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Too Elegant for Dubai?

archinect.com — Slender, beautiful and unbuilt skyscraper-on-water proposal for the Madinat Al Arab District in Dubai.

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  • tanjuska, on 04/24/2008, -2/+21it looks great...
  • super3boy, on 04/24/2008, -30/+15We are spending $4 a gallon on gas, and they are making huge billion dollar buildings. Kind of pisses me off.
    • Rajaie, on 04/24/2008, -14/+4i totally agree
      • makkaveli19, on 04/25/2008, -0/+2this is whats wrong with kids these days. sense of entitlement. it's their gas and they are selling it as high as they can.
    • aphexconspiracy, on 04/24/2008, -3/+41Try stopping some $400 billion dollar wars and maybe the cashflow situation might change.
    • insanebrain, on 04/24/2008, -1/+28blame your government .. not dubai.
      • MorbenDK, on 04/24/2008, -2/+1point taken, but there's probably better ways for them to spend their money.
        • lateralus, on 04/26/2008, -0/+3Dubai is a tourism based economy, not oil. Idiot.
      • jews1own1USA, on 04/24/2008, -0/+2yeah like saving it and bombing the ***** out of america
    • justrapidshare, on 04/24/2008, -1/+28Stop winging... in the UK we pay $8 a gallon, if it pisses you off get an electric car?
      • fucknuggets, on 04/24/2008, -19/+1you should also be sure to note the difference between a UK gallon and a us gallon. just leaving out facts makes you no better than bush.
        • HenvY, on 04/24/2008, -2/+14It's $8 for a US gallon. Maybe you should have checked before the lecture.
          • fucknuggets, on 04/24/2008, -18/+1nope just walked out side and the gas station has it at $3.75 for a gallon. i could take a picture if you wanted.
            also enjoy your chavs
        • scuzzmonkey69, on 04/24/2008, -0/+7http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7092144.stm - check the image along side with that article, closest I can get without actually going outside and taking a picture.

          And that is price per litre, so, now to use google to convert...

          http://www.google.co.uk/search?&q=1+us+gallon+to+l ...

          1 US gallon = 3.78541178 litre

          So, let use petrol as the example, 101.9p or £1.019.

          1.019 * 3.7854117 = £3.8573345223

          now to xe.com!

          3.8573345223 GBP = 7.6154615077 USD

          so no, not quite $8 a gallon, but close enough.
          • HenvY, on 04/24/2008, -0/+2Well yeah, it's going to depend on the fluctuating exchange rate. But it's been around $8 for a pretty long time, I remember it being just above $8 a few months back when I checked.
          • scuzzmonkey69, on 04/24/2008, -0/+2HenvY: yea i wasn't criticising you matey, just proving that ***** was being as his name suggests.
      • Konformitee, on 04/24/2008, -2/+2I see Europeans saying this a lot, but according to this (albeit outdated, but I've seen similar figures in more recent articles): http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/world/2000/wor ...

        About 75% of the price of your fuel is tax. That would mean the evil oil companies are only charging $2 a gallon (imperial). So even if you figured gas in US gallons was $2.34 or even $2.50 a gallon that would still be much less than what the US is paying if you remove our gas taxes. My state and federal taxes are $0.40 a gallon for instance. So, out of that $3.50 I'm paying at the pump, $3.10 of it is the price the oil company and gas station gets. So, your gas is actually cheaper. Lobby your representatives to stop raping the public in taxes and you might see some of your own relief, but they're apparently doing it to DISCOURAGE gasoline use for environmental reasons. Asinine.
        • niczar, on 04/24/2008, -1/+6Gas taxes are great, you only pay it if you want to. No gas tax on my bicycle. Little on my motorbike. But plenty for the USian wannabe and his oversized penile replacement SUV.
      • Sikarian, on 04/24/2008, -0/+1The difference being that while I pay $4 for a gallon of gas, that gets me 32 miles which is not far in the US. Many people drive further than that just to GET to work every day. Over in the UK, everything is much closer and much smaller, also public transportation is a viable option...not so much here. When one of our states is larger than your country, distances are all relative.
    • SystemsGuy, on 04/24/2008, -2/+2Hmmm - prolly more accurate to say "we are paying $4 a gallon on gas" - stop buying, they stop building. And yes, I understand the concept of Fungibility.
  • ShoGunX900, on 04/24/2008, -3/+20amazing. They should allow parachuting off the top into the water
    • 11oops, on 04/24/2008, -3/+1Pfft. Parachutes are for wimps.
    • GenericJoshman, on 04/24/2008, -2/+2Correct me if i'm wrong, but wouldn't the parachute cover you're entire body in the water making escape completely impossible?
      • fatlip, on 04/24/2008, -2/+2good point. i suppose if you land properly that wont be the case becuase the parachute will be behind you, but then again when you see people landing on ... land.. they hit the ground running
  • CalmBlueOcean, on 04/24/2008, -18/+10Gorgeous building... towering over a barren patch of sand that has become a huge commercial center due only to its being friendly and nonintrusive to the corrupt corporations of the world. someday it will make a lovely ghost town.
    • ZenMojo, on 04/24/2008, -1/+1Dude, I dugg you down for leaving out the immigrant slave and child labor.
  • DuxDucis, on 04/24/2008, -2/+67Anyone else feel a golden-era of design on the horizon?
    • AndrewDB, on 04/24/2008, -1/+26In Dubai, maybe. Everywhere else? .. Not a chance.
      • Duositex, on 04/24/2008, -0/+3I'll second that. Dubai is starting from scratch in 2008 with cutting-edge technology. The rest of the world is faced with trying to accomplish development in cities that have existed for hundreds or thousands of years. Building something like this not only would *never* be approved in any city in the United States (for example), but the infrastructure to support it just wouldn't exist. The same goes for all of these architectural visions in Dubai.
    • SRSco, on 04/24/2008, -2/+2Golden era of design and slave labor.
  • matarij, on 04/24/2008, -27/+15Yeah pretty.
    Dubai is still an oppressive *****, don't go there.
    • apexified, on 04/24/2008, -3/+14The whole world is an oppressive *****, we're stuck.
      • edwartica, on 04/24/2008, -0/+3Let's take Stephen Hawking's advice and move to the Moon or Mars.
    • afterlife23, on 04/24/2008, -3/+3id rather be a citizen in dubia, everthing is free
    • noah663, on 04/24/2008, -3/+4yeaa ballls !!!!! Dubai is anything bt *oppressive* !! get ur facts straight first then talk !!!
  • Schul983, on 04/24/2008, -1/+9Outrageous to say the least, but beautiful architecture.
  • aphexconspiracy, on 04/24/2008, -18/+4Cue 200 "Can we fly a plane into it" comments here.
    • KaiUno, on 04/24/2008, -0/+8It's been 75 comments already and the first has yet to appear. Besides yours that is.
  • Matt174e, on 04/24/2008, -26/+1Is any of this Dubai ***** actually going to happen?
    • dbz253, on 04/24/2008, -0/+11a lot of it already has
    • NachoBusiness, on 04/25/2008, -0/+1The question is, is it going to be safe or even habitable in 20 years? N. Korea built (or started) building some crazy skyscrapers at one point... now they're all condemned.

      Not saying that's where Dubai's going, but the cost of construction is only part of the cost of owning these things.
  • Scottievm, on 04/24/2008, -12/+6Dubai gives me an erection.
    • starman2020, on 04/24/2008, -10/+4Try going there sometime. You will loose it in 30min or less.
    • jwolcott, on 04/24/2008, -0/+3Easy there, tiger.
  • tarquell, on 04/24/2008, -3/+3architects 'impressions' often look elegant!...this is a sales pitch!...but yeah looks good.
    • wicketr, on 04/24/2008, -1/+1Add about 10x the amount of sand, dirt, smog in the air, and they might have that photo right.
  • dammerung, on 04/24/2008, -2/+4For more on this project, go to: http://www.a-cero.com/
    Click on "PROJECTS", then "TOWER IN DUBAI".
  • fucknuggets, on 04/24/2008, -10/+3why do they build stuff like this when high rollers cant have cocaine and ecstasy fueled party's in them.
    • makemoneynotart, on 04/24/2008, -0/+3that's what hollywood hills and vegas are for.
  • farkis, on 04/24/2008, -25/+2You marons in the US are just jelous. How do I get rid of a virus in my taskbar, it's urgent, somebody please help.
    • rebotfc, on 04/24/2008, -2/+13Hey you're funny, but not in the way you think.
      • jews1own1USA, on 04/24/2008, -0/+0His funny, in the way that he thinks his funny in another way.
    • markthegoth, on 04/24/2008, -5/+6buy a mac
    • edwartica, on 04/24/2008, -0/+1I'm laughing at you, not with you.
  • darthjure, on 04/24/2008, -10/+3You know what they say about building a house on sand...
  • citizen782, on 04/24/2008, -17/+4Diggin' up the building. Diggin' down Dubai.
    • Prathik89, on 04/24/2008, -0/+2What do people have against Dubai?
      • SpudgeBoy, on 04/24/2008, -0/+2You ever heard of the 9/11 Comission Report?

        Well, in that document it states that Dubai helped finance the 9/11 highjackers.

        That might have something to do with it.
      • jews1own1USA, on 04/24/2008, -1/+1Jealousy, its inherent in Pagan genetics
  • dullnation, on 04/24/2008, -8/+2You know you have a dupe on your hands when it was featured on diggnation 3 weeks ago...

    • eihwaz, on 04/24/2008, -0/+2You know you a problem when you've seen every single page that has been on digg.
      • dullnation, on 04/24/2008, -0/+0Far from it but I do watch every diggnation and those things stick in your mind a lot more :P
  • gbhall, on 04/24/2008, -2/+2I would give them the thumbs up, however they must be joking if they think people are going to want to walk to the tower in that wavy base, up and down. Imagine how many stories high that base must be.
  • farkis, on 04/24/2008, -26/+3Hey, can anyone help, my car's making a stuttering noise, it sounds like:

    PA PA PA OBAMA PA PA PA OBAMA PA PA PA OBAMA?
  • theghoul, on 04/24/2008, -0/+5Home of the filthy rich! (Halliburton) , I heard some oil magnets live there as well.
    • MidnightHour12, on 04/24/2008, -1/+1magnate
    • pixelate, on 04/24/2008, -1/+4*magnates
    • coolbru, on 04/24/2008, -1/+4Nah, definitely magnets - that's why all the oil collects there.
    • 11oops, on 04/24/2008, -0/+3I had an oil magnet once but it got stuck to the side of a passing car and I lost it. But I suppose you meant to say magnate?
  • starman2020, on 04/24/2008, -12/+4Dubai is trying so hard to become a tourist destination. But it will never work.They have to change there ways(theirs no drinking in most places!).It a Muslim culture there! All this money spending on fancy unaffordable buildings wont lead anywhere if people cant go and have fun like they want to.There doing this because they know for a fact there will run out of oil in there country by the year 2014. As of now they got 8yrs to come up with something better to make lots of money or fade away into the desert. Sad but true!
    • tieInterceptor, on 04/24/2008, -11/+1no worries, as soon as oil goes away as the main power resurce of the earth Islam will rebert back to the 7th century,

      and they are in the bottom of the list on democracy, freedoms and education.

      a few facts.

      All the books that have been translated from English to Arabic until now, (since the ancient history until 2008) , All of them... are equal to the number that Spain translates from English to spanish in ONE single year.

      1.4 bilion muslims, with B, (20% of the world population) have won so far 8 Nobel laurate prices, (4 of them are peace prices)

      in contrast, the Jews, (I'm not jewish myself btw) , witch are 12 milion people, (0.02% of the world population) have won 177 Nobel prices, in all the sciences,

      Correlation does not imply causation I know, but it too hard to miss that Islam = 7th century time travel machine.
      • thatguyfred, on 04/24/2008, -3/+1They will be able to drink there since there is alcohol allowed in hotels.

        Sorry, educate yourself, next question
        • iamnobody8614, on 04/24/2008, -1/+1starman2020 said that, not tieInterceptor
      • 11oops, on 04/24/2008, -0/+2Thanks for the spelling lesson on billion, with two L's.
    • jackieokennedy, on 04/24/2008, -1/+10you need alcohol to have fun? I guess your girlfriends are ugly.
    • coolbru, on 04/24/2008, -0/+10When I lived there you had to have a drinks license to buy alcohol. It limited you to $200US per month, which combined with the fact that it's about the cheapest place in the world for booze, was hardly a limitation. Every hotel, bar and restaurant there serves alcohol. I think you may be mixing it up with Saudi Arabia which is far more strict.
  • pinchduck, on 04/24/2008, -0/+40Why would the title say "Too Elegant for Dubai"? TFA didn't have any judgment calls like that. It looks like a fantastic piece of architecture, and if the investors in Dubai can afford it, more power to them.
    • AliBomaYe, on 04/24/2008, -0/+1I too am confused by the title, am I the only one that finds it a little discriminatory considering Dubai is known as a haven for innovative, high end design both industrial and fashion? If anything it may very well be too elegant for America.
  • chlyon, on 04/24/2008, -3/+1Id buy that for a dollar , but seriously looks great , but probably costs a s!!tload to stay at :(
  • govsucks, on 04/24/2008, -0/+19WOW, that is wicked. Stupid question in the thread title, I say more power to them. Maybe it will get us off our asses and spur some competition.
  • jayscot, on 04/24/2008, -12/+2You can polish a turd, but the Muslim world is still in the dark ages.
  • majorbabu, on 04/24/2008, -7/+3Yeah, Dubai is treading on unchartered waters and using natural resources to build an infrastructure. No one has ever done that before in all of human history.
    Damn terrorists.
  • jackieokennedy, on 04/24/2008, -0/+18what a stupid thread title.
  • azntzouie, on 04/24/2008, -1/+2http://www.a-cero.com/imagen/imagenes/web/11429.jp ...
    Larger, higher-res photo.
  • Ruger11mcrdpi, on 04/24/2008, -1/+0Does anyone else think the road connecting it to the shore is the coolest part? It looks awesome!
  • acatzr800, on 04/24/2008, -6/+6So thats why I'm paying 3.75 a gallon.
    • AvidPreatorian, on 04/24/2008, -2/+1more like inflation
      • acatzr800, on 04/24/2008, -0/+1hmm.. because 200% inflation in 4 years is normal?
    • joshhan, on 04/24/2008, -2/+3Ignorance is bliss, no?

      Look up how much revenue Dubai currently gets from oil revenue and look how much they get from other sources. Granted, they started out with selling oil but that is in the past and the gas made from that oil was definitely not 3.75/gallon. Blame the hedge funds, retirement funds, pension plans for the high price of oil. Oh, did you hear there is a war going on in Iraq? Have you heard that China's industrial machine is on the move? Factor in a "bit" of profit for the gas companies and voila, there is your 3.75/gallon. Painting an entire region with a broad brush doesn't help whatever cause or agenda you have.
      • Exhumist, on 04/24/2008, -3/+2Ignorance must be bliss if you actually believe that horse ***** you just blabbed out... Funny though, it made you look like a real dick! (Unless that is what you were going for?)
        • joshhan, on 04/25/2008, -1/+1lol. OK, man, whatever helps you sleep at night. If you're angry at the high price of gasoline, look to the leaders of your own country instead of blaming others.
  • ryancalderoni, on 04/24/2008, -0/+3Building a tower in the ocean, good idea, will be great for tropical storm winds and surges especially.
    • zantos420, on 04/24/2008, -0/+1it reminds me of sim city 3000 lol
  • MrFurious2k, on 04/24/2008, -2/+0It's a beautiful design. We're moving into an era where maybe it'll be economical to create buildings that are aesthetically pleasing as well as functional. Personally, I'm tired of the cookie-cutter box buildings that litter most cities.
  • mertster, on 04/24/2008, -3/+2Do people actually go to Dubai or is it just a playground of pretty buildings?
    • micropony, on 04/24/2008, -1/+1Good point- I see a lot of space age renderings these days, but no one in them.
    • jews1own1USA, on 04/24/2008, -1/+1Thats becuase no one in your social class go to them. Rich people do, and maybe people in Dubai dont wont bums like you in there country, so quit being jealous, or maybe thats inherent in your pagan genetics.
      • mertster, on 04/28/2008, -0/+0Three ad hominems in two sentences! This is the level of intelligence I'd expect from someone named "jews1own1USA." Keep fighting the good fight, skippy.
  • Prathik89, on 04/24/2008, -1/+11Wtf do you mean by 'too' elegant for dubai? they cant be elegant?
  • mandregorax, on 04/24/2008, -0/+4citadel 17 anyone?
    • ZenMojo, on 04/24/2008, -0/+1Man, you've really stirred up the hive.
  • seomike, on 04/24/2008, -0/+2more power to them... maybe saudi arabia and yemen can take note. If we're building *****, maybe our people will be too busy and won't blow ***** up...
  • Jeeverz, on 04/24/2008, -2/+2what do you mean 'too elegant' you fking prick.
  • mohammadahsan, on 04/24/2008, -0/+1they got to much money to throw around... one of these days all the foreign money is just gonna vanish
  • bobdigi, on 04/24/2008, -0/+4Too bad if you have a microscopic grain of marijuana leaf on you, you are going to the slammer.
  • yudany, on 04/24/2008, -1/+1why would this be too elegant? because it is not in the US, europe, or Australia?
    • jews1own1USA, on 04/24/2008, -0/+0People in the US, Eruope and Asralasia are jealous, its in there genetics,
  • purkel, on 04/24/2008, -0/+0haha this reminds me of the tower in the never ending story... the crystal palace or something. looks pretty sweet.
  • salazarmark, on 04/24/2008, -0/+2Too ***** elegant? What a stupid title, the OP should be given the appropriate title too, "Too Stupid even for Digg", congratz.
  • Rekottop, on 04/25/2008, -1/+1Too elegant? Just wondering but have you (the submitter) ever been to Dubai? Dubai is the home of the ONLY 7 star hotel in the world? Yes, 7 stars! Bet you thought there was only 5. Well there is only 5; every where else.
  • archnews, on 04/25/2008, -0/+0More beautiful buildings in the architect's website: www.a-cero.com
  • bullionhost, on 04/26/2008, -0/+1Dubai Dubai the land that could be just a dessert full of nomadic people if not thanks to the OIL deep on it. What is the good of Dubai out of Petro dollars I wonder.

    http://IranCrude.com
  • manubkk, on 04/28/2008, -0/+0cool..and dubai already hosts the tallest structure in the world.
  • archnews, on 04/29/2008, -0/+0More on the Wave Tower (text, images, plans,...):
    http://www.arabianbusiness.com/504453-wave-tower?l ...
    http://architecture.myninjaplease.com/?p=2337
  • amyhalls, on 05/12/2008, -0/+0They have some amazing building being built there. It feels like a dream world. They have the world' largest airship promoting their properties around the world: http://www.newdesignworld.com/press/story/2440
  •  

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