ABSTRACT
The word cosmopolitan is frequently used in describing cities such as Dubai whose entire ‘ethos’ is predicated on this rather vague construct. Mapping Nasser Square was part of the author research project which also included Hor al Anz street. The physical structure of the setting, the space in front of the metro station, the edges along the lawns, can be conceived as a stage. Nasser Square in its current incarnation is an embodiment of the neoliberal city. It expresses a desire to commodify urban experiences, by removing any semblance of informality, unpredictability and disorder. Admittedly such hopes may be wildly optimistic given the overall character of the space which is much more geared towards a transient urban experience. Modernism in architecture and planning was being criticized for all sorts of things, with numerous social ills ranging from violence to urban crime attributed to its principles.
