Artificial Coastlines // UAE
Witness the unprecedented terraforming of the Persian Gulf. Dubai's "Palm" and "World" islands represent a radical shift in coastal morphology. Since 1980, the emirate has literalized the concept of human-made geography, dredging billions of cubic meters of sand to create land where there was only ocean.
While these structures are engineering marvels, they have profoundly altered local currents and marine ecosystems. The massive energy requirements for cooling and desalination in these offshore developments create a continuous feedback loop of carbon intensity.
Artificial extension of local shores.
Sand dredged from the sea floor.
Critical cooling and desalination.