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58.33%Abu Dhabi says no to world’s tallest building
Bradley Hope
- Last Updated: September 16. 2009 10:18PM UAE / September 16. 2009 6:18PM GMT
ABU DHABI // A proposal for a 224-storey building in Abu Dhabi has been turned down, according to a group of architects, designers and businessmen promoting the building.
Fayez Barakat, the owner of the Barakat Gallery of antiquities in Emirates Palace, said he presented plans for the so-called Al Imlaq, or The Giant, to Sheikh Ahmed bin Zayed, a member of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, to be considered for construction on an island near Saadiyat Island.
After reviewing it, Sheikh Ahmed’s staff decided it was not feasible because it would affect air traffic, Mr Barakat said.
“One of the ideas for the building was to outdo the Burj Dubai,” he said. “It would be very tall.”
An initial failure to find a home for the building in the capital is not stopping the group from pursuing other locations. It is now intending to pitch the concept to developers in Saudi Arabia, Mr Barakat said.
The tower would have risen 62 storeys taller than the Burj Dubai, making it the tallest building in the world. It has been designed by Tommy Landau, a Californian architect, and the blueprints call for advanced solar panels, a museum, a university and a centre devoted to astronomy on the roof.
Mr Landau told the Los Angeles Times this week that the project would cost US$3.5 billion (Dh12.85bn) and contain 11 million square feet of space. A large clock would be hung on the building at the same height as the Empire State Building – about halfway up – to impress upon people its extraordinary height.
While Abu Dhabi has not announced any project that would break a world record for height, it has quietly considered such projects in the past. A draft masterplan for Mina Zayed created for Aldar Properties shows a massive building called Crystal Palace that would be several times higher than most buildings in the capital. The plan has since been discarded, according to Aldar.
At present, the tallest building in Abu Dhabi is the Sky Tower on Reem Island at more than 300 metres, but the record will not last long. The Landmark Tower on the Corniche will top out at about 324 metres and the Central Market Residential Tower nearby should peak at 382 metres.
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Added: 09/17/09 03:38:00 PM
What on earth is the point?!
This "sibling rivalry" at a time when the economy is not in the best of situations is completely absurd!
Nevertheless, to blatantly come out and say that one of the main reasons to construct the building is to beat Burj Dubai is refreshing.
The idea of a museum, university and astronomy centre in the building are novel ideas, but this senseless obsession with "The tallest", "The biggest" and whatever else are so trivial!
There will always be a taller tower in the making, there will always be a bigger mall someplace in the world. Why not spend the 3.5 BILLION DOLLARS on something that will help the economy?
Start up a new industry or invest in the abysmal level of public school education.. if those two have already been taken care of, then congratulations.. you have a huge sum of money that could be used to feed every hungry mouth in the arab world!
Let someone else throw their money away.
Amru Abbas, Abu Dhabi
Added: 09/17/09 03:05:00 PM
Good thinking.There is no need to compete, within a country.
Radha Krishna, Dubai
Added: 09/17/09 01:04:00 PM
In a world affected by global
warming and uncertainty over long-term energy supplies, it is important to find
ways to reduce energy consumption and not increase it.
Abu Dhabi aims to be a leader in sustainability.Tall buildings consume so much energy in terms of lighting, hot water and computers(1000 kwhr/m² or more per year). In fact, the UAE has the largest per capita carbon footprint in the world. What is the point of trying to invest in renewable energy if we are contradicting ourselves?
Also, trying to out do Burj Dubai? .... really?
B M, Abu Dhabi