Posted on 08/28/2008 8:36:56 AM PDT by Squidpup
The Mayans and Egyptians constructed incredible feats of architecture able to weather the test of time, but they had no idea their pyramids would inspire the shape of the latest carbon-neutral super-structure to hit Dubai. Dubai-based environmental design firm Timelinks recently released some eye-catching renderings of the gigantic eco pyramid - aptly named Ziggurat - with plans for its official unveiling scheduled for the Cityscape Dubai event which runs October 6-9 of this year. The ginormous pyramid will cover 2.3 square kilometers and will be able to sustain a “community” of up to 1 million.
Timelinks claims that their Ziggurat will be capable of running completely off the grid by utilizing steam, wind, and other natural resources. The tightly knit city will also feature a super efficient public transportation system that runs both horizontally and vertically, and plans are being drawn up to utilize both public and private green spaces for agricultural opportunities.
According to the International Institute for the Urban Environment, the technologies incorporated into the Ziggurat project will make it a viable metropolis, and Timlinks has responded by quickly patenting the design and technology developed for the project. A number of European professors will be on hand at CityScape Dubai to explain how the Ziggurat project can be incorporated into grander plans, meaning that it may not be a one-off structure.
Via World Architecture News
Make it green any you’d have The Emerald City of Oz.
Oh, yeah, that looks like a pleasant homey place to live in. Sign me up. /s
I’ll bet this is what the housing for the people who designed the Death Star looks like.
But will it have a dialing device? (Stargate)
It’s a terrorist’s eat dream. One small nuke and kill 1 million people.
Sadly, this sort of lifestyle is the best case scenario for the future, if “conservatives” don’t start to grasp pretty soon that population growth is not a good thing. Yes, we can squash more people onto the planet, but you can forget about kids growing up in freestanding single-family homes with some land around them that’s actually controlled by the free citizens who live there. Instead, highly-efficient, densely-packed living arrangements, which are invariably highly socialistic in political organization and regulation, will increasingly become the norm.
- code named "Tower of Babel"
Exactly.
Have they not learned anything from the disasters called public housing projects in the US?
Too many people too close, anonymity and sterility leads to incredible crime.
But I guess these people will all be employed. Maybe that will make a difference.
More of that ‘transfer of wealth’. Except, where are they buying the materials and expertise to build the thing? And where will they get all the things these 1 million residents will need to live their life of luxury? Coould it be that the wealth is going to continue to circulate and make its way right back home? Don’t get me wrong, I would love to be energy independent for other reasons, but this ‘transfer of wealth’ argument makes me grind my teeth. This is a monument to that fallacy.
Really exciting. If we still had our oil money, we’d be building innovative buildings too.
Interesting they are using alternative energy when they have so much oil.
I watched a crew putting in a new pier, lots of guys, lots of heavy equipment and noise, no fumes. I went over and asked why not. They were running their equipment on biodiesel, which, the guy told me, would make OK fish food if they had a spill. Big construction guy, he seemed really happy about that.
Drill America, use biodiesel to run the equipment. Is that a compromise or what?
Depends on what you mean by population growth.
Population growth in western democracies is way down.
It is very high in third-world countries where the western democracies have zero input or control.
Our oil money is building monstrous monuments on foreign sand.
Here's a question: Will the ziggurats grow their own food?
It’s going to be manufactured on the moon?
Actually, conservatives realize quite well that implementing free governments and a prosperous economy inevitably results in LESS population growth. The only places that are currently having large population increases are poor, uneducated, authoritarian nations.
Here's a hint---the Communist Chinese model is NOT one we want to emulate.
LAZARUS LONG
I think you must have just finished reading the “Population Bomb”. I hear it was a bestseller in 1968. For some reason its predictions never came true.
Once nations reach a certain level of prosperity, population growth seems to start to shrink. This introduces a totally different problem — such as the Japanese are now facing where they do not procreate enough to replace their population.
It amazes me that someone whose tagline is “Government Shrinker” would even go there.
Yeah, yeah, but here’s the real question: will they implement the heretofore unknown technology in Arabia—indoor plumbing?
Don’t be surprised if this thing is actually built...
Dubai is home to the (soon to be completed) world’s tallest building...
Dubai is also home to what might be considered engineering marvels; the man made palm tree islands, and the man made world islands...
There is a third set of man made islands under construction; the size and shape of which escapes me...
I think they are building the world’s largest indoor mall...
A rail system is under construction...
A huge airport is under construction, possibly the world’s largest...
Can’t forget about the indoor ski run and winter playland...
Oil revenues have been very good to the Emir and good for the emirates...
Many currencies are strong against the dirham, especially the euro...
It’s the new Riviera for the rich and famous (and the not so rich and famous)...
Labor (indentured servitude/slavery) provides one of key engines for the explosive growth...
National pride/Muslim pride is another major engine...
And again, the oil revenue in that region of the world is staggering, providing investors at every opportunity...
Yes, this complex will be built, and in fact, it will be built sooner rather than later...
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