Stepping out of The Dubai Mall, with its 10 million-litre aquarium, oil millionaires enthusiastically rev their Lamborginis as crowds gather in front of a lavish fountain display, all overlooked by the world’s tallest building. It’s a scene that encapsulates the UAE’s obsession with glamour, spectacle and wealth, but it’s also a transient moment: The 828m Burj Kahlifa tower will be eclipsed in 2020 by an even talle...