Out of all the otherworldly stuff I’ve experience here in the Middle East so far, none has really left me both shaking my head in both amazement and confusion than the Burj Dubai.

As evidenced by the video I’ve posted above, the Burj Dubai is the tallest free-standing structure in the world, larger than my hometown’s beloved CN Tower.

The tower, estimated to be 890.7 metres high and its cranes are currently scheduled to be dismantled this August. But what the Burj Dubai will mean for the city is unknown. Although the Burj is almost completed, it still remains much of a mystery to the rest of the world. Its developer, Emaar Properties, is not doing any press for the building,

The CN Tower, a similiar towen that projects into the sky with the same wanton desire the Burj Dubai has, ultimately found itself in the hearts of Torontonians only several years after the criticism over its purpose died down. It was also built at a time where Toronto was experiencing a property boom of sorts, leading the charge for the SkyDome and a number of waterfront properties to be built around it.

Dubai, as a city, is in the middle of a fairly large-scale transformation as well. After spending years building residential and hotel condominiums across the city as well as a reputation for excess and luxury, the expatriate population is projected to dramatically fall this year, just under 20% by some estimates. The exodus has led some media outlets to begin writing off the city, plaguing it with bad press.

While I disagree with the majority of the negative publicity Dubai is getting, it still faces a lofty goal of coming to terms with what the city’s identity will look like, even though Dubai currently has the Burj Al Arab, another iconic building in the Emirate.Regardless, to me, Dubai serves as the perfect case study on how architecture can influence how the inhabitants of a city react to its environment.

I don’t know how the city, one with such a migrant expatriate population, will accept the Burj Dubai and influence the rest of the city. I also don’t think I’m the right person to answer that question. But at the very least, it’ll be interesting to see how it all plays out over here.

And now a special treat, a video of the dancing fountains at the base of the Burj Dubai and right outside the Dubai Mall, an equally monstrous addition to the city’s skyline. Enjoy.