Dubai Frame

Dubai Frame is a building shaped like a giant gold-clad picture frame, in Zabeel Park. The idea is simple: from the top you see old Dubai on one side, with Deira and the Creek, and new Dubai on the other, with Sheikh Zayed Road and the towers.

The structure opened to the public on 1 January 2018. It is built from two towers 150 metres high, about 48 floors, joined at the top by a glass bridge. The facade is clad in gold-toned stainless steel, and according to Gulf News its design draws on the Expo 2020 logo. In its first year about a million people visited.

The visit is built like a story in three chapters. It starts in the Old Dubai gallery, a multimedia exhibition about the journey from fishing village to modern city, with a look at Emirati heritage. The gallery is also dedicated to Sheikh Rashid and Sheikh Zayed, and uses holographic projections, mist and scents to take visitors back to the Dubai of the past. From there a lift takes you up to the sky bridge, which represents the Dubai of today, and then you go down to the Future Dubai gallery.

The construction itself is part of the story. According to Gulf News, about 3,600 engineers, architects, technicians and workers were involved in the project, and some 2,000 tonnes of steel went into it. The sky bridge was lifted into place with four hydraulic jacks, very slowly, over two days. Four lifts carry visitors to the bridge in about 75 seconds.

The top bridge is the heart of the visit. From it you see the city in every direction: old Dubai to the north and new Dubai to the south. Part of the floor is made of glass, and through it you look down at the park 150 metres below.

On the way down you pass through a tunnel with light and sound effects, and enter the Future Dubai gallery. It shows how the city might look several decades from now, with the transport, construction and technology of the future.

Dubai Frame suits families, couples and anyone who wants a short, easy viewpoint without spending half a day. It is also a good way to understand the geography of the city on the first or second day of a trip, before you head out into the neighbourhoods themselves.

Tip: towards sunset you see both sides of the city in daylight and then in the evening lights. The complex also has a garden, a souvenir shop and somewhere to eat.

Dubai Frame is open all year, every day 8:00–21:00, including weekends and holidays. During Ramadan and holidays the hours may change. From October to April it is more pleasant to walk over from the metro and wander through the park afterwards. In summer a taxi to the gate is better. The finest hour is towards sunset, when the city is seen in daylight and then the lights come on. On a hazy or dusty day the view is limited, so it is worth checking the forecast before setting out.