Baku seems to be a paradise for architects. Wherever you go, wherever you look, there is always something being build or restored. It would not be an exaggeration to call this place one big construction site! Here are some photos by J & I to prove it:
Same may argue, that the city’s so called modern architecture and planning are a result of some crazy experiment!
Even the pavements throughout the city seem to be always under construction... missing pavers... building materials lying around. You really need to have eyes in the back of your head if you don’t want to fall into one of Baku’s many traps!
This construction boom is stimulated by the oil industry, which is currently making a lot of money for Baku and some of its citizens. Baku was known for its oil from about the 10th century, but it was not until the beginning of the 20th century, when the first offshore search for oil began. That is when the city began growing rapidly and became a boomtown, attracting workers and businessmen from Russia.
Since the 1990s, western oil consortia have also been investing in exploration of oil resources and the BTC oil pipeline was built. It is one of the world’s longest oil pipelines, transporting oil from Baku, through Tbilisi, to the Turkish port of Ceyhan on the Mediterrean. This is a very significant gain for the West as it ensures the delivery of Azeri oil to Europe independently from Russia or Iran. The oil attracts foreign investment and Azerbaijan’s economy is doing well. Baku is booming again and experiences an influx of expats from Western Europe. Property prices and the cost of living are increasing and are currently similar to European levels (Lech, 2007; Lonely Planet, 2008). Some locals joke that Baku is just as expensive as London or Moscow, but it is not far from the truth. In fact, some things are already more expensive. For example, a cup of coffee anywhere near the town centre costs around 5 manat (= 5 euro). Before I came here, I was hoping that I would be able to feel rich for once in my life... How quickly I had to open my eyes!
But going back to the construction business, there are some of the world’s most expensive hotels being built in Baku right now: Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, Four Seasons, etc. But who are they aimed at? Wealthy tourists? Businessmen? Some say that Baku will become another Dubai. But do the locals really need another Dubai in Baku? Who will it benefit? Who will be left out? Is anyone going to address such questions?
References:
Noble, Kohn &Systermans (2008) “Georgia, Armenia & Azerbaijan”, Lonely Planet.
Lech (2007) “Guide to Azerbaijan”, Baku: EUROPA publishing house.
I am really glad that you wrote last paragraph, cause exactly same questions running through my mind while I was reading your article. And it is very dangerous have whole economy build just on one pillar (oil). Good example of that is Detroit in USA which have become dead city after crisis in car industry.
ReplyDeletem.