. It should be noted that due to high temperatures, labor laws stipulates that there should be a break in the afternoon. This kind of legislative law affects the performance of this industry. A strong assumption is made that there is labor mobility and no barriers such as discriminatory tariffs are in existence. Tabulation of data and graphical representation has been adopted due to the nature of data.

In the year 2007, an unprecedented expansion was witnessed, with diverse projects resulting to extensive growth. Over the years, a remarkable growth in the construction industry is witnessed. In the year 2010, a growth of US$ 18.3 billion was recorded from a low of US$ 14.8 billion in 2008. Contribution to the GDP was 8% in 2007 and there has always been an increase to date. A constant growth of 7% was recorded in 2008 and 2009. Year 2010 had a slight increase by 1%. This trend shows the steady performance of construction industry which absorbs a high number of skilled and unskilled employees.

In the Arabs emirates the demand for affordable homesteads is increasing significantly in the long run. This has forced the construction companies construction emphasis more on the affordable houses segments. All the countries under the GCC have expanded their own new building regulations via their councils and are very active in reviewing and accommodating these regulations in the new building legal framework. The Arabs emirate region is probably eye witness of increasing green buildings number registered in the future. This is likely to change the construction sector in the whole region and will increase the creation of health care buildings (Retana Summo Connel 46).

Foreign construction companies, having potential of contracting large and relative hard projects entered in the GCC construction area in partnership or alliance with developed local constructors. The partnership or the alliance model prevents the companies risk of both the partners due to large scales of economies (Petechuk 14).

Petechuk (20) describes that in their effort of expanding their top rank and geographical locations, the developed construction and companies that deal in real estate are looking to expand both organically and inorganically through merger and acquisition means.

The United Arab Emirates residential and business sector market is still finding for equilibrium as financing has been prevent, projects measured back and the contractor resources reduced. The houses and construction firm developers in the United Arabs Emirate continue to take a careful approach in the short-run at a look of existing high supply in the region.

Lidderberg (32) further explains that it is expected that both, the residential and commercial office construction sector of Saudi Arabia will show positive growth line in the coming five years. This is because of the rising population and the growing economy. The United Arabs Emirates has a positive outlook on the Qatar residential and commercial offices for construction market on the support of proper growth in population and expansion in economic activities. It is also expected that, Bahrains residential market to have undersupply in the affordable homesteads section as the developers continue to streamline on the premium section of the market. This will continue to encounter uncertainty because of political instability. The Omani residential property market is expected to stabilize in the near future.

In Kuwait, the demands for private houses are particularly strong in the long run because of undersupply but the commercial area will encounter over supply.

The causes of good performance of Australia construction companies in United Arab Emirates

Lidderberg (20) says that United Arab Emirates countries have stable economic principles and healthy economic growth predictions. The governments of these United Arabs Emirates countries are increasingly focusing on developing their non-oil business like construction sector and real estate business. With the expectation of oil prices stabilize; further increases in government expenditure will cater investment and consumer expenditure. This will lead to a positive effect on Gross Domestic Product growth, which will bide well for the whole economy and particularly construction markets. The increasing population and urbanization is likely to transform into higher demand of residential houses and commercial office property all over the Gulf Countries Council region.

The UAE countries which offers homes to more than sixteen million experts from all over the world with strong aspirations and preferences for their own houses. This is likely to drive the housing demand across these countries.

Lidderberg (29) says that the other factor is the change in regulatory rules is likely to increase foreign investment in the construction market. It is expected that manageable inflation indexes and property low cost is likely to act as a demand driver for residential houses and commercial construction sector across the Gulf Countries Council region. United Arabs Emirate and Qatar are attracting the developing market situation from MSCI will promote the growth of the environment in these countries, thus attracting more allocation of finance in the real estate companies and construction markets.

The causes of poor performance of Australia construction companies in United Arab Emirates

In the United Arabs Emirate the Australia construction companies sometime performs poorly. This is contributed by the oversupply that has been the biggest problem for the construction sector and real estate sector within the Gulf Countries Council. This has contributed to cancellation of many projects for the recent past period. Moreover, it has lead to decline in prices as well as rent of residential and commercial office property in most of the Gulf Countries Council member countries. Another factor leading to poor performance is the investor sentiment. It is expected that investors in construction industries sentiment will be weak in the short run because of the tough credit conditional ties imposed by the creditors. In the year 2010 and 2011 several projects were cancelled across United Arabs Emirates. This was contributed by fact that the weak investors and inadequate funds to finance the construction project. There is expectation that lack of strong investors will act as a stumbling block to the growth of the residential and commercial property market across United Arabs Emirates.

Another factor for Australian construction companies to perform poorly is because of competitive forces in the market. The residential and commercial construction market is very competitive and disintegrated, marked by existence of numerous big and small construction companies all over the chain. The increased competition in this construction markets is probably due to competitive forces from the constructors which is expected to cut down the gap of construction firms further. The margins of the constructors in the construction markets are very sensitive to the cost of raw materials for building houses.

The other challenge facing Australia construction companies in the United Arabs Emirates construction sectors is lack transparency compared to their world wide peers, thereby having an unfavorable effect on foreign direct investments inflows into other market.

In addition, very high attrition rates amongst experts human power remains a challenge for the Australia construction companies. The Gulf Countries Council construction sector, as the skilled experts workers are taken towards their home countries because of better job chances. This is brain drain which probably is a significant barrier for the Australian construction companies to have labor intensive construction industries.

The data to be used in this research has been derived from the qualitative techniques. This means that from the information provided, it is clear that there are some factors which impacts heavily on the ability of the contractor to perform the project satisfactorily. The data has been collected and analysis done based on the qualitative aspect of the information provided by the different sources. A number of the positive performance indicators identified in this data analysis and the different reports given relates to the management systems, communication, consultation training. The Australian companies working in Emirates have put in place measures and systems to ensure their continued. The analysis of data has been done indicating that one of the major indicators is the close consultation and the agreement with the workers.

Fitch (40) says that consultative approach has helped improve the processes and allow high level of performance. In this analysis more than 22 performance indicators have been identified related to the construction industry in Emirates by the Australian contractors.

In May 1999, the Australian construction companies working in the Emirates employed more 64730 workers. The majority of workers were male (87.4%) and were employed full-time (94.6%). About 5% of full-time construction workers were female, with more female workers employed part-time than males (59.3%) This can be seen from the respondents in the questions asked as well as the data from the secondary source.

Activity of the construction companies in Emirates by the construction company has been on the increase over the years as shown in the gender and employment status table. The male employees have increased as the same case with the females. A larger percentage of these employees are made up of the full time employees (William and Kate 9).

From the analysis of the different factors that were noted to have at the literature review part, data was collected from different secondary sources to determine the different percentages in which they the affected the construction firms. The data was obtained from sources which had interviewed a total of 700 respondents. The analysis was done in a table and the different percentages tabulated. The greatest factor percentage was noted to be politics. The government of any country affects the Australian companies operating in the Emirates. Most of the respondents with a percentage of 35.7% felts that they are greatly affected by the current political situation in that country.

Politics was greatly mentioned in this data analysis. Politics relates to the manner in which a country is governed. It also involves the structures that have been put in place in order to help in governing the country. For instance, the emirate has a monarchical system which is dictatorial, whereas in Australia it is a mixture of monarchical and democratic set up. This affects the business environment. Operating environment affects the effective performance and the completion of the project. From the information provided by the research, a higher percentage indicated that there is likelihood for late completion of projects by the contractors. The secondly ranked factor was economics. Economics shape the general lives of many people in any country. It helps to determine the general financial and living standard conditions in any country. After the data collection, the data indicated that, economic factors control 21.4% of the issues that affects the business of the Australian contractor working in the emirates. Whether the living conditions in emirates are low or high depend with the prevailing economic conditions. The economic conditions are shaped by government policies, the interest rate and the prevailing financial institutions in Emirates (Gorgenlander 8).

Ranked third was education. This is way knowledge and information is transmitted from one party to another as well as the communication process. Due to the cultural differences the means of transmission of the information can be vastly different. This can even impact on the way the workers at the construction sites follow the instructions given. Due to the differences in the education process, the workers may respond differently when the instructions are given. Additionally, the level of education of the workers is a very great determinant of the level of skills and expertise. A larger percentage indicated of 25.7% indicated that education was a key factor which determines the performance of these companies. The two countries have different systems of education and therefore employees from Australia will even need sometimes to familiarize themselves with some education terms. For instance some terms used in the financial statements of the contractors may be different to those being used in Australia. To improve on this the contractors have come up with ways to adapt themselves to the new education systems in Emirates. Religion was ranked last from the data analyzed. 96% of the entire population in emirates is Muslim. The foreign population in this country includes Sunni and Shia Muslims, Hindus, and Christians. This is contrary case for the contractors in emirates. Even if Australia is considered a Christian country, there are a variety of religions that can be found here. Other religions have also been found in this country. The differences in the religion of these countries clearly explain why it is a factor in determining the financial position of the Australian contractors living in this country. These foreigners have to come and acclimatize themselves with the religious issues of this country.

Conclusion from the data analysis

It is has been proved that there are so many challenges that the Australian contractors have to face when they undertake their projects in the emirates. A lot of these challenges results from the fact that there are differences in culture as well as the political system. Impact of the culture on the performance influences problem solving techniques because different cultures advocate for a particular way of approaching issues. For this reason, there is a need to appreciate the different perspectives in order to reduce the probability that a conflict might arise during the process of problem solving. This is because culture has a very big influence in the society. It determines their work ethics, language as well as the behaviors of the people. Therefore, any contractor wishing to work in the emirates must ensure that he is well informed on the culture that he is likely to encounter in the emirates. In addition, the contractors must be well versed with the political system in that country. The political system influences many things like, the investment opportunities and the government policies affecting the foreigners.Appendices

Table 2: Number of projects on hold/cancelled (2011)

Source: Meed projects

Madinat al-Hareer (City of Silk)- cancelled, Qasr Khuzam- returned to design, others are on hold

Table 3: New developments

Source: Zawya

Table 4: Data collected on the field from respondents during interview

Table 5: Construction industry dynamics in comparison with economic developmentTable 6: Percentage of employees, both part-time and full time absorbed by Australian companies in Emirates

Source: Primary data collected from Australian companies in Emitates, a representative sample has been taken

Works Cited

Bailey, Ian. Construction law in Australia, US: Thomson Reuters Thomson limited, 2011. Print.

Bailey, Ian. Understanding Australian construction contract, US: Thomson Reuters limited, 2008. Print.

Fitch, Renard. Commercial Arbitration in the Australian construction Industry, London: Federation Press, 2011. Print.

Gorgenlander, Viktor. A strategic analysis of the construction industry in the United

Arab Emirate; opportunities and threat in construction business, UK: Diplomica verlag, 2001. Print.

Hilton, Johnson. Access Science: McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science & Civil Engineering Online, Westport: Greenwood, 2007. Print.

Lidderberg, Micheal. Navies and construction industry in U.A E: the strained symbiosis, UK: Green word publisher, 2008. Print.

Petechuk, David. Australian perspective in construction. Westport: Greenwood, 2009. Print.

Retana Summo Connel. Imagined Australia reflections around the reciprocal constructions, Westport: Greenwood, 2009. Print.

William, Davis and E. Kate. An Introduction to contraction Theory: Theory and Practice, Boston: McGraw-Hill, 1999. Print.

Introduction

Bradbury Thompson is one of the design icons of the 20th century, and his contribution to the practice of graphic design is exceptional. Born in 1911 in Kansas, Thompson picked interest in graphic design studying at Topeka high school. According to Clifford (2014), by the time he graduated from Washburn College (now Washburn University), he was all set to commence a career in visual communications despite that he pursued an economics major. Being in college, he designed the colleges mascot and edited the Washburn Yearbook, among other publications. In his professional practice that spanned over half a century, Thompsons mastery and astuteness in graphic design and art direction left indelible marks on mediums such as books, magazines, and postage stamps. This paper explores the political, social, and economic significance of the design work of Bradbury Thompson as well as discusses the formal characteristic of some of his famous works.

Main Body

The operating environment exerted immense influence on the design works of Bradbury Thompson. In his autobiography, he acknowledges that the combination of his interest in graphic design work and in everyday life activities entirely influenced his practice (Thompson, 1988).

Moreover, he underlines that historical, social, economic, and political contexts significantly influenced his design work. After World War II, American Society experienced unprecedented tranquility and economic vibrancy that gave people from different walks of life a good environment for experimentation. Similarly, the design works of Bradbury Thompson displayed exceptional experimentation with both traditional and modern mediums. The subject matter and the design techniques employed in several pages of the Westvaco Inspirations and several other publications depict his sensitivity to the different aspects of his environment.

With this in mind, it is possible to say that conditions under which he worked and the stage of development of art at that period of time were the important factors that promoted the appearance of original ideas. Bradburys approaches influenced the development of design practice greatly. His book The art of graphic design introduced a great number of ideas and regularities, which became an integral part of the whole world of designers. The thing is that Bradbury Thompson had a fresh perspective on some traditional approaches and suggested the usage of forms and colors, which was not peculiar to the art of his period of time. That is why his works and ideas influenced the creation of new styles and approaches in design

Moreover, it is impossible not to mention the great historical and cultural significance of his works and ideas. There are three most significant creations which are still discussed even nowadays. They are Alphabet 26, Washburn College bible, and postage stamps design of which was created by Thomas Bradbury. These works changed the traditional image of some things and made people see their other side. With this in mind, it is possible to say that the cultural importance of Bradburys ideas and work cannot be overestimated. He added some new meaning and colors to the art of the middle of the 20th century, trying to make it livelier and more understandable at the same time.

Additionally, Bradbury Thompson and his creativity can be taken as the phenomenon of culture, which can serve as the main characteristic of the middle of the 20th century. His unusual usage of colors and their interaction can be admired even nowadays, and, moreover, modern designers try to follow this pattern, doing their works in accordance with the regularities created by Thomas Bradbury.

As we have already mentioned, his unusual ideas and approaches to some traditional issues can be seen in his most significant and important works. There is no use denying the fact that reforms, which led to the development of the monoalphabetic, also known as Alphabet 26, can be taken as one of the most outstanding manifestations of his exemplary experimentation with typography. The simplified alphabet consists of only 26 characters, whereby size determines the case rather than coming up with totally new characters.

As pointed out by Clifford (2014), development of the Alphabet 26 was influenced by Thompsons observation of the strain that his son went through trying to discern the differences between the words Run and run. Nevertheless, as Thompson argues, typography should be more concerned with the aspects of utility and beauty (1988). Even though modern designers have to borrow some aspects of the graphics of past centuries, depicting the spirits and needs of present times is more important than blindly copying the techniques of the design masters of the past.

However, there is another unusual aspect of his creativity. Being rather an innovative person, he saw the possibility of creating a new approach to the Bible. The Washburn College Bible is the embodiment of this idea. It is arguably the epitome of Bradbury Thompsons design work. It is also considered to be the most profound reassessment of the Bibles typography since 1445 (Bradbury Thompson, n.d.).

For the Bible project, Thompson incorporated the flush-left and the rugged right technique peculiar to modern typesetting (Bradbury Thompson, n.d.). He also broke the text lines into independent phrases as per the speech cadences doing the reading and listening to Bible summons easily for users. The project highlighted Bradburys ability to integrate traditional typography to the prevailing themes and techniques. Like in the Smithsonian periodical, Thompson used the Old Style typeface to enhance readability in the Washburn College Bible (Meggs & Purvis, 2012). His creative use of photographic illustrations can also be seen in the opening chapters of the Bible.

Additionally, the postage stamps were another medium where Bradbury Thompsons mastery of design was manifested. He designed more than ninety postage stamps. In addition, while consulting with the US Postal Services, he influenced the design of a great number of other postage stamps (Meggs & Purvis, 2012). Thompson integrated different design elements to come up with some of the most outstanding stamp designs that are still common in the country. Among the most common postage stamps that are associated with Thompsons design expertise is the education stamp Learning Never Ends and Love. The love stamp has the letter V creatively substituted with a heart (Clifford, 2014).

Conclusion

Throughout his career, Bradbury Thompson influenced many design professionals as well as students. His bold experimentation with photographic reproduction, color, and typography was his major contribution to the history of design. Thompsons vast portfolio, which features the pages of Westvaco Inspirations, numerous books, magazines, and the Washburn College Bible, displays his sensitivity to the prevailing political, economic, and social conditions of the time in which his works were produced. Resting on these facts, it is possible to say that Bradbury Thompsons works inspired a great number of different artists and can be taken as a very important stage of the development of art and design.

References

Bradbury Thompson. (n.d.). Graphic design archive online. Web.

Clifford, J. (2014). Graphic Icons: Visionaries who shaped Modern Graphic Design. Berkeley, California: Peachpit Press. Web.

Meggs, P.B. & Purvis, A.W. (2012). Meggs History of Graphic Design. Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons. Web.

Thompson, B. (1988). The Art of Graphic Design. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press. Web.

Introduction

The field of Fashion Merchandising Mathematics Competencies has gained popularity in this century. Chao (2007) observes that for a long time, the society had fashion merchandizing competencies that were not considered of any value to the manufacturing sector. Manufacturers gave more emphasis to mass production other than the production of goods of high quality. Fashion merchandising has increasingly gained relevance within the last century. As technology changes, so do many factors within society. This means that manufacturers must adhere to these changes if they are committed to remaining in the market. According to Heldman and Baca (2007), manufacturing standards are always set by various regulatory bodies within the state. However, manufacturers are always required to go out of their way to deliver a product that is beyond the expectation of the market. It is through this that they can remain relevant in the market. They must have an understanding of the prevailing tastes and preferences in the market. This is where Fashion Merchandising Mathematics Competencies comes in. It is at this stage that a firm will be required to develop mechanisms through which it can monitor the changing tastes of the market. Fashion Merchandising Mathematics Competencies helps a firm come up with a scientific approach to monitoring and managing these changes within the market, and give products that meet the expectation of consumers. It helps a manufacturing plant have a clear plan on how to approach these changes, and how best it can use its internal competencies to come up with a product that is new and acceptable in the market.

History of Fashion Merchandising Mathematics Competencies

The history of Fashion Merchandising Mathematics Competencies can be traced back to the mid 19^th century. Although this time, the topic was not well established, the need to keep up with the market needs was evident. According to Evans and Lindsay (2008), during and immediately after the Second World War, the world was in need of various manufactured goods. After this war, the world was open to trade. Transport vessels that were developed during this time reduced the world into a global village. There was a vast market in which manufacturing companies could sell their products. However, these manufacturing firms were few. Their produce could not suffice the world demand. Competition among the manufacturing plants was, therefore, something that was not common. As such, most of the manufacturing firms adopted a production strategy. In this strategy, the main aim of the manufacturers was to produce as much as possible because the market was readily available. The belief was that the market would have no choice but to accept what was presented to them.

As time went by, various firms were coming into existence from various parts of the world. Firms that never existed before emerged with products similar to that of other existing firms. The competition was getting into the market in a slow but very steady manner. The markets that were previously dominated by one player were getting various other entrants. It was coming out clearly that manufacturing plants had to find means of protecting their markets (Liew, 2009). They had to come up with strategies that would allow their products to become appealing to the consumers. This was the genesis of fashion. The firms realized that for their products to remain competitive in the market, they had to ensure that they maintained fashion both in the production strategy and the products they take to the market.

During this time, technology was also evolving at a speed that had not been predicted by many manufacturers. Various technological inventions and innovations were coming into existence, and they were directly affecting firms in various ways. According to Hicks (2004), the manufacturing sectors have had the heaviest bearing on the effect of technology. As technology was embraced by society, the manufacturing firms had no otherwise but to embrace it. These firms had to apply emerging technologies into their production strategies. Although this came with the massive expense, these firms had to use this technology to remain competitive in the market. The first attempt of firms to remain competitive in the market was experienced as they made efforts to differentiate their products. Firms realized that there was a need to keep a pool of loyal customers. To do this, there had to be a way of identifying the products of one company and that of the other. Loyal customers would find it easy to identify the desired product from a pool of many.

This was the genesis of branding. Firms realized that by developing a unique brand name, logo, and values for that particular brand, it would be possible to make their products easily identifiable in the market. The brand name and the logo would be clearly labeled on the product itself or the wrapper. A consumer would find it easy to locate the desired brand in the market. However, as technology advanced, and as the world changed in line with the changing technologies, many of the manufacturing firms realized that it was not enough trying to come up with brands as a way of differentiating the products. More competitors were coming into the market, and each was using its brand, as the brand had become a common strategy in the market. According to Charantimath (2007), firms are always under pressure to maintain a competitive advantage. This scholar says that in the current society, there cannot be a permanent competitive advantage that a firm can enjoy. However, firms do enjoy a competitive advantage while others have not known of the advantage. Once this competitive advantage is known by others, and they master its strategies, it ceases to be a competitive advantage. It becomes a bare minimum strategy that every firm must embrace to remain competitive. This becomes every firm will implement it to help in elevating it from the current position to positions of higher level.

According to Hartman (2002), for a firm to sustain the market competition, there is a need to evolve. Dynamism in the market is a very important factor that a firm cannot ignore in the market. Once a competitive advantage that a firm was enjoying has been turned into a common strategy in the market, this should not be the end of that particular firm. The firm should go beyond and identify a new strategy that would help it remain with a competitive advantage. It must develop a new strategy that is not common in the market. This will help in giving it new strength and capacity to deal with competition in the market. This pressure is even greater among the firms that specialize in sales of fashion products. These firms have the pressure of ensuring that their products remain fashionable. For these firms to attract customers, their products must bear some uniqueness that other market competitors lack (Hill & Jones, 2010). This means that these firms must come up with a clear system that would help keep the firm in track as far as issues of fashion are concerned. These firms must have a unique model, one which can be implemented to give the firm a new image in the market that is better than its current image. This was the genesis of fashion merchandising mathematics competencies. This is how firms came to appreciate the importance of coming up with this strategy to help maintain their competitiveness in the market.

Fashion merchandizing mathematic competencies have become the defining factor in the current dynamic world. The fashion industry has experienced massive changes in this 21^st century. The industry has been under pressure to keep up with the emerging technologies in its operations. The changing tastes and preferences of the market are also proving to be a serious challenge to the market. One moment, the market demands a product that is new to the world and are as a result of the emerging technologies. The next minute this taste changes drastically, and the market then demands a product that was used several centuries ago (Hoyle, 2009). This movement comes suddenly, and the movement is massive. When consumers change their taste from one product to another, the products that have been passed by the changed taste remain completely irrelevant in the market. The production strategy that was used to make them also becomes meaningless. This is a challenging process that requires a lot of skill from the manufacturing firms to cope up. As Beecroft (2003) says, the process can be very frustrating because the firms d not know when this technology will change. They have to keep an attentive eye on the market to monitor the slightest of the changes, and then respond to the changes with the speed that is needed. This saw firms and researchers come up with models that can help firms in this industry cope with this challenge. One of the models that have proven to be of good use after long years of evolution is fashion merchandising Mathematics competencies.

In this strategy, firms would always try to incorporate various approaches in managing the changes witnessed in this industry. The use of mathematics in this strategy is very strategic (Kotter & Rathgeber, 2006). As was stated above, the process of managing change requires a scientific approach. The use of science will help in detecting the change very first, and defining the path that should be taken once the change has been identified. It is a strategy where the firm develops a clear mechanism of how to act when faced with the challenge of change. This avoids cases where a firm is forced to adopt haphazard strategies when faced with the need to change within a short period. As Bissoondoyal (2006) says, when change is implemented haphazardly, then chances of a firm messing is very high. This is the reason why bringing science into this process is important.

Fashion merchandising mathematics competencies may not be a common strategy among various sectors and scholars in the current society. However, it is one that has remained relevant in the field of fashion and designs. In this strategy, manufacturers base their competencies on a clearly defined mathematical approach that can be implemented whenever there is a need. The need to have this mathematical approach is because of the need to know the result of the strategy. Adair (2010) says that the implementation of a new strategy is always a risk. It is a risk because the firm will be taking a new approach that it had not used before. This strategy may be a success, as many firms would always expect. However, some of them are always disruptive. Some can completely disorient the operations of the firm if quick action is not taken to restore the situation once it is realized to be disruptive.

This is where the use of a mathematical model comes in. It is referred to as a mathematical model because it has a spelled approach that should be taken that would lead to the desired conclusion (Belton & Stewart, 2002). The management, therefore, knows what should happen at every stage, and what to expect in these stages up to the last stage. The management also knows the ultimate result that should be expected after completion of the entire process. This way, the firm will be taking what is popularly known as calculated risks. The management will know the possible risks that may arise at any given stage in the implementation of the strategy. The management can calculate the impact of the risks if it were to occur at every stage of implementing the strategy. With this, it will be in a position to calculate the viability of the strategy. The firm will know how to counter the risks as they occur in the implementation stages. According to Wang (2004), taking calculated risks means that the management will be in a position to understand the possible risks.

Given the historical development of this field over the past decade, it is apparent that it is increasingly becoming relevant in modern society. Fashion merchandising mathematics competencies may not be common in various other fields. However, the relevance of this strategy gives it a very bright future. Given the changes that are taking place in the world, this strategy is becoming very relevant not only in the fashion industry but very many other industries around the world. Firms are under increasing pressure to meet the demands of the market. These demands are very dynamic, and it is difficult for a firm to say that it has a mastery of the demands. The suppliers are also increasing this pressure on the manufacturing firms. These suppliers are demanding for more, on every item they supply to the firms (Ragai, 1996). They are citing an increase in the cost of living as their main reason for demanding more money. However, with the increasing market competition, firms are unable to transfer all this increase to the consumers. This means that it has to bear this cost. This will, in turn, reduce the profitability of the firm in the market. The profit margin will be reduced as both sides of the supplier and the customers continue demanding more from the customers. Firms must be conscious of these factors irrespective of their industry. For firms in the fashion industry, the pressure is even greater (Chary, 2009). They have the responsibility of developing a mechanism that would enable them to manage market demands as dynamic as it is. This is where fashion merchandising mathematics competencies comes in.

This strategy does not only help fashion firms become competitive in the market but also efficient in its operations. In this strategy, there if the emphasis on the need to ensure that employees increase their capacity. The strategy works in a way that every employee will have to challenge the current capacity by being able to beat a set deadline and then setting new targets every time he or she meets those (Kanji, 2005). For a firm to say that it is competent in the production of a particular product, then the employees should be in a position to meet their set targets with much ease and without any struggle. This means that these employees must have a way of testing their capacity to improve the competencies of the entire firm. It is through this that a firm can increase its profitability.

The future shows that this strategy will be used and transformed to reflect on future factors. There are numerous strategies that firms currently use, like six-sigma and total quality management. However, it is coming that these strategies are becoming common and, therefore, cannot give a firm a competitive advantage. There is a need to have new approaches that would give better results when combined with the current strategies. The strategy might evolve to reflect the dynamism of the market. Those industries like car manufactures may join the apparel industry in applying this strategy (Charantimanth, 2003). This is because fashion has turned out to be infectious. Various firms are finding fashion to be the defining factor when coming up with new products in the market. The market has become very sensitive to the issues relating to fashion. Consumers have become very sensitive to what they purchase. It is, therefore, important to follow these changes and adjust as is appropriate.

Conclusion

Fashion Merchandising Mathematics Competencies is a relatively new field in the world. It is not widely practiced as other strategies are in the market. However, this strategy is gaining popularity as technology continues to bring new approaches to society. According to this research, it is a fact that the fashion industry is under massive pressure to manage changes taking place in the market. The market needs have become unpredictable. Consumers continue changing their tastes and preferences, and firms are forced to find a way of managing this change. This strategy comes in handy in helping firms develop mechanisms of managing these changes and responding to them within the desired time. Given the fact that the strategy employs Mathematic models, the management eliminates the uncertainties that always arise when implementing various policies that lack the Mathematical approach. In this strategy, the management will be aware of the possible result at every stage of implementing the strategy. This enables it to detect the possible risks that may arise and develop strategies that can be used to counter this. The strategy also supports the need to ensure that every employee understands the role assigned to him or her. This will help improve efficiency within the firm.

References

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Beecroft, G. (2003). The executive guide to improvement and change. New York: ASQ Quality Press.

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Bissoondoyal, U. (2006). Total quality management: a practical approach. London: New Age International.

Chao, S. (2007). Advancing quality improvement research: challenges, opportunities-workshop summary. Washington: National Academies Press.

Charantimanth, P. (2003). Total Quality Management. New York: The Free Press.

Charantimath, C. (2007). Total quality management. New Delhi: Pearson Education.

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Evans, J., & Lindsay, W. (2008). The management and control of quality. New York: Thompson South Western.

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Kanji, G. (2005). Total Quality Management: Proceedings of the First World Congress. New York: John Wiley and Sons.

Kotter, J., & Rathgeber, H. (2006). Our iceberg is melting: changing and succeeding under any condition. Chicago: St. Martin Press.

Liew, J. (2009). Employee training: a study of education and training department in various corporations. Sydney: General Books.

Ragai, R. (1996). Implementation of total quality management. New York: The Free Press

Wang, W. (2004). TQM Action. San Francisco: USCF learning Press.

Introduction

Convened in 2005, the world summit on social development came up with three main pillars of sustainable development. The pillars included environmental development, social progress, and economic advancement.The three pillars of sustainability are applied when ranking various cities. The index, compiled by London Centers for Economics and Business Research, finds European cities such as Frankfurt, London, and Copenhagen as leading in terms of their sustainability index based on people (public), planetary (ecological), and returns (economics). In the profit-factor category, the index ranks Dubai in the 47^th position while Madrid is in the fourth position (Koch, 2015).

Dubai is scheduled to hold Expo 2020, which it claims will be the most sustainable Expo. Indeed, looking forwards to the Expo, Dubai has put in place various strategies to ensure that the city operates sustainably. This paper presents Dubai as a sustainable city. It also compares its sustainability with that of Madrid. Dubai is among the Gulf nations of the Middle East while Madrid is in Spain in Europe. In the discussion of Dubais sustainability, the paper also considers how Dubai is making the city ready for Expo 2020. The paper uses Porters five forces, SWOT analysis, intensive strategy, CPM, integration strategy, and BCG as the six major tools for comparing sustainability efforts in both cities.

Porters Five Forces of Competitive Analysis

Madrid

Madrid is one of the highly ranked planetary sustainable cities across the globe and in the OECD. Therefore, it faces low rivalry from competing cities around the globe. The city already has various programs for maintaining sustainability. For example, it has implemented a BUS/HOV system, which has lower carbon emissions associated with transporting every passenger to the city (Sustainable Cities, 2015). With such successful models, the threat of new entrants on global platforms is currently low. However, in the coming years, more nations are likely to consider looking for better mechanisms for increasing sustainability because of the rising global warming and environmental degradation challenges that are associated with unsustainable lifestyles (Porter, 2008).

Sustainability substitutes are indefensible mechanisms for running a city. Considering the implications of substitutes such as environmental degradation and the rapid replenishment of energy resources, Madrid residents do not embrace such mechanisms. Indeed, the high concern about the need for conserving and preserving the environment makes threats of substitutes low. The demand for a sustainable city is high. This situation lowers the bargaining power of buyers while increasing the bargaining influence of suppliers. For example, Madrid aims at incorporating sustainable technologies into its operations, suppliers of the technologies have a higher-end score in terms of bargaining for better prices of the technologies and installations they sell.

Dubai

The Dubai 2020 Expo is an attempt to display how cities can execute their daily activities in planetary responsible ways. Expo 2020 Dubai (2016) reveals, Expo 2020 Dubai will be a monument to the Green Economy, a landmark in sustainable development, and will contribute to the BIE legacy as one of the most sustainable Expos in history (Para.5). Can Dubai hold such an Expo?

Koch (2015) asserts that London Center for Economics and Business Research ranks Dubai in the 47^th position in terms of terrestrial sustainability. This finding shows high threats of rival cities aiming at dominating in terms of global environmental sustainability. Hence, Dubai faces a high rivalry among competing cities in terms of adopting environmental sustainability mechanisms.

To become the best environmentally sustainable city, Dubai has to invest more resources in improving its energy sourcing and processing to minimize carbon prints. Dubai is well ahead of all other urban centers in the UAE in terms of economic capability. Therefore, threats of new entrants are low. Its high economic capability can help in transforming the city into a planetary responsible base faster than any other urban center in the UAE. However, on global platforms, the threat is high. Other cities rank lower in sustainability, despite having higher economic capability than Dubai.

Dubais lifestyles support the high consumption of non-green and unsustainable energy sources due to the availability of cheap oil. The ranking of Dubai in the 47th position in terms of environmental sustainability supports this assertion. Therefore, the threats of substitutes are high. Dubais demand for sustainable cities is low, owing to its high consumption of non-green energy resources. Therefore, buyers bargaining power is high. Since technological change is necessary to drive sustainability programs, the suppliers have an upper hand in their bargaining power.

Competitive Profile Matrix

Competitive Profile Matrix (CPM) aims at identifying various major players of a company with the view of analyzing its strategic position based on the observed strengths and weaknesses. In the CPM, the critical success factor reflects various in-house and outdoor issues (David, 2011). The rating applies to strengths and limitations as David (2011) categorizes them on a scale of one to four in order of their strengths and weaknesses. The ratings of various weighted total scores are then compared to an identified sample organization. The comparative analysis yields crucial information for making internal strategic decisions.

Madrid and Dubais comparisons based on CPM may be accomplished based on factors such as a sustainable transport system from the context of the reduction of carbon footprints, clean water extraction technologies, waste recycling, building construction, and energy sources. Indeed, carbon footprints are one of the methodologies of determining the extent to which a city has embraced sustainable supply chains. Carbon footprints are computed from the consideration of inventories of greenhouse gas emissions within a city.

Such gases include methane, nitrous oxide, and carbon dioxide among others as defined by the Kyoto Protocol. Each of these gases contributes a given proportion to global warming. Any sustainable effort for Dubai that is geared towards the 2020 Expo strategy must ensure that the contributions of each of the gases that fit in the definition of greenhouse gas emissions have a reduced impact on global warming.

To mitigate the problems of depletion of natural resources, utilizing environmentally friendly sources of energy by any city that seeks to be sustainable is necessary. Even during the 2020 Expo, Dubai needs to ensure that the festival is accompanied by sustainable activities. Indeed, Kyong, Myong, and Hee (2009) assert that heating energy solutions in environmentally friendly festivals need to come from solar, wind, and hydro sources. Similarly, water wastage, which decreases both the quality and quantity of the accessible uncontaminated water, may be minimized by solutions such as the deployment of modern technologies in water recycling and/or the adoption of positive environmental friendly attitudes. Table 1 below shows the CPM for Dubai in comparison with Madrid based on their sustainability of transport systems, clean water extraction technologies, waste recycling, building construction, and energy sources, vegetation cover and forestation.

Table 1: CPM for Dubai and Madrid.

Table 1 shows Dubai lags behind Madrid in terms of environmental sustainability. This finding may be explained by various factors. Vegetation cover and forestation are important since they help in the absorption of Carbon Dioxide. Madrid has has gained more than three million two hundred square kilometers of green areas that connect both sides of the city around it (Madrid, 2008, p.2). It has also planted 26,000 trees.

This move shows the large vegetation coverage in the city to levels that are nonexistent in Dubai. Dubais limited vegetation cover relies heavily on the water since temperatures can rise to more than 40 degrees during summer. While the water used in greening the city is mainly recovered from the citys wastewater, Dubai relies on desalination for its clean water suppliers. This process requires a heavy input of cheap energy from unsustainable sources. Although the two cities have traffic jams, Madrid has adopted sustainable solutions such as the BUS/HOV system (Sustainable Cities, 2015).

Intensive Strategy

An organization pursues various strategies to guarantee current and future success. One such strategy encompasses the intensive strategy. Intensive strategies include market infiltration, market developments, substitute channels, the designing of new commodities for new customers, and merchandise development (David, 2011). A strategy that presents the least risk to an organization is deemed fit to guarantee market penetration. The strategy involves efforts to sell more products to an organizations current clientele. It may involve deriving new mechanisms in which customers can use and/or access a product.

Market penetration involves developing new ways of selling more products to a nearby market. The globalization of the organizations products follows this reasoning. Alternative channels involve developing new ways of selling to customers such as online selling. Product development entails the innovation of a new product that targets an organizations existing customers. Lastly, an organization can pursue an intensive strategy to develop new products that target new customers to increase its competitive advantage. This strategy is the riskiest since a new product may fail to meet the needs of new customers.

Alternately, a new product for a new customer, who an organization does not fully understand, may take a long time to break even. Considering the risks involved in developing new ways of enhancing environmental sustainability, different cities rely on the implementation of their evidence-based green technologies. Indeed, some of the intensive strategies do not find any application in cities sustainability efforts.

As Dubai looks forward to hosting the 2020 Expo on sustainability, it has developed various solutions. For example, Green Energy Solutions and Sustainability LLC is an organization incorporated into Dubai whose focus is on various environmental issues. It offers a green solution to waste management by investing in projects on landfill. Its primary aim is to generate electricity from gasses emitted in landfills. Today, the company has generated 1MW of electricity from landfills.

The company focuses on how it can generate even more electricity from all Dubais landfills. Hence, the company deploys the intensive strategy of market penetration. However, the strategy of new product development is still appropriate for Dubai. The booming Dubais economy is supported by unsustainable lifestyles. The construction industry sources sand from the sea. The sand is then used in the building and construction of real estates that are sold for cash as an economic strategy for reducing reliance on oil exports. This practice has a cost implication for the environment.

Royal Geographical Society (2016) reveals, 33 million cubic meters of sand and shell from the sea bed are dredged up to make islands (Para.6). This move has implications for the flora and fauna or the sea ecosystem. While it may be necessary to divert from this practice, some environmentalists argue that a new island creates new dives, which may produce positive effects on the sea ecosystem.

While Dubai recognizes the necessity to promote sustainability, such efforts are much lower when compared to Madrid. While the city of Dubai is designed for vehicles propelled by readily available cheap fossil fuel, Madrid has shown incredible efforts to ensure the sustainability of its transport system. The fuel guzzlers of Dubai are normally stuck in traffic jams. Madrid has developed BUS/HOV programs to ensure it moves more people using less fossil fuel. Under the program, personal vehicles that carry their full capacity are allowed into the lanes used by buses to ferry people to the city and out of the city without being stuck in the traffic jam (Sustainable Cities, 2015).

This strategy encourages people to use lesser vehicles while going to the city. To this extent, Madrid deploys a product development-intensive strategy while Dubai mainly focuses on market penetration-intensive strategy. Indeed, Dubais lifestyle is supported by high air travel and a huge number of low-capacity vehicles, which often carry one person. The city is designed for motorists and not for pedestrians (Royal Geographical Society, 2016).

Although both Madrid and Dubai use trains to ferry people to the city, Madrids public road transport system carries more passengers efficiently to the city with lower carbon footprints. Madrid is designed for pedestrians and cyclists (Madrid, 2008). This finding implies that Madrids intensive strategy is more effective than that of Dubai in terms of enhancing planetary sustainability. Table 2 illustrates how the management of the road transport system by adopting an appropriate intensive strategy can help to increase the sustainability efforts of a city by reducing Carbon Dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions.

Table 2: Energy needed in the transportation of one passenger per kilometer.

Integration Strategy

Integration strategies encompass mechanisms for expanding an organization or a sector in an economy. One of such strategies, namely vertical integration, entails a forward strategy in which an organization gains leadership in controlling supplies for raw materials or in manufacturing products and/or services (David, 2011). In terms of sustainability, integration may involve operating different projects to ensure true relationships that lead to cost-saving activities.

Unlike Dubai, Madrid has its suitability projects operating in an integrated manner through the plan for sustainable use of energy and climatic change prevention and the water management (Madrid 2008, p.2). Under the project, Madrid has planted over 26, 000 trees that are watered by the citys 100% recycled water. Consequently, the city ranks position two globally in terms of cities that have the highest number of aligned trees. For Dubai, such an integrative strategy is absent. The city only depends on desalinated water to take care of its vegetation.

Through true partnerships by various sectors such as the energy and water management sector and the technology business sector, it is possible to conduct real-time analysis of data to prompt large savings and efficiency in the use of these two critical resources. In Madrid, such efforts have translated into significant savings on the resources, thus leading to lower waste generation. This strategy has not only increased the efficiency and effectiveness of sustainability but also lowered the cost of sustainable efforts. For example, due to the reduced wastes, Madrids waste treatment facilities are designed for lower capacities. This situation has led to lower start-up investments in such projects. As Dubai looks forward to hosting Expo 2020, it is arranging for developing partnerships in creating lasting solutions in terms of water and energy sustainability.

Dubai is developing partnerships for improving accessibility to these resources. It is also planning for their looming scarcity by developing integrated strategies for their conservation together with effectively managing the existing resources. Considering the outcomes of such initiatives as evident in the case of Madrid, as Dubai prepares to host Expo 2020, innovative and intelligent vertically integrated technologies and systems will go far in transforming the usage of energy and water to foster planetary sustainability. Indeed, the success of these arrangements goes far in making Expo 2020 the greenest and sustainable event.

SWOT Matrix

Cities encounter a myriad of challenges and opportunities in their operations. To determine how they need to respond to such situations, it is critical to conduct a SWOT analysis. However, a SWOT analysis is incomplete without the consideration of a SWOT Matrix. Under the SWOT Matrix, four types of strategies are possible to adopt in implementing the sustainability of both Madrid and Dubai cities. These are OS (Opportunities-Strengths), WO (Weaknesses-Opportunities), ST (StrengthsThreats), and WT (Weakness-Threats).

Strengths are the traits that enable a city to have an advantage in comparison with other cities in its sustainability implementation efforts. Madrid has the strength of having established a successful model for reducing carbon prints such as the BUS/HOV. It has achieved success in recycling 100% of residual waters (up to 500 million of m³) that are either returned to rivers or used for watering of green spaces and cleaning of streets (Madrid, 2008, p.2).

It has established remnant management programs, a move that has led to the reduction of municipal wastes by 50%. The program has also led to the construction of a biometanization facility that is capable of extracting biogas from 60% of the total wastes in the city. Other strengths include the successful implementation of urban mobility projects, air quality projects, and cycling mobility in the city. Cycling mobility is particularly important due to its capacity to reduce carbon footprints.

Comparably, Dubai has the strength of reducing the cost of labor. It has an elaborate and efficient city transport system. Besides offering monetary assistance to various business units, it has a well-developed domestic market. Dubai has the weakness of high rates of loans. Madrids weaknesses include its high rating of debts, unattractive tax structures, highly competitive markets, and the high investment in new products research and development.

Opportunities are the existing external chances, which while utilized make an organization improve its performance (Hill & Westbrook, 2007). Dubai has opportunities such as the growing demand, new commodities and services, new markets, and the constant increment of peoples income levels. Madrid has opportunities that are similar to those of Dubai but has venture capital as an additional opportunity. Dubais threats include the likelihood of increasing labor costs, technological challenges, high competition, which lowers businesses profitability levels, increased interest rates, and problems in cash flows. Madrids threat includes tax changes, high labor costs, and high external risks while doing business.

The SO strategies deploy the internal strengths of an organization to exploit external opportunities (David, 2011). For Madrid, it can utilize its strength in the deployment of evidence-proven successful models for managing wastes and carbon footprints in developing products that release wastes, which can make the city unsustainable. Therefore, the city can exploit the opportunity of the increased peoples income to augment the consumption of new products sustainably. Through the strength of monetary assistance and the developed domestic market, Dubai can exploit the opportunity of developing new sustainable products to meet the growing demand with higher income expectations.

The WO strategies help in improving a firms internal weaknesses through the exploitation of various external opportunities (David, 2011). Madrid can overcome unattractive tax structures by utilizing its opportunities for new products for new markets. This goal can be achieved by providing tax relief to people who invest in research and development of new and sustainable products. Similarly, Dubai can overcome its weakness of high rates of loans by utilizing its opportunity for increased income to minimize the borrowing levels to fund household budgets.

The ST strategies deploy strengths to mitigate or reduce the effects of the existing external threats (David, 2011). Madrid can make carbon footprints savings through its strength in recycling wastes and the extraction of biogas from a large fraction of its wastes. This move can help to offset the threats of losses that arise from business risks. In both Madrid and Dubai, similar savings can be made in the use of clean vehicles and moving more people by putting lesser vehicles on roads to help in offsetting the common threat of high-interest rates. Monetary assistance from the government is an immense strength that Dubai can deploy to offset the threat of technological challenges, especially those that increase environmental sustainability.

The WT strategies act as defensive tactics. They aim to reduce the encountered internal weaknesses while ensuring the avoidance of external threats (David, 2011). Madrid can invest more in its recycling capability by improving its capacity to recycle by more than 60% so that it minimizes its sourcing of conventional energy and new materials, which attract higher taxation. After offsetting the technological challenges using the ST strategies, Dubai can also adopt a similar WT strategy to improve its planetary goals of sustainability as it looks forward to hosting the 2020 Expo.

Boston Consulting Group Matrix (BCG)

Organizations have autonomous divisions. These units make up business portfolios (David, 2011). In a case competition is witnessed between an organizations divisions for different industries, it is crucial to develop different strategies for every business unit. The BCG matrix facilitates this effort. The goal of the BCG is to display differences between various divisions concerning market share relativity and the rate of growth of a given industry. The basic structure of the BCG matrix is shown in figure 1.

From figure 1, developing the BCG matrix requires the possession of information on cash flows and earnings in various divisions. In the context of environmental sustainability for both Madrid and Dubai, such information is required for divisions such as sustainable transport system projects, water management projects, and energy generation waste management projects among other divisions. However, limited quantitative cash flow and earnings or saving information are available for both Madrid and Dubai. For example, in the waste management and energy sectors, in the case of Dubai, the available data only indicates that Dubai LLC Company has generated 1MW of electricity to power municipality site offices and flagship project offices.

Various divisions in terms of cash cows, dogs, stars, and question marks underline the concept of profitability for various business divisions. Applying the concept in sustainability, it becomes void and unjustified since many of the sustainability projects such as waste recycling do not directly translate into profits in financial terms, but in other gains such as environmental protection through mitigating global warming. Therefore, quantifying such gains is problematic. Therefore, the construction of the BCG matrix for Madrid and Dubai is also problematic. However, qualitative information on Madrids sustainability investment as discussed by Hoekstra and Chapagain (2007), Madrid (2008), and Koch (2015) suggest that the city can score highly in terms of stars and cash cows compared to Dubai.

Competitors Analysis

In an attempt to become the best sustainable city that is looking forward to hosting the 2020 Expo on sustainability, Dubai is making various arrangements. The city recognizes that in the changing environmental landscape, production innovation and water and energy production and utilization mechanisms imply the citys future generation. Indeed, issues such as improved accessibility to these critical resources that drive the economies and ensuring their conservation and responsible management need to be integrated into sustainable cultures. Hence, for Dubai, environmental sustainability cannot be secluded from lifestyles.

Dubai is known for traffic congestion and the possession of a large number of recreational centers that can attract tourists from across the world to make it a major destination. Indeed, Dubai endeavors to become the main global economic hub to give it a competitive advantage other than relying on oil as a source of its competitive advantage. However, when compared to Madrid, it scores high in the use of non-green sources of energy, the disintegration of sustainability to its lifestyles and cultures, and the destabilization of its coastline natural forms to build extensive beaches for tourist attraction. This situation makes the city score low in terms of sustainable competitive advantage.

London Center for Economics and Business Researchs ranking shows the low competitiveness of Dubai in sustainability. Cities in Europe, including Madrid, are highly competitive in terms of their sustainability. Koch (2015) asserts, Frankfurt and London, Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Berlin, and Madrid make the top list (Para.6). Berlin and Frankfurt are highly competitive in terms of planetary factors due to their deployment of effective strategies for managing wastes.

For North American cities, upon considering Carbon Dioxide as the competitive analysis factor in the sustainability of the planetary factors, the US cities score so low alongside various cities in the Middle East, including Dubai (Koch, 2015). Consistent with the analysis done on various approaches such as Porters five forces and the competitive profiles, the low ranking of Dubai in terms of sustainability evidences its low effectiveness in terms of environmental sustainability while compared to global planetary sustainability giants such as Madrid. An emerging question is, why does Dubai score so lowly in planetary factors? What can be done to reverse the situation?

In response to the above interrogative, it is crucial to note that Dubais economy is highly dependent on energy and water, just like any other city. The sustainability issue is on how a city manages the interdependence of these two resources (Hoekstra & Chapagain, 2007). Large quantities of water are necessary for generating energy. A large amount of energy is also vital in generating adequate clean water. Dubais economy largely relies on cheap sources of energy. It possesses one of the largest energy consumption per capita across the globe (Bakari, 2014).

Conclusion and Recommendation

Dubai develops real estates and various monumental buildings to host recreation facilities that are established to support its diversification strategy of ensuring that it becomes the major economic hub in the world. It is recommended for it to develop planetary sustainability culture. Becoming the major economic hub in the world implies that Dubai will host a large number of people from foreign nations and from within the UAE. Sustainability cannot be realized with a large consumption culture for energy and water resources and at the expense of the available vegetation cover to put up real estates and skyscrapers.

Although Dubais economy cannot operate without the support of water and energy resources, it is recommended that apart from considering various policies to address the conservation of these resources, Dubai must consider that the resources are generated in environmentally sustainable ways. For example, the flashy lifestyle of Dubai is supported by huge freshwater consumption that is acquired through desalination. This process requires huge inputs of electrical power.

To enhance sustainability, Dubai not only needs to consider putting in place programs for recycling almost 100 % of its wastewater as it is witnessed in the case of Madrid but also needs to ensure cleaner sources of power that are used to operate desalination plants. One of such sustainable cleaner sources of energy is nuclear energy, as opposed to fossil fuel energy. The city can also guarantee the sustainability of its buildings by ensuring self-dependency in energy supplies. Such energy may come from wind and solar.

An innovative way of making Dubai the global leading sustainable city as it looks forward to hosting the 2020 Expo is to change its design architecture of future buildings. For example, the construction of skyscrapers that are powered by wind turbines located on every floor can help in ensuring sustainability. Although revolving skyscrapers imply that the buildings will constantly change their profiles, the main idea involves the generation of adequate power to power not only each floor but also the neighboring buildings that have already been developed without this new design. The city also needs to reduce its carbon footprints per person who travels into and out of it. To this extent, the city should benchmark from Madrids BUS/HOV system.

Reference List

Bakari, M. (2014). Sustainabilitys Inner Conflicts: From Ecologism to Ecological Modernization. Journal of Sustainable Development Studies, 6(1), 128. Web.

David, F. (2011). Strategic Management: Concepts and Cases. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Web.

David, L. (2009). Events and Tourism: An Environmental Approach and Impact Assessment. Journal of Tourism Challenges and Trends, 2(2), 101-114. Web.

Expo 2020 Dubai. (2016). Sustainability. Web.

Hill, T., & Westbrook, R. (2007). SWOT Analysis: Its Time for a Product Recall. Long Range Planning, 30(1), 4652. Web.

Hoekstra, A., & Chapagain, K. (2007). The Water Footprints of Nations: Water Use by People as a Function of their Consumption Pattern. Water Resource Management, 21(1), 3548. Web.

Koch, W. (2015). The Great Energy Challenge. Web.

Kyong, L., Myong, J., & Hee, K. (2009). A Comparison of Students and Industry Perceptions of the Events Management Curriculum in Korea. Journal of Hospitality, Leisure, Sport & Tourism Education, 8(2), 60-73. Web.

Madrid. (2008). Madrid and the sustainable development. Web.

Royal Geographical Society. (2016). Impossible places-a sustainable future for Dubai? Web.

Sustainable Cities. (2015). Madrid: Changing Behavior towards Sustainable Transportation. Web.

The Union House is one of the most important landmarks of the UAE from a historical perspective. Nowadays, it is routinely recognized as a site of the flagpole which holds the worlds largest flag of the UAE. However, the building beneath the flag, known as the Union House, is the place where the leaders of seven Emirates met in 1971 to sign the historical document which signified the birth of the United Arab Emirates (BBC, 2016). Currently, the building has become a part of the Etihad Museum in Jumeirah, Dubai to preserve it for future generations and ensure the possibility to convey national memories to all Emiratis (NSCC International, 2016).

The Union House was built in 1965 on the orders of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, who was envisioning the Union for more than a decade by that time (The National, 2012). The design of the building was intended to represent its purpose  the facilitation of unity and collaboration between the emirates. The round shape of the building is meant to emphasize the sense of equality and the absence of hierarchy involved in the event (Union House, 2010). The house consists of two rooms, with the inner chamber surrounded by an outer room. The inner chamber was intended for the meeting of the Sheikhs and contains around, leather-paneled renaissance table around which the agreement took place (Ghazal, 2009). The walls of the room are made of glass and shielded with thick curtains. The outer room was originally a balcony and did not have walls, but was later converted into a glass-walled room in the same fashion to decrease deterioration from natural forces. Recently Sheikh Mohamed Bin Rashed suggested returning to the original design by removing glass walls of the outer room (Union House, 2010).

The building was mostly forgotten since its original use in 1971 and was nearly demolished during the active construction campaign (The National, 2012). While some parts of the building, such as the reception hall, were destroyed and many elements, including the supporting columns, suffered structural damage, the Union House survived the abandonment. The original flagpole was removed to install a higher one. In 2012, an order of renovation was passed by His Highness Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum (Gulf News, 2012). The project aimed at preserving the remaining part of the building and restoring it to its original shape and design (Emirates News Agency, 2015). The project is executed using the latest 3D modeling technology to ensure the maximal precision, accuracy, and reliability of the reconstruction process (GEOTECH 3D, n.d.).

References

BBC. (2016). United Arab Emirates profile  timeline. Web.

Emirates News Agency. (2015). Mohammed bin Rashid Endorses AED 500 million Union Museum Project. Web.

GEOTECH 3D. (n.d.). Union Museum(Union House Dubai). Web.

Ghazal, R. (2009). The nations birthplace restored. Web.

Gulf News. (2012). Mohammad orders Union House renovation. Web.

NSCC International (2016). Etihad (Union) Museum, Jumeirah, Dubai. Web.

The National. (2012). Union House to be restored to the day emirates became the Emirates. Web.

Union House. (2010). Research. Web.

The atrium house and Roman gardens are characteristic features of ancient Rome. They appeared in the Bronze Age and are still quite popular in the Mediterranean as well as the rest of the world (Bergmann, 2012). They had many meanings including some practical aspects, spiritual, and recreational. To understand the significance of the atrium house and Roman gardens to people who lived in the Bronze Age, it is necessary to consider basic peculiarities of these features of the ancient Roman dwelling.

What Are Atrium Houses and Gardens of Rome?

The atrium house is a dwelling that has an open court in the center. The atrium played an important role as it was the major source of air and water for the house. In the center of the atrium, there was a pool that was a reservoir for rainwater (Fazio, Moffett, & Wodehouse, 2013). There were several types of atriums. Some of them had columns to support the roof, but the vast majority of ancient Roman atriums did not have columns. This place was regarded as the heart of the dwelling, so it was decorated heavily. Apart from the decorated pool, there could be busts of the master of the house as well as his ancestors or relatives (Bergmann, 2012). Atriums often had shrines to worship such spirits as the Penates and the Lares. Atriums were connected with fauces (throat)  a corridor that united the street and the atrium. It is noteworthy that all Roman dwellings had atriums. The difference between the house of the rich and the poor was mainly in their atriums decoration.

Roman gardens were often a part of the dwelling, but they did not occupy the central place. They could be in the backyard or any part of the yard (Grafton, Most, & Settis, 2010). The major peculiarities of the garden of Rome are ornamental trees and numerous (or, at least, several) flower beds. Rich people had gardens in their yards.

Significance of the Places

During the times of Ancient Rome, atriums and Roman gardens played several roles. As has been mentioned above, there were some practical uses. For instance, atriums were major sources of air and rainwater for the entire house. Apart from that, this was the place where the master of the house met guests or clients (Bergmann, 2012). Family members also got together in this place. Atriums were also a space for contemplation.

As for Roman gardens, they also had a practical use. They were used for horticulture. In other words, people consumed the fruit grown. Apart from that, the garden of Rome was also a place of contemplation and recreation. People spent a lot of time there when they wanted to relax and have a rest from the fuss of their urban lives. Of course, people often arranged meetings in those places.

Conclusion

On balance, it is possible to note that the atrium house and the garden of Rome had many features in common when it came to their use. They had some practical uses, but they were mainly characterized by the spiritual component. Atriums and Roman gardens were used as a place for meeting and contemplating. Thus, it is possible to note that those were places that contributed to the transfer of the culture and values of older people to younger generations.

References

Bergmann, B. (2012). The Roman world. In S.E. Alcock & R. Osborne (Eds.), Classical archaeology (pp. 228-249). Malden, MA: John Wiley & Sons.

Fazio, M.W., Moffett, M., & Wodehouse, L. (2013). A world history of architecture. London, UK: Laurence King.

Grafton, A., Most, G.W., & Settis, S. (2010). The classical tradition. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Abstract

The construction of The Pearl Qatar community housing was identified and chosen for this assignment because it is a significant development project in Qatar. It also represents the growth of construction technology, given that it is built on land reclaimed from the sea. The ambitious luxurious homes and commercial developments represent some of Qatars finest architectural designs. It is a combination of traditional, European, and modern themes.

The research explored the available literature on the project. EBHOST and Google Scholar databases were used to access information for this assignment. A number of books and articles were selected depending on their relevance to the research topic. The project is located in the South East of the city of Doha. The project was designed and developed by United Development Company, a Qatari real estate developer.

The literature revealed the magnitude of the project and the various districts and precincts that have occupied the 400 hectares island. The Pearl Qatar is a prestigious development targeted at both local and international investors, including short-term and long-term residents. A number of photographs are used in this assignment to show the development project. They include Porto Arabia, Medina Centrale, and Qanat Quartier. The project has been negatively affected by the failure of the contractors to meet crucial deadlines. It is recommended that the developer should urgently complete the project in view of the fact that the country is preparing to host the World Cup in 2022.

Introduction

The last decade has witnessed emerging planning of planning interventions in the urban architecture of Doha. The new interventions include the citys mega projects that are large in size, strategically located, and targeted at the urbane population (Salama and Wiedmann 89).

A robust economic growth that is supported by strong market forces and insightful visions on the part of the government are some of the factors behind the increased investment and development in the country. The efforts are aimed at propelling Qatar forward into the post-modern society. The governments renewed development focus has enabled the country to secure the opportunity to host the popular World Cup in 2022. Winning the opportunity to have the World Cup has accelerated the inflow of investment and construction of infrastructure, social housing, healthcare, and education facilities (Dahal and Prakash 2014). The new interest in the construction of social housing is aimed at helping Qatar accommodate the countrys future growth and the expanding population. One such development is the mega Pearl Qatar complex.

The aim of this paper is to explore the development of Pearl Qatar. It is an ambitious housing project that is built on an artificial island in Qatar. The paper will analyze, among others, the impacts of this project on the citys architectural planning.

Basic Information and Documentation

The Construction of an Artificial Island

The advancements in the construction industry are viewed as having changes in the global infrastructure. For example, the construction of artificial islands represents contemporary infrastructural development in the world today. An artificial island, such as the Pearl Qatar, is a landmark that is surrounded by water. It is created artificially by the use of machines and advanced technology (Dahal and Prakash 2013). The creation of the landmark is a demonstration of the ability of engineers and architectures to use various engineering concepts that have introduced radical changes in construction technology.

The creation of artificial islands, such as Pearl Qatar, involves the adoption of land reclamation techniques, dredging, and elaborate soil-bed preparations. It also involves underwater concreting. The most critical process in building these artificial islands is the land reclamation technique. The reclamation simply means the building of new land from water bodies (Dahal and Prakash 2013). The land reclamation concept has been utilized in developed countries, such as the Netherlands and Japan, with remarkable success. Qatar has recently joined the list of countries that have successfully reclaimed land from the sea.

The building approaches involving the use of land reclamation technology entail three significant steps. However, based on the site conditions and subsequent requirements, some changes may be made to these procedures (Dahal and Prakash 2013). The first stage in the building of an artificial island includes the remediation of the sea bed. The remediation is followed by the construction of sea walls and defense. Finally, the fill is used to fully reclaim the land and construct on it.

The remediation involves altering the seabed to avoid settlement issues. The process may vary from one island to another. It is dictated by the different soil characteristics and the geological formations present in the area. The sea defense is composed of the constructions separating the reclaimed land from the water (Dahal and Prakash 2013). The sea defenses are made using different strategies. The objective of erecting the defenses is to ensure that seawater does not encroach into the reclaimed land. Filling in the last crucial process in land recovery. It is used for the purposes of the construction of a manmade island. It includes the use of sand and rabble. The material is used in building the land over the identified seabed. (Dahal and Prakash 2014)

The City of Doha

Qatar can be described as a small and scorched peninsula. The country has witnessed major transformations between the 1960s and 1980s (Wiedmann et al. 46). It has been transformed from a poor British protectorate, which was mainly recognized for pearling, to an independent nation with recognizable modern infrastructure, industries, and services. The transformation has been built using foreign labor. Most of the funding to support these changes has come from oil revenue.

The discovery of oil changed the fortunes of the country, especially with regard to architecture. To this end, the existing slum-like dwellings were replaced by buildings that were considered modern at the time. Oil drilling became a major economic activity. There was also the dredging of the port to accommodate larger ships. With these changes, a new era was witnessed in the Qatari architectural landscape. The era was characterized by the extensive land reclamation that gave Doha a crescent bay (Wiedmann et al. 59). The land reclamation was to be revisited during the development of the Pearl Qatar real estate island.

Within the last few decades, Qatar has witnessed steady urbanization, which is associated with the rapid increase in oil production. Currently, the government is implementing various development initiatives and strategies. The aim of these initiatives is to diversify the countrys economy. The move has resulted in a rapid urban revolution (Wiedmann et al. 55). Doha has witnessed significant growth throughout its history. It used to be a fishing township in the 20^th century. However, today, it has turned into an emerging vibrant urban center. Its population is approximately 1.5 million people. The development calls for an innovative approach to architectural planning in the country.

The city of Doha has expanded significantly. The expansion is supported by iconic buildings and large scale housing projects, such as the Pearl Qatar, which was designed and developed by the United Development Company (Vignal 20). The project is characterized by distinctive architectural themes that are carefully chosen in order to attract potential investors. The Pearl is hailed as a significant piece of reclaimed land and an offshore real estate project that represents modern Arabia. The projects hybrid eclectic style is a reflection of the local and Mediterranean architecture. The hybrid architecture is used for the purposes of establishing a distinctive image.

The naming of the residential districts is also aimed at offering an exotic flavor to the residents. The districts include the Porto Arabia, Viva Bahriya, and Costa Malaz (Vignal 24). The exotic names are meant to add an international flair to the project, which enhances the different lifestyle opportunities available to a cosmopolitan and exclusive multi-cultural community.

The Pearl has given priority to the general make-up of urban setting. The approach includes the use of architecture and distinctive waterfront promenades instead of individual structures. Nevertheless, The Pearl urban housing project is viewed by some sections of the community as lacking local authenticity. The reason is that it uses an eclectic combination of Mediterranean and European architectural styles. The styles are not rooted in the local culture.

As such, they are seen as foreign additions to the local setting (Vignal 24). However, it should be noted that the architectural style is deliberately chosen because the project is not meant to house the local elite. On the contrary, it is meant to attract the international investing community. The architectural style is supposed to be in tandem with the cultures of potential investors. As such, The Pearl projects application of the mix-use development approach produces a potentially surreal Venetian atmosphere.

Geographical Location of The Pearl Qatar

The Pearl Qatar is located within Doha. The Qatari capital city, Doha, is located to the central-east part of the country. It borders the Persian Gulf. The city is only 10m above sea level. The area has witnessed significant land reclamation undertakings on its coast with more than 400 hectares of land added to the city. The city has also added a 30 kilometers coastline to its border (Dahal and Prakash 2015). A significant development in the reclaimed land is the Hamad International Airport. Half of the airports 22km surface area is sitting on reclaimed land.

The Pearl Qatar is an artificial island occupying a reclaimed land of approximately 400 hectares (1,000 acres). The estimated total cost of the Pearl Qatar project is $15 billion on completion (International Business Publications 13). The country has other reclaimed land islands. They include Al Safia, Shrao, and Alia islands. The figure below is a representation of the geographical location of Qatar:

The Climate of Qatar

Doha has an extremely hot dessert climate. The summer season is long and extends from May to September. The average temperatures surpass 38⁰ Centigrade. They can rise up to 45⁰ Centigrade (International Business Publications 14). The city has low humidity especially in the months of May and June. During the summer season, the city experiences almost no precipitation, while other months record less than 20 mm of rain (Wiedmann et al. 56). The country rarely experiences long durations of rainfall with only an average of 75 mm registered in a year. The rain also falls in isolated days. While the winters are cold, temperatures rarely fall below 7⁰ Centigrade (International Business Publications 17).

Literature Review

The Pearl Qatar Development Project

The Pearl Qatar is an offshore, manmade island that is estimated to cost approximately $2.5 billion on completion. The island covers approximately 400 hectares of reclaimed land (Salama and Wiedmann 67). The project is referred to as Qatars first project dealing with international real estate ventures. It is also the biggest real estate development in Doha. The project is a pioneer in the field of freeholds and residential rights. The developers are targeting international buyers and investors (The Pearl Qatar). The figure below is an aerial view of The Pearl Qatar:

The name of the project and its location reflect the countrys traditions. The project creates a link between modernity and the nations historical and cultural association with the sea. The project is expected to house more than 30,000 residents. The residents will occupy an up-scale and culturally diverse community. They will be living in an exclusive and safe island (Salama and Wiedmann 67).

The Pearl Qatar is a four-face development project that comprises of ten districts that were developed over a period of five years. People started occupying the island in 2007. The Riviera-themed districts have three extravagant and international hotels. They also have three marinas. It is noted that the project can accommodate approximately 700 boats. The Pearl Qatar development also has a 60,000 square meters of luxury restaurants and retail outlets space (International Business Publications 56).

The luxurious island is set 350 meters into the sea. It is located in the West Bay area of the city. It increased the length of the coastline by more than 35 kilometers. The project is the brainchild of United Development Company (International Business Publications 56). The developer is one of the largest private companies handling mega-size real estate projects in the country. The figure below is a view of The Pearl Qatar:

Most artificial island developments within the Gulf region are built on areas with sufficient water depths. The water depths allow for easy access of the huge dredging equipment. However, the developers of The Pearl Qatar chose the former pearl bank, a shallow area (International Business Publications 56). By going for a shallow area, the developer significantly reduced the total project requirements, including the fill to be dredged.

The Pearl Qatar development project has been described as a luxurious jewel in the Middle East. The project, spanning over four million square meters, demonstrates the vivid elegance of contemporary grace that carries a subtle mix of Mediterranean, European, and Arabic cultures (Salama and Wiedmann 78). The Pearl Qatar is a mixed- use development that accommodates in excess of 50,000 local and international residents.

The island boasts of 19,000 houses that have been constructed within the distinctly themed precincts. The precincts feature five star hotels and services. In addition, the island has beachfront houses and villas, as well as elegant townhouses, exclusive penthouses, and luxury apartments (Salama and Wiedmann 67). The island has been described as an exclusive and lavish retreat away from bustle of the city of Doha. The development is strategically located near the capital citys business district. It is only takes 20 minutes to drive from the Hamad International Airport to The Pearl Qatar.

A Review of some of the Retail Districts in The Pearl Qatar

Porto Arabia

The figure below is a representation of Porto Arabia, one of the retail districts in The Pearl Qatar:

Porto Arabia is located at the cosmopolitan center of the luxurious Pearl Qatar. The district was the first and probably the largest precinct harboring a dynamic shopping area. It also includes restaurants, hotels, and residential districts (Wiedmann et al. 58). The precinct boasts of beautiful apartments, elegant townhouses, and luxurious penthouses. There are also chic boutiques, as well as world class beverage and food outlets located along the three kilometer waterfront. The setting is similar to that in South France.

The precinct is a ring-shaped development with beautiful landscapes, which are themed along the lines of lush European gardens. The development accommodates 20-story towers with 4800 units and 31 luxury condominiums. In addition, the precinct has 437 townhouses, 380 food courts, and other retail outlets occupying over 100,000 square meters (Wiedmann et al. 52).

Medina Centrale

The figure below is a picture of Medina Centrale:

Medina Centrale is The Pearl Qatars town center. It comprises of an impressive town square, which is surrounded by low-rise Roman style structures featuring terraces and gardens. It offers a wide range of retail and community services for the entire island population (Wiedmann et al. 59). The Medina Centrale precinct is located between the Viva Bayriya and Porto Arabia. The precinct is viewed as the economic hub of the artificial island. It is constructed around a town square that has adjacent streets. Most of the residential buildings at Medina Centrale are low-rise residential structures. They are built with Mediterranean architectural style themes.

Qanat Quartier

The picture below shows The Pearl Qatars Qanat Quartier:

Qanat Quartier is viewed as a little Venice and the finest address in the city of Doha. It is inspired by the waterways and canals found in Amsterdam and Venice. The precinct is located at a waterfront tucked away from the main thoroughfare of the island (Wiedmann et al. 58). The village features a calm and serene environment dotted with an assortment of pastel-colored apartments, penthouses, and townhouses. It is set amidst winding canals, sparking fountains, and quaint squares. In addition, the village has citrus trees planted along buildings and the cobblestone courtyards. The village has art galleries, fashion boutiques, hotels, and restaurants.

The Pearl Qatar: Development and Environment

The Pearl Qatar has a fascinating ambience fashioned in the Mediterranean style. It is characterized by a nostalgic traditional architectural style that embraces modern conveniences. The project has an environment that favors the community. The environment is enhanced by the inclusion of a unique mix of gardens, public plazas, canopies, terraces, and piazzas (Salama and Wiedmann 73). The green spaces are meticulously taken care of. The ambience and the refreshing water features make The Pearl Qatar a scenic place.

The United Development Company

The United Development Company is an innovative private entity. It is concerned with massive investments in Qatar. It is also one of the largest shareholding companies in the regions private sector. In addition, it is one of the top 100 organizations in the gulf region. The United Development Company is a value enterprise that prides itself as a long term investor in carefully selected projects with potential for profitability (International Business Publications 39). In addition, UDC is concerned with the creation of value for its shareholders by actively engaging in profitable investments.

The Pearl Qatar project is one of the companys prestigious projects. The project is regarded as one of the most glamorous addresses in the gulf region. The Pearl Qatar is a cosmopolitan residential community, which is located at the heart of the capital city (International Business Publications 42). The Pearl Qatar development project is meant to attract both local and foreign investors interested in apartments, townhouses, and condominiums.

Analysis, Criticism, Assessment, and Evaluative Statements

In contemporary society, urbanization and architectural practices are regarded as catalysts in relation to the emergence of modern cities. They play a role in maintaining the position of these cities in the age of global knowledge economy (Salama and Wiedmann 78). The perspective is made evident in the infinite urban typologies and forms experienced in Doha.

The architectural design of The Pearl housing development is a distinct demonstration of the infinite possibilities associated with space planning. It is an expression of openness and an inward focus associated with internal spaces. The project buildings are clustered in an up-scale man-made island. The project design is made to the specific requirements of the developer. The development approach to modern architecture appeals to the manifestation of simplicity of spaces. The project districts, for instance, have their distinct beach fronts (The Pearl Qatar).

The designers of the project have approached it from different types of landscapes. The houses front the roads, while the facades are kind of closed. The buildings have narrow windows meant to break the textured surfaces. The project also includes parking lots paved with cobblestone and residential units surrounded by soft landscaping separated by driveways and walkways (Vignal 20).

. Through the promotion of new opportunities and a desirable lifestyle, the emerging urban images are developed in key spaces within the city. A case in point is the striking and iconic waterfront development, which is the exclusive The Pearl Qatar. The project is characterized by a number of eclectic styles borrowed from regional and international architectural projects. It is aimed at promoting a distinctive development project that uses European-themed design and construction of the housing development

Mega construction projects, such as The Pearl Qatar housing development, are hailed as progressive ventures with the potential of putting Qatar on the world map as an investment destination. However, many architectural critics view the projects as too ambitious for a tiny country operating on a limited timeframe (Dahal and Prakash 2015). The critics point out that there are numerous delays in the construction timelines. For instance, The Pearl Qatar project, which is being undertaken by United Development Company on the vast reclaimed land, was started in 2004 with a completion date set for 2012. However, the project is still ongoing.

Conclusions and Recommendations

The construction of The Pearl Qatar housing project, which commenced in 2004, is an ambitious undertaking by the United Development Company. The housing development is built on reclaimed land. The project occupies an artificial island off the seashore of Doha, the capital city of Qatar. The Pearl Qatar development project has been described as a luxurious jewel in the Middle East. The project, spanning over four million square meters, is a representation of the elegance of contemporary architecture. The architectural design carries a subtle dash of Mediterranean, European, and Arabic cultures.

The Pearl Qatar is a mixed- use development that accommodates in excess of 50,000 local and international residents. It boasts of 19,000 houses that have been constructed within the uniquely themed districts. The precincts have five star hotels and accommodation services. In addition, the island has beachfront houses, villas, townhouses, penthouses, and luxury apartments. The project was the first to offer freehold property rights to the international investment community. On completion, the development project will be one of Qatars iconic structures. It will be used to promote the image of the country in the international community. However, the project has been mired by delays. The delays have affected the plans of the investors to meet important construction timelines.

It is the recommendation of this paper that the developers of the Pearl Qatar residential project should accelerate the construction of the remaining phase of the project. The aim is to attract tourists, as well as short and long-term residents. The project is an iconic development in the country. As such, further delays would impact negatively on the image of the nation.

Works Cited

Dahal, Ishwar, and Om Prakash. The Study on Construction of Artificial Island using Land Reclamation Techniques. Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research, vol. 3, no. 2, 2017, pp. 2013-2016.

International Business Publications. Qatar Country Study Guide Volume 1: Strategic Information and Developments. International Business Publications, Inc., 2015.

Salama, Ashraf, and Florian Wiedmann. Demystifying Doha: On Architecture and Urbanism in an Emerging City. Routledge, 2016.

The Pearl Qatar. Explore the Island. 2017. Web.

Vignal, Leila. Under Construction: Logics of Urbanism in the Gulf Region. Ashgate Publishing Ltd., 2014.

Wiedmann, Florian, et al. Urban Evolution of the City of Doha: An Investigation into the Impact of Economic Transformations on Urban Structures. Middle East Technical University Journal of the Faculty of Architecture, vol. 29, no. 2, 2012, pp. 35-61.

England of the 18th century underwent many fundamental social, political, and cultural changes which also contributed to the transformation of the countrys landscape. The industrial revolution and exploitation of colonies allowed the creation of a vast class of wealthy people who supported the new tendencies in architecture and landscape design. Many prominent architects promoted new style in landscape design characterized by a non-systematic approach to the construction of parks and focusing on structuring gardens through the combination of separate completed views thematically united among each other. Lancelot Capability Brown was one of the most famous representatives of this new direction in landscape architecture. Brown chose the profession of a gardener in his youth and refined his skills until he reached the very peak of mastership (Brown and Williamson 87). Impeccable skills, well-developed taste, and artistic approach made his professional principles the pillars of the English style in landscape design.

Capability Brown believed that a garden can be created by virtue of poetic feelings and eyes of an artist (Shultnan 17). Consistently with this perspective, he always proceeded his work from the examination of existing natural landscapes explaining it by the idea that every territory hides some implicit capabilities which are to be revealed and emphasized. Brown never transformed a landscape like the French craftsmen did in their regular parks, but only favorably highlighted its benefits and retouched potential flaws. This basic principle of work became the architects trademark that provided him with a good income and the honorary name of Capability Brown (Lancelot Capability Brown par. 2).

The architect has introduced many innovative techniques which became universally applicable to the design of both small and large territories. For example, Brown formulated the rule of landscape structuring which states that a landscape should be constructed in a way that its foreground could be drawn up in details, the middle distance would be outlined more vaguely, with larger strokes; and the background would remain untouched (Brown 95). Capability Brown treated the natural qualities of a territory with particular care. If he found a beautiful piece, he deliberately changed the track route to include this natural object into his landscape garden. Meandering park lanes can be regarded as another feature of Browns work. He considered straight tracks unnatural and did not consider them of any value. The architect often endowed his park lanes with bizarre twists to surprise viewers with unexpectedly revealing beautiful outlooks (Brown 176).

Brown liked to work with water it often became the central element of his landscapes (Brown 83). For example, Stowe Landscape Gardens are considered one of best Browns work characterized by a great variety of scenery changes based on the rhythmic impression increase (e.g. entrance to the palace through the Grand alley leading from the south and then through a series of park landscapes leading to the north facade), gradual scenery unfolding (inclusion of architectural objects), or variations on a particular theme (outlook on the palace through the Corinthian Arch) (McGillivray par. 3). Browns use of water at Stowe Gardens is also associated with multiple solutions  it serves as a light and open mirror in front of the palace, or closed and gradually approaching forest stream, or takes the shape of cascades decorated with grottos and bridges.

Browns landscapes represent the delicately thought out and masterfully executed subordination and unity of spatial, natural elements, and compositional components scenes. These inherent features of Browns works make them outstand among all masterpieces of landscape design. His artistic approach allowed the creation of gardens in which the boundary between a designed landscape and wild nature vanished letting viewers get the supreme aesthetic pleasure and leaving a long-lasting taste of sublimity.

Works Cited

Brown, David, and Tom Williamson. Lancelot Brown and the Capability Men: Landscape Revolution in Eighteenth-century England, London, UK: Reaktion Books, 2016. Print.

McGillivray, Glen. Nature Transformed: English Landscape Gardens and Theatrum Mundi. M/C Journal 19.4 (2016). Web.

Shultnan, Nicola. The Genius Of The Place. New Criterion 35.2 (2016): 16-21. Academic Search Complete. Web.

Lancelot Capability Brown. (2016). Web.