Ugh...too tall.

...take sears tower... make it rounder... make it taller... sell concept to some dubai financier... repeat...

I would have preferred this in Chicago over the spire, sans the wide base.  It actually doesn't look as bad heightwise when viewed with other highrises clustered nearby.  Things will fill in and this thing will blend with the rest of the skyline much like Sears and JH, IMO

Ugh...too tall.

 

Almost everything in Dubai is either too tall, too big or too expensive.  But that seems to be their marketing strategy!  (see the Boomtown Dubai thread in the newly formed Non-Ohio Projects & Construction section at http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php/topic,5628.240.html).

 

As for the Burj Dubai mega-tower, its nothing special architecturally.  But as for its mega-height and this photo, I must also say WOW.

oh my, that image almost looks fake!

I kinda like it!     

It's sorta neat to watch these skyscraper wars.    WTC, Petronas, Taipei 101, Shanghai's beast, and now this.

^Not sure if anything outside of Dubai will touch this... ever.  But I'm sure that's what people said after the Empire State building was completed too...

Ugh. The thing is a ghastly and ugly display of over-the-top *unearned nouveau wealth. Good to know that my gas dollars are being used to 1) fund Bin Laden and 2) build planetary-class ostentation like this.

 

* Exploited, mined, drilled, pumped wealth, sure... earned, as in innovating and creating value... no.

the whole tallest thing was over after esb. it just became silly after that.

Ugh. The thing is a ghastly and ugly display of over-the-top *unearned nouveau wealth. Good to know that my gas dollars are being used to 1) fund Bin Laden and 2) build planetary-class ostentation like this.

 

* Exploited, mined, drilled, pumped wealth, sure... earned, as in innovating and creating value... no.

 

Well, they did contract US firms for this as well.  And in case you didn't notice, building has slowed here in the US, so I'm happy to say the Burj Dubai is responsible for retaining some hundred US jobs.

Simply amazing.  When America was solidifying itself as the global power, we were building structures that were the biggest and tallest in the world.  Buildings that challenged the mind/imagination.  Now these building are being built in Middle Eastern nations...nations that are quickly seeing the wealth flow from the western powers straight into their pockets.  The power structure is changing...and I think these buildings are a symbolic representation of that.

If you look at the middle right of the photo you see a 4 story structure, that appears to be more that a block.  Housing some MEGA A.C units.  I bet that building SPINS the meter.

Ugh. The thing is a ghastly and ugly display of over-the-top *unearned nouveau wealth. Good to know that my gas dollars are being used to 1) fund Bin Laden and 2) build planetary-class ostentation like this.

 

* Exploited, mined, drilled, pumped wealth, sure... earned, as in innovating and creating value... no.

 

Except that most of the money generated in many of those nations, especially in Dubai -- a state in the UAE, are not derived entirely from oil profits. Dubai has become a major financial market for the Middle East, and has become a hotbed for tourism.

I think Americans have a hard time applauding when other countries out-big us.  I like it, if only to marvel over the insanity of it.  Plus, and American firm is involved, so we can sort of pat ourselves on the back.  The design reminds me of the wizard of oz, but I like it.

Simply amazing.  When America was solidifying itself as the global power, we were building structures that were the biggest and tallest in the world.  Buildings that challenged the mind/imagination.  Now these building are being built in Middle Eastern nations...nations that are quickly seeing the wealth flow from the western powers straight into their pockets.  The power structure is changing...and I think these buildings are a symbolic representation of that.

 

How true. Putting individual opinions on height, design, site plan, etc... aside, this is truly an amazing structure built by human hands and makes a statement about human ingenuity.

I think Americans have a hard time applauding when other countries out-big us.  I like it, if only to marvel over the insanity of it.  Plus, and American firm is involved, so we can sort of pat ourselves on the back.  The design reminds me of the wizard of oz, but I like it.

 

 

Additionally, there's a lot of US firms involved in other projects.  My friend works in Chicago and is involved in the design process for a major airport out in the middle east.  Design professionals and engineers are all from the US.  Our firms get big bucks for these projects as opposed to US projects where they receive very little.  Many of their projects out there are actually budgetless.  As long as they countries continue to contract US firms, I'm happy.

 

 

I actually love it.

>I think Americans have a hard time applauding when other countries out-big us.

 

I'll start paying attention to Dubai when they've got a manned Mars mission on the launchpad...the US could have built this building in 1930 if it were so inclined.  Okay, maybe before October 1929.   

 

More of Burj Dubai and surrounding area:

 

 

The second picture is the one I find most shocking...I had no idea Dubai had stuff like that too.  Not bad.

Many of their projects out there are actually budgetless.

 

I think that is the most telling line in this thread.  How economically sustainable is a boom with 0% fiscal responsibility?

Randy I think that second photo is of the historic port area of Dubai, basically the extent of the city before the present boom.  It's pretty small, less than a square mile.  Old Dubai/New Dubai kind of reminds me of Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge.   

 

 

>How economically sustainable is a boom with 0% fiscal responsibility?

 

At some point it's going to come to a grinding halt, possibly with half-finished skyscrapers and other projects sitting there abandoned for years, sort of like half-finished suburban subdivisions here.         

 

I like this skyscraper a lot. I just think it sticks out like a sore thumb.

 

I'm wondering how much urban planning comes into their decision-making.

Our firms get big bucks for these projects as opposed to US projects where they receive very little.  Many of their projects out there are actually budgetless.

 

Exactly!  I have worked on and am currently working on such budgetless projects from this region.  They will do custom sizes of materials just so it will be not off the shelf.  Instead of a standard 12 x 24 travertine tile, they want a custom 12 x 20....why, because they can I guess.

 

They kept the height of this a secret because they know the next guy is on their heels.  It's a silly race, but very profitable for us.

Old Dubai/New Dubai kind of reminds me of Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge.

 

Worst analogy ever, someone needs to put this in the "quote thread".

>I think Americans have a hard time applauding when other countries out-big us.

 

I'll start paying attention to Dubai when they've got a manned Mars mission on the launchpad...the US could have built this building in 1930 if it were so inclined.  Okay, maybe before October 1929.   

 

 

 

I think around the 70's or 80's Chicago was looking at building a world trade center.  The building was huge.  Big and boxy.  I believe it exceeded the Burj Dubai by height and shear volume.  The terracing of the building masses was nice, but it was simply way too bulky.  I think the Burj DB is far more graceful.  But you could you imagine this ridiculously huge box tower on the Chicago skyline...dwarfing Sears which would be just over half as tall?

Jeez. Look at how fragmented the area around the Burj is. It's an archipelago of small nodes. One thing I love about New York City is that that the small land mass of Manhattan has forced hyper-density.

 

Hayward brought up some great points. Their irresponsibility and lack of talent gives more experienced countries like the U.S. the opportunity to make money off of fixing the problems they're creating.

 

I don't think Dubai will ever turn into a ghost town; it's actually in a very strageic location. It's right near Iran, yet Dubai is in a country that remains politically neutral. I do believe they will continue to get a lot of international investment in the coming decades.

I've made my decision that I do not like the Index Tower.  It's still U/C and located right of the BD in the first photos.  It's looks like Chase Tower here in the states.  Except this one will have balconies I believe.

 

I think regardless of whether the architecture is good or bad.  It's a good test place for leading edge design.  We can borrow what we like and build it here.  Some buildings would fit well in our cities, other's wont. 

http://gizmodo.com/5040550/a-skyscraper-so-tall-builders-cant-use-walkie+talkies

 

where's the 24-story, 64,000 car parking garage going to go?