ABSTRACT
This chapter takes the claims made by the Waterfront's developers as a point of departure to discuss the complex interplay between political structure, economic conditions and architecture in Dubai. It provides a brief overview of the governance structure of the Dubai Emirate. The chapter considers how these political and economic forces have contributed to shaping the built environment, focusing on challenges to sustainability-related measures and the complex issue of identity'. Dubai's system of governance is autocratic; however, scholars often point to the neo-patrimonial aspects of the system that result in a hybrid web of bureaucratic state structures that are intermeshed with the patronage networks. Another important aspect of Dubai's governance structure is the complex relationship between the public and private sectors. Maintaining the delicate balance between public authorities and the private sector, and ensuring that FDI flows in to support growth in the Emirate, are strategies that influence decision-making, policy formulation and the design and construction of the built environment.
