Burj Khalifa;World's Tallest Skyscraper

[McLaren]

As of June 2007, the Burj Dubai had become the world's 2nd tallest building standing 130 floors. On July 1st, 8 more floors were finished. It is projected to pass the Taipei 101 and the CN Tower by September.

February 2006:

May 2007:

I posted this here as a Current Event because this is really history in the making. Such feats are making the Empire State Building look like nothing. It even has competition from the Al Burj down the road, and a tower called the Murjan Tower in Bahrain.

Do you guys think this a good idea considering it's the middle east, or disaster waiting?

 

[Sage]

Do you guys think this a good idea considering it's the middle east […]

Middle Easterners don’t like tall buildings? Huh?

 

[Tornado]

Do you guys think this a good idea considering it's the middle east

I doubt there will be any terrorist attacks in a stable country that isn't on any terrorist hit lists. Just because it is there and has prominence does not mean it will be blown up.

 

[Slick Rick]

Thats amazing, They work so quickly. Heres a link if anyone wants to read up more on it:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burj_Dubai

 

[McLaren]

Middle Easterners don’t like tall buildings? Huh?

Well, I mean the Middle East isn't exactly a safe area. Dubai is becoming a market that wants to attract American tourism. And given the current state of Middle Eastern Terrorists attitudes towards Americans in their regions, it might cause problems, imo. Yes, it might likely do nothing, but you never know.

@Toronado, sure they might not have to worry about terrorists, but anything is possible considering the workers of the Burj Dubai went on a strike for 1 day causing $1 million in damages to the building, and cars/objects that belonged to building. That's not a lot compared to a U.S. workers' strike, but that same strike took a bigger effect on a new airport.

I'm just wondering if someone might thinks this tower might have some effect on the future, whether it be good or bad.

 

[wfooshee]

Well, I mean the Middle East isn't exactly a safe area. Dubai is becoming a market that wants to attract American tourism. And given the current state of Middle Eastern Terrorists attitudes towards Americans in their regions, it might cause problems, imo. Yes, it might likely do nothing, but you never know.

@Toronado, sure they might not have to worry about terrorists, but anything is possible considering the workers of the Burj Dubai went on a strike for 1 day causing $1 million in damages to the building, and cars/objects that belonged to building. That's not a lot compared to a U.S. workers' strike, but that same strike took a bigger effect on a new airport.

I'm just wondering if someone might thinks this tower might have some effect on the future, whether it be good or bad.

Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, etc. are not in the same category as Lebanon, Iraq, Iran, Syria, or Jordan. It's like saying Sweden is dangerous because of the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The UAE especially is enjoying phenominal growth recently.

That tower is not an isolated incident. It didn't spring up out of sterile desert. These are large cities, and huge economic interests.

If you're saying such a tall building automatically becomes a target, a la World Trade Center, I just don't see it.

 

[Kylehnat]

Such feats are making the Empire State Building look like nothing.

So the Model T is nothing because the Focus can go faster?

 

[YSSMAN]

Its cool that it is getting that big, but lets be honest, are we Americans really going to take this?

I thought the "Freedom Tower" was supposed to beat one of these ones, but that may be out of the question now...

But I hear there are folks in Chicago and Las Vegas that want to give Dubai a run for the money.

 

[Rue]

Wow! It looks amazing. I am absolutely fascinated by skyscrapers. The building right next to my office (Nina Tower) was going to be the tallest in Hong Kong, but they couldn't get planning permission to build the extra floors due to it's close proximity to the airport, they were worried about it being a hazard in bad weather. Shame.

As it stands now...

 

[ROAD_DOGG33J]

A tower has been proposed for London and if it is approved it will be 1500.00 meters tall, which would make it the tallest building in the world, as it would be nearly three times the current Taipei Tower. It will contain 41000 flats with 500 floors.

Wow, that would be quite crazy.

 

[Omnis]

But I hear there are folks in Chicago and Las Vegas that want to give Dubai a run for the money.

That's going to be a lot of running in that case.

 

[ExigeEvan]

Wow, that would be quite crazy.

It's London, forget it.

It'll cost 3 times as much as originally planned, and no-one will use it.

 

[Omnis]

They should just build housing into the soccer stadiums.

 

[GT Pro]

You'd think with the world's only 7-star hotel, a snow resort in the desert, a hotel underwater and having an area of man-made islands in the shape of the globe they would easily be able to take this far and above 2kilometres. Add to that, a few soccer stadiums and a race track for every 100th floor, but no...

But seriously, that 'scraper is fairly impressive

 

[Glanza-V]

holy muff thats big

 

[Famine]

holy muff

Errr...

 

[Glanza-V]

Meh its irish slang (yes muff)

 

[Famine]

Meh its irish slang (yes muff)

Yes - I'm aware of what it's slang for too, having been there a few times (no, not Ireland). I'm just curious why a 12 year old thinks it's acceptable to use genitalia-oriented language on a family website to describe a building which, if anything, is directly antonymous to the word...

 

[Mark T]

Yes - I'm aware of what it's slang for too, having been there a few times (no, not Ireland). I'm just curious why a 12 year old thinks it's acceptable to use genitalia-oriented language on a family website to describe a building which, if anything, is directly antonymous to the word...

I don't know why, but that passage of text put a big grin on my face.

On another note I'm looking to work in Dubai hopefully by December, I cannot wait to get out there and see the amazing erections that are taking place.

 

[1X83Z]

Is everyone well aware that the current tallest structure in the world is a television mast in rural North Dakota?

And that the second-tallest structure in the world is another television mast in rural North Dakota?

They are building this building in Dubai with one goal in mind: unseat KVLY-TV Fargo. I'm not kidding.

 

[McLaren]

So the Model T is nothing because the Focus can go faster?

It's a figure of speech. Besides, the differences between this and the Empire State Building far outnumber a Model T and a Focus. It's more like a Model T and a 1966 GT40.

 

[McLaren]

Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, etc. are not in the same category as Lebanon, Iraq, Iran, Syria, or Jordan. It's like saying Sweden is dangerous because of the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The UAE especially is enjoying phenominal growth recently.

I know they are. However, things like this and DubaiLand are meant to attact tourism. And who likes to spend money on anything they can? Americans. There's no doubt the number of Americans in the Middle East would grow into gigantic numbers by 2015 thanks to Dubai tourism.

I'm NOT saying something will happen though. I'm only wondering if a gigantic number of American tourists would somehow catch terrorist eyes.

That tower is not an isolated incident. It didn't spring up out of sterile desert. These are large cities, and huge economic interests.

Actually, one could easily argue Dubai did spring up out of the desert. It did achieve the status and quality of New York, L.A., and Miami in just 15 years after all.

If you're saying such a tall building automatically becomes a target, a la World Trade Center, I just don't see it.

I'm not actually saying the building will be. It won't actually hold anything Americans will go for except restaurants.

I just want to know if folks will think the tower will have either good or bad effects on the world.

 

[Flerbizky]

Wow! It looks amazing. I am absolutely fascinated by skyscrapers. The building right next to my office (Nina Tower) was going to be the tallest in Hong Kong, but they couldn't get planning permission to build the extra floors due to it's close proximity to the airport, they were worried about it being a hazard in bad weather. Shame.

As it stands now...

WOW... Dim the lights, add some big neons, flying yellow cabs and "Do androids dream of electric sheep" is right around the corner...

Beautiful building !...

 

[Sureboss]

Ignoring the slave like conditions of the workers who do the job it's not bad.

 

[Kylehnat]

It's a figure of speech. Besides, the differences between this and the Empire State Building far outnumber a Model T and a Focus. It's more like a Model T and a 1966 GT40.

Keep in mind that the Empire State Building was built 75 years ago. A building like the Burj Dubai was not even thinkable back then. Like everything else, skyscraper technology and design has evolved immeasurably during the last century. Regardless of how high we can build now, the Empire State Building (among others) should not lose it's significance as an early-20th century feat of engineering.

 

[Flerbizky]

Ignoring the slave like conditions of the workers who do the job it's not bad.

Slaves always did a better job than union people - Think the Pyramids would've been built if Hoffa had been mixed in ?....

 

[Gonz013]

Its cool that it is getting that big, but lets be honest, are we Americans really going to take this?

I thought the "Freedom Tower" was supposed to beat one of these ones, but that may be out of the question now...

The original design of the Freedom tower by Daniel Liebskind (the one that actually won the competition) was revolutionary and groundbreaking architecture. - elegant, crystal-like towers rising to a climactic end. It was a united vision for the whole site.
Part of it was a spire that would be one of the tallest structures in the world.

Unfortunately, the project was effectively taken over (much fighting and furore apparently) by the rather bland and unimaginative (imo) David Childs, and what is actually being built will just be a single, big fallic structure with little architectural merit.
The other towers will be done seperately by other architects (all individually fantastic at what they do) but in my opinion, the lack of unity for the whole project dilutes it's overall strength.

BTW I hear it won't be called 'Freedom Tower' anymore either- rumour was that it would just be World Trade 1.

It's all a shame I think... it was such a great opportunity.

Mind you, all is not lost: The memorial and train station promise to be absolutely incredible.

 

[Gonz013]

Regardless of how high we can build now, the Empire State Building (among others) should not lose it's significance as an early-20th century feat of engineering.

And it happens to be incredibly beautiful and elegant. You can't say the same about a lot of taller towers.

 

[McLaren]

Ignoring the slave like conditions of the workers who do the job it's not bad.

Most of the workers are citizens over there. And the citizens actually get large amounts of money, so much, some don't even have to work, but someone has to get the job done.
So, how exactly is it slavery? I don't think I'd mind building a tower for them for the paychecks they being citizens.

EDIT* My apologies Sureshot. Most of their workers ARE immigrants who get $4.00 an hour and skilled carpenters $7.50. So, ignore my comment.

Keep in mind that the Empire State Building was built 75 years ago. A building like the Burj Dubai was not even thinkable back then. Like everything else, skyscraper technology and design has evolved immeasurably during the last century. Regardless of how high we can build now, the Empire State Building (among others) should not lose it's significance as an early-20th century feat of engineering.

Oh, I totally agree with you on that, though.

 

[Christhedude]

cool that you guys are talking about the the burj dubai. it was acutally kinda funny when i was in america (san francisco and beverly hills) many people asked me where i live and i told them dubai and they had no clue where that was.

Today i passed burj dubai and it grows and grows. every 4th day another level