The Dubai Frame: A Bridge Between Old and New

The Dubai Frame in Zabeel Park is one of the city's most cleverly conceived attractions. At 150 metres tall and 93 metres wide, it is a giant picture frame — quite literally — and the design is intentional. Looking through the frame from the south side, you see old Dubai, the low-rise heritage neighbourhoods of Deira and Bur Dubai. Turn around and look north, and through the same frame you see the gleaming towers of the modern city. It is a physical metaphor for the transformation Dubai has undergone in a single generation. The visitor experience inside is well designed. The ground floor takes you through the history of Dubai, using multimedia displays to show what the city looked like before the oil era changed everything. Lifts take you up to the bridge connecting the two towers, a glass-floored walkway 150 metres above the ground. Many people hesitate at the glass floor before stepping out. Most find it manageable once they are on it. The view is excellent — you genuinely do see both faces of the city at once. Tickets are reasonably priced by Dubai standards and the visit takes about 90 minutes.