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Brad and Brits in Dubai - 4 June 2008

As places where a sense of perspective and a grounding in reality are conspicuously absent, Hollywood and Dubai could be twinned cities, and now the association between the two is coming even closer with the announcement that actor Brad Pitt is to design a new hotel in the Emirate.

Architecture has long been a passion for Pitt, and he says that this project will be his first foray into hands-on design. The 800-room luxury hotel is to be ‘socially conscious’ and an example in environmental sustainability, according to the developer, Zabeel Properties. Although details are currently unconfirmed for the precise location and other features to be included around the hotel complex, Pitt and the team of design consultants will have said to “expect something that is not only stunning to look at, but will also be an incredible attraction to visit or stay at.”

This development also underpins the actor’s fascination with architecture and structural design, which he says has been a passion for many years. He is currently helping to build 150 homes in the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans, an area that suffered some of the worst flooding and after-effects of Hurricane Katrina. These homes are also planned to be as environmentally sustainable as possible.

The new hotel project, and more than likely the chance to spot a few celebrity guests, should draw plenty of British visitors. Latest figures show that British companies now own more land in Dubai than any other foreign nation, having recently overtaken Indian companies. Statistics from the Dubai Land Department show that British companies now own some 1,900,000 sq ft of land, compared with the 862,000 sq ft owned by Indian investors in Dubai.

While the property market in the UK continues to struggle, the prospects for Dubai going into the future are looking rosy.

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