Ten years ago, there were more than 800 individual buildings under construction in Dubai at any given time. Today, Dubai and Abu Dhabi suffer from a vast oversupply of real estate: some claim that as much at 40 per cent of buildings are vacant, though plans for more development are in the works.
Matthias Heiderich, a Berlin-based photographer, captured the construction market in crisp pastel tones during a trip to both cities earlier this year.
The self-taught Heiderich, whose photos of contemporary architecture have made him somewhat of a star online, bought his first camera in 2008. In the five years since, he’s been able to transition into photography full-time, supporting himself with editorial work and profits from his online store.
It’s hard to believe some of these images are real — the incredible scale of construction versus the complete absence of human beings is shocking, even if you’re familiar with the area. Still, the post-Recession construction boom shows no sign of slowing: just a few weeks ago, the UAE overtook Saudi Arabia as the Middle East’s biggest construction market. [Matthias Heiderich]
