Posted on 09/18/2009 7:36:26 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican
A Santa Monica architect known for his high-rise designs is working on what may be the ultimate "spec" building -- a 224-story skyscraper with green ambitions that would be the tallest structure in the world.
The tower is envisioned for a man-made island in Abu Dhabi, if leaders of the oil-rich emirate decide they want to make a statement to rest of the world and perhaps one-up neighboring Dubai.
A conceptual design for the $3.5-billion project in the United Arab Emirates is under consideration by an Abu Dhabi planning committee, said Tommy Landau, the architect who created the design and is part of an unusual team of U.S. real estate players trying to get the ambitious project launched.
Landau knows it might be several years before construction starts -- if it starts at all. But he's not in a rush.
"This would be my swan song, my goodbye thing," the 72-year-old architect said.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
They might want to keep that money in hand to deal with any economic downturn.
“...a 224-story skyscraper with green ambitions.”
####
But of course.
EVERY breath of air and each and every single heartbeat, across the globe, must first have its “green” quality considered.
Good thing he's designed it for Achmedville....'cause he sure wouldn't want his lifetime project that close to the San Andreas fault.
They're building some pretty cool stuff over there. I've been to Dubai 7 or 8 times (though never to Abu Dhabi) and every time I've stepped off the boat in Jebel Ali and taken a taxi up Sheikh Zayed Rd., I'm always awestruck at the construction that's going on.
You're in the navy?
“This would be my swan song, my goodbye thing,”
In this economy it’s more like a dead duck.
I think they ran into funding issues. At least that’s what I’ve been reading. Currently of course.
They can’t get the tenants to occupy the buildings they already have, so I can’t see such a monster rising anytime soon.
I’d be afraid that the zealot Baptist or Catholic suicide bombers would fly super jets into it and bring it down.
Would it be built on sand? That sucker would have to have piles that would dwarf mine.
Chicago Spire ran into funding issues. Donald Trump was lucky to get his 96 story tower built in Chicago just before the global financial meltdown.
Yep. And Jebel Ali/Dubai hosts more US Navy ships than any other country outside the United States. It's by far my favorite port.
With the reversal of any semblance of missile defense. It turns out they were all going the wrong way.
Yeah, a lot of unfinished buildings right now. Hopefully just a temporary condition.
If they went down instead of up they’d be near full.
Unlikely.
The great asset bubble during the Late-2000s recession.
* 1 - Central banks gold reserves ($0.845 trillion)
* 2 - M0 (paper money) ($3.9 trillion)
* 3 - Traditional (fractional reserve) banking assets ($39 trillion)
* 4 - shadow banking assets ($62 trillion)
* 5 - other assets ($290 trillion)
* 6 - Bail-out money (early 2009) ($1.9 trillion)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.