# DIFC VS BFH



## Emirates ME (Sep 6, 2004)

(DIFC)  





































(BFH)


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## Krazy (Apr 27, 2004)

Architecture wise, definitely BFH


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## smussuw (Feb 1, 2004)

Krazy said:


> Architecture wise, definitely BFH


I agree.


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## crazyeight (Dec 18, 2004)

BFH!!!


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## SkyFan (Feb 5, 2005)

Krazy said:


> Architecture wise, definitely BFH


Me too.


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## AltinD (Jul 15, 2004)

^ Me Three


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## juiced (Aug 18, 2004)

Me four


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## Emirates ME (Sep 6, 2004)

DIFC have Other projects


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## Bahraini Spirit (Dec 14, 2002)

Ya architecturally, BFH wins this. Success-wise, of course I'd wish BFH a great success and also to our brothers in Dubai. Hopefully they can both achieve what they're built for.

Some more pics of BFH, better than the ones above (for whomever didn't see them):


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## Krazy (Apr 27, 2004)

This one is my favorite render


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## Dubai_Boy (May 21, 2003)

Bahrains wins hands down (design wise) but i cant see it outdoing Dubai financially


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## Bahraini Spirit (Dec 14, 2002)

Well financially speaking, it's miles ahead of Dubai, established since 30 years. Dubai is gettin big names but that's not the bottom line. Dubai's potential is a magnet, but Bahrain's regulations and rules are much better. Islamic Finance, Bahrain is the best place in the world. But hey, inshalla both do good.


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## ahmedr (Feb 1, 2004)

I think architecturally, DIFC is much better, at least there's lots of architectural variety unlike BFH where all the buildings look the same.


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## Bahraini Spirit (Dec 14, 2002)

Look the same, you probably mean glass colour but the designs are different. How are they the same?


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## Dubai-Lover (Jul 4, 2004)

sorry dubai, you can't win this!
design and architecture-wise bfh is way better
let's see how these two financial centres will compete with each other when they have been finished


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## DUBAI (Aug 24, 2004)

for the buildings, id go for bahrain. but dubai will be the regional financial centre. i doubt they will fuckup any worse than they have done already, so with the regulations in place it will be attractive. and i cant see financiers living in bahrain ahead of duai, it willprobably have the same problem that ethiad airlines are having, living in dubai is too attractive, all the staff they poached from emirates are returning to dubai, despite better pay in abu dhabi.


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## BinDubai (Aug 31, 2004)

Although BFH has nice design we can't forget DIFC's Gate which has a stunning design  the hexagon as well and not to mention the residance 2 all of them have stunning design..
BFH show's it's final design but DIFC does not and thats beneficial for DIFC we can't predict who's going to win in means of architecture 
and just to comment of the Islamic finance issue i'd like to add that DIB (Dubai Islamic Bank) was the world's first islamic finanical establishment in the whole world
I'd like to add this pic which reflects modren architecture in DIFC








cheers


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## juiced (Aug 18, 2004)

DUBAI said:


> for the buildings, id go for bahrain. but dubai will be the regional financial centre. i doubt they will fuckup any worse than they have done already, so with the regulations in place it will be attractive. and i cant see financiers living in bahrain ahead of duai, it willprobably have the same problem that ethiad airlines are having, living in dubai is too attractive, all the staff they poached from emirates are returning to dubai, despite better pay in abu dhabi.


I would have thought Emirates and Etihad would have non poaching agreements!


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## ahmedr (Feb 1, 2004)

> Look the same, you probably mean glass colour but the designs are different. How are they the same?


Both the colour and architecture are very similar. The buildings all have almost identical facades, curves and those pointy roofs/spires. I cant put my finger exactly at what I dont like about BFH but I feel DIFC has a lot more character and as of yet it still has the prettiest buildings announced in Dubai like Park Towers, Sky Gardens, Hexagon, Liberty House, One Central Park and the Gate.


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## juiced (Aug 18, 2004)

ahmed, do you think it may be within your gut?


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## Bahraini Spirit (Dec 14, 2002)

DUBAI said:


> for the buildings, id go for bahrain. but dubai will be the regional financial centre. i doubt they will fuckup any worse than they have done already, so with the regulations in place it will be attractive. and i cant see financiers living in bahrain ahead of duai, it willprobably have the same problem that ethiad airlines are having, living in dubai is too attractive, all the staff they poached from emirates are returning to dubai, despite better pay in abu dhabi.



Well I disagree with you, Bahrain has been the regional financial center for 3 decades and it's performing really strong (just attracted a major US insurance company and not long ago the Bank of China). The reason why you don't hear much of this is that it doesn't get as much publicity as Dubai does. Dubai might lure a lot of banks but to be the best financial center, you'll need atleast a decade, won't happen in a day. DIFC has made a lot of public announcements of who joined (some big names) while BFH didn't announce any names yet (only a couple) and it was 35% occupied before construction started. Again Dubai has potential but the rules themselves aren't enough to start with (anywhere anyways) as things on paper can be different in practice (might sound contradicting but not really).


I think that there are gaps that Bahrain and Dubai can bridge, I don't see any one financial center in the region. There are too many initiatives that need to be covered. Overlapping will occur but honestly, bridging is the only way to unlock the region's full potential.

In the end, competition is best for both and it's not seen as a danger or threat as many may conceive it to be.


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## Bahraini Spirit (Dec 14, 2002)

ahmedr said:


> Both the colour and architecture are very similar. The buildings all have almost identical facades, curves and those pointy roofs/spires. I cant put my finger exactly at what I dont like about BFH but I feel DIFC has a lot more character and as of yet it still has the prettiest buildings announced in Dubai like Park Towers, Sky Gardens, Hexagon, Liberty House, One Central Park and the Gate.



It's a matter of preference really, but I honestly due believe a uniform environment is important rather than multiple designs that can be an eyesore if they're not designed to fit each other. For example, Canary Wharf in London has buildings with just about the same design, slightly different facade and one building with a pyramid.


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## DUBAI (Aug 24, 2004)

all i was trying to point out was that if u walk up to somone on a global street and say here are two highly paying, identical job offers, one at DIFC and one at BFC, 95% of them will go to dubai. 

i disagree about multiple financial centres, one will dominate, the others become subordinate, like London in Europe and NY in the US, its not to say that others arent around or important, but for ease and simplicity, all controling aspects have to be in one place.


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## Bahraini Spirit (Dec 14, 2002)

DUBAI said:


> all i was trying to point out was that if u walk up to somone on a global street and say here are two highly paying, identical job offers, one at DIFC and one at BFC, 95% of them will go to dubai.
> 
> i disagree about multiple financial centres, one will dominate, the others become subordinate, like London in Europe and NY in the US, its not to say that others arent around or important, but for ease and simplicity, all controling aspects have to be in one place.



I agree with you on that point really. If you mean employees, most likely yes, cause Dubai is a city of mostly expats and I think the way it's been goin, it's been built more for expats (very few locals). 

Actually Frankfurt is not to far off London, but in the Gulf, I don't see one financial center atleast for the time being. Too much untapped potential and with financial centers of different initiatives, one can't cover them all.


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## Emirates ME (Sep 6, 2004)

BFH intelligent designing 

DIFC Architecture better


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## SkyFan (Feb 5, 2005)

Bahraini Spirit said:


> Actually Frankfurt is not to far off London, but in the Gulf, I don't see one financial center atleast for the time being. Too much untapped potential and with financial centers of different initiatives, one can't cover them all.


I belive that the untapped potential is in Islamic finance and I think DIFC and BFH should make it thier main fucus.


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## Bahraini Spirit (Dec 14, 2002)

SkyFan said:


> I belive that the untapped potential is in Islamic finance and I think DIFC and BFH should make it thier main fucus.


I can tell you that that's high on the agenda for BFH and also DIFC. It's the future i believe.


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## dubaiflo (Jan 3, 2005)

go for bhf....
but we need some better renders of difc inclunding the announced towers, how they really look like...that is missing so far..
perhaps i would change my decision, as i love the hexagon and sky gardens...


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## luv2bebrown (Nov 4, 2004)

the DIFC low rises that comprise the main office space really bother me. they are too blocky and unimaginitive. I kinda wish that BFH style buildings would surround the gate instead of those simplistic blocks. imagine the BFH flanked encircled by taller buildings. it would look amazing.


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## Bahraini Spirit (Dec 14, 2002)

luv2bebrown said:


> the DIFC low rises that comprise the main office space really bother me. they are too blocky and unimaginitive. I kinda wish that BFH style buildings would surround the gate instead of those simplistic blocks. imagine the BFH flanked encircled by taller buildings. it would look amazing.



Sounds interesting, maybe a few 70+ story buildings hehe.


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## crazyeight (Dec 18, 2004)

ok i know this is off-topic but is it true that bahrain was once a part of the united arab emirates?


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## Krazy (Apr 27, 2004)

No I think they were invited to become a part of the UAE when it was formed but they said no.


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## ahmedr (Feb 1, 2004)

I think for Bahrain was part of the UAE for one or two years and then went its own way?


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## Bahraini Spirit (Dec 14, 2002)

No, I heard two stories about this bein:

(1) Bahrain rejected to be part of the UAE
(2) The UAE didn't want it because most of the population will be Bahraini given the very low number of UAE local compared to expats, even though Bahrain said let the capital be Abu Dhabi, no problem with that.

That's all i know in short words.


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## DUBAI (Aug 24, 2004)

i heard Bahrain said no because Qatar said no, the bahrainis didnt see why they should have a 'lesser' status to ther neighbours. its a shame though, an expanded uae would have beeen awesome, and far more influential in the region


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## Krazy (Apr 27, 2004)

I think Oman was invited too.


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## smussuw (Feb 1, 2004)

Bahraini Spirit said:


> No, I heard two stories about this bein:
> 
> (1) Bahrain rejected to be part of the UAE
> (2) The UAE didn't want it because most of the population will be Bahraini given the very low number of UAE local compared to expats, even though Bahrain said let the capital be Abu Dhabi, no problem with that.
> ...


I dont think that bahraini are more than emarati at that time and even now. I think the reason for Bahrian and Qatar royal familes rejected because they were greedy and wanted to form their own countries. Although I would have loved to have 9 emirates. I think now Qatar and Bahrian are satisfied and they even had fixed many things in their politial systems unlike the UAE which is way ahead.

lets hope the GCC become something like Europe Union. Sheikh of Qatar was here last week and they are cooperating in a higher level than before. Good luck to our countries.


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## Bahraini Spirit (Dec 14, 2002)

smussuw said:


> I dont think that bahraini are more than emarati at that time and even now. I think the reason for Bahrian and Qatar royal familes rejected because they were greedy and wanted to form their own countries. Although I would have loved to have 9 emirates. I think now Qatar and Bahrian are satisfied and they even had fixed many things in their politial systems unlike the UAE which is way ahead.
> 
> lets hope the GCC become something like Europe Union. Sheikh of Qatar was here last week and they are cooperating in a higher level than before. Good luck to our countries.



UAE ahead politically, I don't think soo. Economically yes but there are many things that Qatar and Bahrain surpass the UAE in.


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## Qatar4Ever (Feb 3, 2004)

I think bahrain wins in the architecture. Also bahrain is and has been for such a long time the financial heart for the region. It is well established in this industry whereas dubai is creating this industry. also barhain business culture is very finance and banking bias, almost every bahraini i know works in the financial industry. It would be interesting to see how both financial centers will compete with each other. I have a feeling that in some areas dubai might win, but bahrain will always be more established in the finance world because of their experience.

As for the story about bahrain and qatar joining the uae. Bahrain never joined the uae becuase bahrain didnt see AD as being the capital. Bahrain asked that manama be the capital becuase at the time manama along with kuwait city were the most modern cities in the gulf way ahead of AD and the rest of the gulf. probably the only ones with good infrastructure, schools, and universities. Plus bahrain had a more active political body. whereas AD had more oil meaning more money meaning more power. As for qatar, qatar had joined for almost two years, but saw it better to part from the UAE and seek self rule.

smussuw, i beg to differ on some points. I dont think the reason bahrain and qatar parted was due to greed of their royal family, and im sure you could of found a better word than "greed0." Infact if they did stay with the uae that would mean AD and its royal family would pay them large sums of money to moderinze their countries. So if they did stay it would of probably been for greed, but they chose to be independent.
You also make a comment about UAE being way ahead, not sure if you meant uae is way ahead politically than bahrain or qatar or the other way around ?!

As for qatar emir visit to AD. I think that was really great, and perfect timing also. There is a strong move in qatar to push for stronger economic ties, serious economic ties not stuff on paper, with countries like bahrain, uae and oman. this is real great. shk. hamed althani also visited dubai, i dunno if you guys noticed but there were pictures of him in i believe nakheel office, he was looking at the palm models. he seemed very impressed.


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## SkyFan (Feb 5, 2005)

..


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