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July 22, 2007
Dubai's New Erection Penetrates Foe China Entry's Position
Why are you looking at me like that? Stop it. The internal structure of the new under-construction Burj Dubai tower has just passed the height of the rival entry in the world's tallest building competition, Taiwan-Republic of China's Taipei 101 tower. The Burj is now 1,667 feet (sorry, I don't do metric). The question: is there any value or significance to such structures? It looks horrible at this stage; is the final version decent? And no. The caption wrote itself. Grow up. (Update: Taipei 101 - I think it's ugly too.)
Posted by Matthew Hogan at July 22, 2007 02:45 PM
Filed Under: Economic Development
, Economic Policy
, Gulf
, MENA Region General
, Political Development
, Society & Culture
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Comments
Size matters?
Posted by: Shaheen ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.aqoul.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at July 22, 2007 07:57 PM
Clearly.
Posted by: eerie at July 22, 2007 08:05 PM
Yeah, why talk about size? Dubai can already compete fiercely for the grand prize of Ugliest Structure. Maybe it can even aim for Ugliest City...
Posted by: Frandroid Atreides at July 22, 2007 11:56 PM
so, you're saying, Fran A, that Dubai could contend for ugliest member?
(of the world financial hubs)
Posted by: drdougfir at July 22, 2007 11:57 PM
MH,
The final version, judging from project images (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/be/Burj_Dubai.jpg), doesn't look too bad.
The significance, of course, is one of "doability". The project planners, financiers, implementors face the "Can this be done?" challenge and then go for it.
If they succeed to build a tower that (1) doesn't collapse and (2) works in terms of actual everyday use (functioning infrastructure, no long lines at the elevators, etc.) - then they will have achieved a feat.
If not - they're screwed.
The thing with those towers (& other projects in the Gulf) is that the climate isn't the best if you want to go for dramatic effect. With sunshine & blue (yes, SOMETIME yellow) skies 365 days a year, you'll never get cool "the xyz tower in a thunderstorm/clouds/etc" images like you get them in ... errr ... normal environments.
Taipeh 101 will always be cooler 'cause it survives earthquakes and doesn't use the "pyramid support" structure, which to me kinda feels like cheating.
--MSK*
Posted by: MSK at July 23, 2007 05:55 AM
Semi-off-topic: "Pimp my ride" customizers opening Dubai branch.
Posted by: Tom Scudder at July 25, 2007 01:08 PM
dubai's erection spurts ahead of taiwan's tiddler in race to join quarter-mile-high club?
ahem.
Posted by: waterboy at July 28, 2007 07:18 AM
"Even better puns!" readers ejaculate.
Posted by: matthew hogan at July 28, 2007 12:38 PM
The Burj Dubai, aka the Deathspire, is superb.
It is already a huge great spike of a building, the perfect herald to the imminent apocalypse.
Most wonderfully, it is situated in Dubai's "Old Town", which hasn't actually been built yet.
Posted by: secretdubai at July 29, 2007 06:41 PM
