Dubai Aims to Top Its Own World's Tallest Tower

[Hum]

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) -- With its world's tallest building nearing completion, Dubai said Sunday it is embarking on an even more ambitious skyscraper: one that will soar more than 10 American football fields.

That's about two-thirds of a mile :huh: or the height of more than three of New York's Chrysler Buildings stacked end-to-end.

Babel had nothing on this place.

''This is unbelievably groundbreaking design,'' Chief Executive Chris O'Donnell said during a briefing at the company's sales center, not far from the proposed site. ''This still takes my breath away.''

The tower, which will take more than a decade to complete, will be the centerpiece of a sprawling development state-owned builder Nakheel plans to create in the rapidly growing ''New Dubai'' section of the city. Foundation work has already begun, O'Donnell said.

The area is located between two of the city's artificial palm-shaped islands, which Nakheel also built. The project will include a manmade inland harbor and 40 additional towers up to 90 floors high.

About 150 elevators will carry employees and workers to the Nakheel Tower's more than 200 floors, the company said. The building will be composed of four separate towers joined at various levels and centered on an open atrium.

''It does show a lot of confidence in this environment'' of worldwide credit problems and a souring global economy, said Marios Maratheftis, Standard Chartered Bank's Dubai-based regional head of research.

As part of government-run conglomerate Dubai World, Nakheel has played a major role in creating modern-day Dubai, a city that has blossomed from a tiny Persian Gulf fishing and pearling village into a major business and tourism hub in a matter of decades.

Besides the growing archipelago of man-made islands for which it is best known, Nakheel is responsible for a number of the city's malls, hotels and hundreds of apartment buildings.

The company said the new project is inspired by Islamic design and draws inspiration from sites such as the Alhambra in Spain and the harbor of Alexandria in Egypt.

''This is nothing like it in Dubai,'' said Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, Nakheel's chairman.

Perhaps not quite. But Dubai is already home to the world's tallest building, even if it remains unfinished.

That skyscraper, the Burj Dubai, or Dubai Tower in Arabic, is being built by Nakheel's chief competitor, Emaar Properties.

Emaar has kept the final height of the silvery steel-and-glass tower a closely guarded secret, saying only that it stood at a ''new record height'' of 2,257 feet at the start of last month. It's due to be finished next September.

The final height of Nakheel's proposed tower is likewise a secret, as is the price tag. The company would only say it will be more than a kilometer (3,281 feet) tall.

O'Donnell said he was confident that Nakheel could pay for the project despite the financial troubles roiling the world's economy.

He also brushed aside concerns by some analysts that Dubai's property market is becoming overheated and due for a potentially sharp correction.

''In Dubai, demand outstrips supply,'' he said. ''There might be a slowdown, but there definitely won't be a crash.''

source

[sundayx Veteran]

That's the wrong image?

[Deathray]

Who is actually going to occupy these buildings? Is their population rising in an exponential sense, or what?

[Scirwode]

Who is actually going to occupy these buildings? Is their population rising in an exponential sense, or what?

I doubt anyone would ever want to live or work that high up. Don't get me wrong, if this gets built it would be a great engineering feat. It's just pointless in Dubai as they still have quite a lot of space to be used. Now if it was built in Tokyo, it would be a different matter.

Scirwode

[ozgeek]

That city sure is growing very, very, very fast.

[Premgenius]

wow

[+Gary7 Subscriber²]

It appears that they have so much money that they don't know what to do with it.

[HawkMan]

It appears that they have so much money that they don't know what to do with it.

It's called securing a future for their nation. All they have is the oil. If they are to suvive after the oil, they need to become more. building luxury hotels and vacation apartments is part of it, conference senters and and luxury resorts another.

They'll never be as rich as they are now again after oil, but they can at least make sure they won't become a poor third world nation.

[+Gary7 Subscriber²]

It's called securing a future for their nation. All they have is the oil. If they are to suvive after the oil, they need to become more. building luxury hotels and vacation apartments is part of it, conference senters and and luxury resorts another.

They'll never be as rich as they are now again after oil, but they can at least make sure they won't become a poor third world nation.

By construction of building after building after building. After oil, who is going to occupy these buildings?

[Scirwode]

By construction of building after building after building. After oil, who is going to occupy these buildings?

Businesses, what else?

Scirwode

[+Gary7 Subscriber²]

Businesses, what else?

Scirwode

What businesses? Without oil in the Middle East?

[+Nik Louch Subscriber²]

I thought Oman and so on were now the rich countries and Dubai was in huge debt?

[Scirwode]

What businesses? Without oil in the Middle East?

The Middle East is not all about oil. Tourism is now very much arising as well as engineering, what with all the buildings they're building. Not to mention the amount of airlines they have in that region. Also, most airlines stopover in Dubai which is another lucrative business for them in creating a regional hub. They have plenty of things to do when their oil runs out, not to mention their ruler having a very cool head on his shoulders.

Scirwode

[+Gary7 Subscriber²]

The Middle East is not all about oil. Tourism is now very much arising as well as engineering, what with all the buildings they're building. Not to mention the amount of airlines they have in that region. Also, most airlines stopover in Dubai which is another lucrative business for them in creating a regional hub. They have plenty of things to do when their oil runs out, not to mention their ruler having a very cool head on his shoulders.

Scirwode

Tourism in one of the most violent parts of the world? I wish them luck with that.

[Scirwode]

Tourism in one of the most violent parts of the world? I wish them luck with that.

Since when is Dubai ever a violent place to visit :blink: ? You need to get your facts straight before giving out a comment like that.

Scirwode

[+Nik Louch Subscriber²]

Tourism in one of the most violent parts of the world? I wish them luck with that.

LOL, you crack me up. You have no idea about the middle east if you believe this. Don't buy into the propaganda you are being sold, and don't label a whole region.

I have seen how you react to anti-US statements, labelling the whole country (continent) by a small patch. Think again how you see the rest of the world.

Dubai is a great place, Oman is a great place. VERY little violence and not involved in any of the "OMG War on terrorism, nuke the middle-east!!!!1111 FTW" BS that the current US administration is pushing!

Head: Out of ass would be a start!

[Scirwode]

LOL, you crack me up. You have no idea about the middle east if you believe this. Don't buy into the propaganda you are being sold, and don't label a whole region.

I have seen how you react to anti-US statements, labelling the whole country (continent) by a small patch. Think again how you see the rest of the world.

Dubai is a great place, Oman is a great place. VERY little violence and not involved in any of the "OMG War on terrorism, nuke the middle-east!!!!1111 FTW" BS that the current US administration is pushing!

Head: Out of ass would be a start!

I agree, and people wonder why they label people from the US ignorant, and I know many Americans who are exactly the opposite.

Scirwode

[JohnMarsten]

Tourism in one of the most violent parts of the world? I wish them luck with that.

LOL I can't believe you were serious ... it's Dubai....not Iraq

[+Nik Louch Subscriber²]

[...]people wonder why they label people from the US ignorant, and I know many Americans who are exactly the opposite.

On a person by person basis - I have met hundreds of people from all over America, and can firmly say that I got on well with 99% of them. They were estute, worldly wise and keen to learn. I am in no position to call a nation "ignorant".

HOWEVER: It takes one bad apple to spoil a whole damned bush! This fool's comments show his belief systems are based around the media and little else - no first-hand knowledge of what he speaks, but speak on it he will nonetheless.

[Scirwode]

HOWEVER: It takes one bad apple to spoil a whole damned bush! This fool's comments show his belief systems are based around the media and little else - no first-hand knowledge of what he speaks, but speak on it he will nonetheless.

Which is sad really, a world is beautiful place if one takes time to understand it and the people that inhabit it.

Scirwode

[+Gary7 Subscriber²]

LOL, you crack me up. You have no idea about the middle east if you believe this. Don't buy into the propaganda you are being sold, and don't label a whole region.

I have seen how you react to anti-US statements, labelling the whole country (continent) by a small patch. Think again how you see the rest of the world.

Dubai is a great place, Oman is a great place. VERY little violence and not involved in any of the "OMG War on terrorism, nuke the middle-east!!!!1111 FTW" BS that the current US administration is pushing!

Head: Out of ass would be a start!

You have been there?

I agree, and people wonder why they label people from the US ignorant, and I know many Americans who are exactly the opposite.

The Middle East is violent, I did not say Dubai was. Tiger Woods built a golf course there. Head out of what? It is too early in the morning to start with personal attacks. :cool:

[+Nik Louch Subscriber²]

Scirwode: Never noticed that you were in Malaysia - somewhere I plan on visiting soon. Doing Thailand again in a few weeks :) I adore going to different places, meeting different people and seeing their cultures and customs. Was brought up doing just that, always being exposed to new traditions, foods, practises, languages - best education a child can have.

You have been there?

Yes, I have. Long before this current wave of spending and skyscraper one-up-manship. And then again within the last 3 years. It's a fantastic country and AMAZING if you like golf.

Have you?

The Middle East is violent

America is violent - blah blah blah!

[+Gary7 Subscriber²]

Scirwode: Never noticed that you were in Malaysia - somewhere I plan on visiting soon. Doing Thailand again in a few weeks :) I adore going to different places, meeting different people and seeing their cultures and customs. Was brought up doing just that, always being exposed to new traditions, foods, practises, languages - best education a child can have.

Yes, I have. Long before this current wave of spending and skyscraper one-up-manship. And then again within the last 3 years. It's a fantastic country and AMAZING if you like golf.

Have you?

America is violent - blah blah blah!

No, and I don't ever plan to. I prefer The Caribbean.

[HawkMan]

No, and I don't ever plan to. I prefer The Caribbean.

How do you know, you've never been to the middle east.

[StealMySoda]

Gary7, I really think you need to stop being so ignorant. As others have said, you can't label a whole region based upon what is happening in a small part of a whole entire continent.

Scirwood and njlouch, I completely agree with what you guys are saying, its quite sad that he thinks what he thinks, but that's life. If he doesn't want to widen his cultural views, and he wants to live his life taking stereotypical views then that's his look out but down the road he's gonna end up in a big heap of trouble.