Saudi prince to build tallest building

I guess nobody told these guys about the global meltdown. Check you these stats:

Sunday's statement by his firm, Kingdom Holding Company, says the building will be more than a kilometer (3,281 feet) high and will be part of a larger project that will cost 100 billion Saudi riyals ($26.7 billion).

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The worlds tallest building, The Burj Dubai is only (!) 707m but they are still building.

The states comprising the United Arab Emirates are racing to convert oil into infrastructure.
I believe that they intend being the major gateway hub to the new emerging markets of the East (a 6 runway airport etc.. on the way)

And in the process by-passing Europe .

As a statement, I'd be more impressed if they used the money for R&D into alternative energies, or maybe into irrigation projects &c.

Whilst I do appreciate architecture and my biggest regret is not choosing architecture at university, tall buildings for tall building sake tend to make me think small... well, you get my point.

Originally posted by Merriman Weir
Whilst I do appreciate architecture and my biggest regret is not choosing architecture at university, tall buildings for tall building sake tend to make me think small... well, you get my point.

haha! Yes I guess you are right. But I think the Oil States are creating an infrastructure that will be the new hub of the world. Alternative energies would be great, but I think that would not be very profitable for them right now.

reply to post by deltaalphanovember


On the contrary, investing money in alternative energy research would probably prove profitable for them.

The world would go nuts thinking oil is running out, driving the price higher and higher.

Originally posted by deltaalphanovember

Originally posted by Merriman Weir
Whilst I do appreciate architecture and my biggest regret is not choosing architecture at university, tall buildings for tall building sake tend to make me think small... well, you get my point.

haha! Yes I guess you are right. But I think the Oil States are creating an infrastructure that will be the new hub of the world. Alternative energies would be great, but I think that would not be very profitable for them right now.

I'm in agreement with the poster above, I think alternative energies would be profitable. It's not as if they've not got the money to put into R&D and it's not as if there's not a market and they get to be the world leader in a new cultural paradigm. Again, they get to make a massive statement as to who's biggest and best but, this time without raising Freudian eye brows!

reply to post by deltaalphanovember


I think they may be trying that, but in the end if there is no oil left, I seriously doubt they will be able to survive on tourism alone..... no matter how tall their skyscrapers are.

With no real wealth left, why would people want to go spend their leisure time someplace so inhospitable?

Karl, I don't think they are trying to attract tourists as much as trying to attract wealth. I think a lot of the worlds money is in the process of actively relocating (or considering) there seeing as there are massive incentives for this:

It is the largest commercial and industrial ‘free zone’ in the Middle East and offers the best tax incentives in the world for both private investors and commercial business. It is directly linked to the Jebel Ali Seaport which is located about 40kms from Dubai city centre. The harbour is the largest, most advanced and efficient man made harbour in the world which in turn is linked to Dubai international airport’s state-of-the-art air cargo village. The village and the seaport combined allow for the world’s fastest sea-air transport turnaround in as little as 4 hours, and the strategic location of the free zone and Dubai itself allows for companies to have easy access to the 1.5 billion consumers in the countries surrounding the Gulf and Red Sea.

Tax Free Zones

There is a bigger picture here. Arabs have always been sharp businessmen.

Latest update:

The building is planned to be more than a MILE high:
5250 feet to be exact and will be more than twice as the current record holder. The cost? 5 billion pounds! (probably a lot more once it is completed).

To get an idea of how high this building will be, take a look at the graphics in the linked article:

Link

On a clear day, the view from the top will take in the Middle East, North Africa and the Indian Ocean - providing you've a head for heights.

(fixed link)


[edit on 13/11/08 by Jbird]