Just When You Thought You’ve Seen It All
Dubai is a country located on the Persian Gulf next to Saudi Arabia it is one of the 7 Emirates in the United Arab Emirates.
Dubai has an intriguing history and culturethat you can read about on Wikipedia.
But Dubai is not really known for any of that. It is becoming known as a place where money, size and design have no bounds. Like the indoor ski resort. Yes, Dubai is the middle of the desert. Here are some facts:
-80,000 sq feet covered with real snow all year round – (equivalent to 3 football fields)
-5 different runs of varying difficulty and length, longest run of 400 meters
-Temperature maintained at a comfortable -1º to -2º
Ridiculous!
They are also designing some of the tallest and wildest looking buildings in the world. But today, this one topped them all. They have designed and are planning to build and 80 story apartment building. But what is unique, is that each floor will rotate on it’s own and on command. At anytime, the resident of that floor can spin their floor around in circles. Maybe to watch a sunrise or to keep the living room out of the afternoon sun. So with each floor rotating on it’s own at anytime, what you get is a building that is constantly changing shape and never looks the same. Incredible!
So, what’s it going to cost? The building itself is estimated to cost around 700 million. If you want to own one of the apartments? A drop in the bucket, 4-34 million dollars each depending on size. Or, $30,000 a sq yard!
OK, this is an absolute waste of money, but an absolutely genius and inspiring design. Here is an artists rendering of what the building would look like in different stages of rotation…
So in the long run, I am not sure how to feel about something like this. It is amazing to see what people can coe up with, design and build, but it leaves an emptiness in me. What about you? What do yo think?
it is definitely one of the places i would love to vacation to at some point in my life.
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I agree Tyler nice place to visit I bet.
Isn’t poinient(sp?) that in heaven the streets will be made out of what we value on earth? Gold(and not the black kind Jed Clampet found).
That is where I want my next residence to be.
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I read about this! This is hilarious. This is the same place that created an island in the middle of the ocean for a hotel. I like to think that it is all because I am paying over 4 dollars a gallon for gas!
Lisa just showed me that yesterday. How crazy? I mean, I could see how cool it would be to flip a switch and change your view but $4-34 million???
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Tyer and ckroboth, I would definitely want to visit this place. I can’t imagine what it’s like there. Probably could only afford the corn dogs at the street vendors though
Skylar, I am sure that the people who take advantage of this stuff are rich in oil money. the country however makes only 6% of its revenue from oil. I was surprised at that.
Brad, I guess for those paying the same amount here in New York and other places, it’s not that bad. Maybe we could do our blogger’s retreat there or the weekend
I saw that on Drudge Report, pretty crazy. Have you seen their earth islands? Not sure if that is the correct name for them, but they built islands in the ocean in the shape of all the continents, and then built houses on them. The engineering and imagination of the things they are building is pretty remarkable. As a side note, Steve was there in the ’90s and said it was ugly, and there was NOTHING there…apparently much has changed since then.
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Kristen, yes, they are the ones that built the island to put a resort on it. I bet it has changed a lot since the 90’s, but it is desert. It is ugly. the only thing that can make it nice are these things they build
Have you ever played Jenga? That’s what first came to mind…eventually it’s bound to come tumbling down. Not that I’m wishing for it at all, but yeah, empty is the word.
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I’ll be honest – if I had the money, I think I would be interested in being a part of that!
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Sad. so many things could be done w/ that 700 million + the 4 – 34 Million each person is gonna give up. I mean, imagine how much food that would buy for people who are starving? Sad.
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What do I think? It’s fascinating and disgusting.
But you know something? Those buildings, I promise you, are going to fall down at some point.
And I’ll tell you something else…If you think a few twirling buildings are facinating, wait til you get to Heaven!
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I’m seasick just looking at it
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I think the buildings are cool..but I have a REALLY hard time with the amount of money that is spent on this kind of stuff…there are SOOO many other ways and things that could done with such large amounts of cash….Very sad.
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We’ve been known to get absorbed in Discovery Channel shows about the amazing things that have been built in Dubai. The enormous amount of work that went into actually altering the ocean, for example. I find it fascinating and amazing that there is someone at the heart of that with endless imagination. oh, and fundage.
At some point, when using grotesque amounts of money for a project, a line is crossed between valuable ingenuity and indulgence.
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I think I am kind of in consensus with you guys. this Building is incredible, but so stinking expensive. Not sure I could support it. But then, everything is expensive.
Although, like Kim said, ingenuity versus indulgence. I think maybe re directing the ocean might classify as indulgence
Well it’s a tough situation really. Not unlike the way we look at the extremely wealthy in this country. I was just having a conversation about this last night. Look at the Warren Buffets of the world… look how many jobs they create with thier lifestyle: maids, cooks, lawn people, drivers, pilots, etc, etc. Plus the amount of cash they infuse into the economy which drives small business, more jobs, money inthe economy, etc.
Same thing with Dubai, but on a global level. I am a manufacturer of fiber optic Pro Audio equipment. We are seeing HUGE opportunities to sell our goods over there to equip these enormous places. Many small companies like mine will benefit from thier development.
It’s complex… the circle of life so to speak.
you lost me with the first sentence.
but got me back with the picture.
no way. no how. no thank you. i don’t wanna step foot in that building unless it has been standing for years.
“piza” was supposed to be a huge success. looked great on paper, i’m sure.
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Buddy this is a good point. For me the issue is the indulgence. The heart and intent. I can’t really know it, so I can’t speak to it. This does seem indulgent…while at the same time very cool.
Mandy, I bet this one won’t have the bad lean
both lose
The socialist in me thinks that the artist’s rendering already cost more than the idea is worth but the capitalist thinks that ideas like this are what makes a young child get excited enough about architectural design to get a degree and pursue design as a career.
This person might just be the one to hear God’s calling to design some revolutionary type of sustainable building design that will lead people in third world countries out of mud huts.
Jay, this design is truly ingenious and definitely inspiring.
Your hope that this person may be the one to do something sustainable or helpful for the future is where my mind goes. I hope that this is basis for as Buddy said, employment, but also inspiration for something amazing.
I heard about this… I think I even heard that the architect had never build a skyscraper before… Uh, so no way I’m going in that building! Besides I might need a barf bag if it goes around as fast as the computer graphic they had depicting the view from one of the offices.
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My Aunt lives in Dubai! And I’ve visited a couple of times on my way to Pakistan when I was in college. It really is a beautiful country and very prosperous financially. They got the big bucks I tell ya. This building does look crazy but not far fetched given where it’s being built. I don’t know how comfortable I would feel living in a building like that though; too much room for electrical errors!
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Cheryl, I saw that computer graphic…that was cool!
Les, that is cool that you’ve been there. I would love your opinion of it now that it has grown so much with tourism stuff. I bet it’s changed a lot.
Unbelievable! I have a friend whose sister lives in Dubai and she says it is an amazing place.
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Alright, I really want to visit this place now.
It’s an incredible design concept, but I don’t see that as being very earthquake-proof. And I don’t see a single pivot axis supporting an 80-story structure. I’m not an architect or an engineer but that sounds to sci-fi to me. Oh, and yes, I would like to own one.
A few points:
The buiding will be completely self sufficient – energy consumption wise… the rotation of the floors generates power through a ‘wind turbine’ effect (GREATLY slowed down of course, but on a massive scale – it is 80 stories high).
It is only an outer ’shell’ that rotates, containing living space, but there is a SOLID cylindrical core to the building and the ‘outer’ area can freely rotate like a ’sleeve’ but in 80 single floor sections.
The animated graphic shows the floors to be able to be connected ‘in sequence’ however so that a NATURAL, ‘Living’ effect (similar to how snakes move or a fish manouveres with it’s fins) is observed from the outside and that truly fascinates me – a soild building interacting with it’s environment akin to a living creature – amazing.
As to the grotesque expense? The Queen Mary Two cost far more (over a Billion) and is purely for the indulgence of the rich and those who desire to rub shoulders with them – was there any cry about it? i missed that
The world is facing growing difficulties thanks to oil – it is nice to see the obscene amounts being spent on it being returned in a way that will help reduce our dependence upon it – in my opinion.
New ideas, new solutions to ‘old’ problems is a good thing.
Some very innovative and forward thinking people over there in the Unites Arab Emirates.
Not to mention stinking rich as well of course !
<B
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Love, you bring up something I was thinking about. The cost of this building is probably on par with most that are built int eh states on a large scale. Also, the apartment prices aren’t that much different that some place in New York as well. I do continue to echo what you and some others have said, truly innovative. It will be interesting to see if this project actually gets built.
Jon, I am curious if it will actually get built. We will see…
Is the floor vote democratic…what happens if I get the floor perfectly positioned for me and then my neighbor comes home? Kinda reminds me of standing at the Walmart display with someone on the other side…so you take turns spinning? Maybe you just own the floor and are the captain of your own ship..
Hi Katrina, These are funny thoughts. I think you actually own the whole floor, so you can do whatever you want with it. that would be a pain though is you lived on the same floor with someone else. that would drive me nuts.
What about the palm tree islands?? Or the World Islands?? I actually got to fly over the palm islands and hang out in Dubai for a few hours at one of their hotels because my layover was so long — pretty fun city
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Evan, those places are insane as well. I bet you’ve been to some pretty cool places in your travels!