MECCA | Abraj Al-Bait | 601m | 1972ft | 95 fl | T/O

[vid]

How is it hilarious?

[Aleks]

http://www.compositesworld.com/cdn/cms/1010_CT_EI2.jpg


WOW! I have mixed emotions on the cladding of the tower, but this ONE FUCKING BEAUTIFUL clock.

[GulfArabia]

http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/1087/33666787.jpg

http://img202.imageshack.us/img202/4940/30166414.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs008.snc4/33777_10150300045500473_623320472_15142700_101032_n.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs366.ash2/64419_10150300051650473_623320472_15142789_8184163_n.jpg

[hunser]

such a beautiful and massive tower, especially the clock! any chance you could smuggle us non- muslims into mecca, GulfArabia? :D i'm willing to pay you $$$. :cool:

[M.K.]

it is a wonderful clock details. I liked much. Impressive ! :) I just think it is all too dense together, but wonderful building.

[Dylan Leblanc]

I want to go to Mecca!

[NYC4Life]

Amazing sight to see with all of those tower cranes. The entire complex is huge! Clock tower looks a lot like Big Ben in London.

[Tom In Chicago]

This thread has become a speed-trap for forum newbies. . . please keep your remarks ON-TOPIC and in good taste. . . thanks in advance. . .

. . .

[Northwest]

Amazing!!

So many American projects are subject to value engineering as they approach completion, and details are removed to prevent spiralling budgets. I see no evidence of that here, the attention to detail is truely amazing.

Please keep posting pictures!

[GulfArabia]

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4131/5066933029_660c649b31_z.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4152/5067576322_46bd58a752_z.jpg
http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/848/capturebo.jpg
http://img715.imageshack.us/img715/1586/41939602.jpg

[patriotizzy]

How is it hilarious?

"a closeup of the clock face indicates the huge scale of the project (note the workman in the lower right-hand corner)."

When in fact the guy is on the bottom left.

[kenratboy]

Does anyone know what room rates are like during the Haj?

[MolsonExport]

the gargantuan scale staggers the mind!

[colemonkee]

The details at the top of the shorter towers and on the clock on the larger tower really make this whole complex. That level of detail is rare these days, and it's kind of refreshing to see it, IMHO.

[woodrow]

I think I now know what has bothered me about this project. It dwarfs the Grand Mosque, making it look kinda 'meh. That is too bad. To me, the Grand Mosque always looked vast and majestic, dominating. Looking at new pics, the Abraj Al-Bait looming above, the mosque seems like an anteroom to the building. Maybe it just the pictures that make it appear that way.

[CUclimber]

To me, the Grand Mosque always looked vast and majestic, dominating.

Seriously? It always looked like a 4-story sprawling courtyard to me.

I love the scale of the Abraj Al-Bait. And that clock is spectacular.

[MolsonExport]

betcha the bars in that hotel kinda suck. in all seriousness, i loathed the renderings, but the project has grown on me. Quite impressive, the building is, as Yoda would say.

[jacks]

I too thought this project was hideous on paper. Sort of a cross between a Stalinist our-erection-is-bigger-than-yours and a Las Vegas theme casino.

The attention to detail though is winning me over. The pic of the clock is gorgeous! Good on them for daring to do something a bit different.

[Aleks]

The details at the top of the shorter towers and on the clock on the larger tower really make this whole complex. That level of detail is rare these days, and it's kind of refreshing to see it, IMHO.

:tup:

I'd also add that this building does a great job fitting in to its surroundings (well, other than being 1800 ft taller). I really dislike many 'innovative' buildings influenced by middle-eastern architecture in other parts of the world. there's some cheesy, cheap looking ones out there. maybe they'd look good spread out but in a single location! :yuck:

this building doesn't try to be 'hip, innovative and modern.' it's just sticking to it's islamic roots, with density throughout the complex (like the neighborhoods around mecca and other desert cities) and has a good purpose to be there.

the canyons created by this tower will look amazing! i can't wait to see pictures from the walkways between the towers!

[sw5710]

This will be the # 2 tallest "building" in the world for a while.

[GulfArabia]

Seriously? It always looked like a 4-story sprawling courtyard to me.

I love the scale of the Abraj Al-Bait. And that clock is spectacular.

at night (& when its cooler) the only thing this lit in the city of Makkah is the court yard, it will make all the next door towers disappear (except for the clock high in the sky) the rest of the clock (spear .... ) will be lit also once its done

Never underestimate the mosque, i was there 2 weeks ago, it only seems like (4 story building) but the scale of it is unlike anywhere else GRAND, look at the people

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4103/5081935067_02a711b389_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/29070131@N02/5081935067/)

http://i.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph/multimedia/archive/01000/mecca_1000525c.jpg


look at the size of the people:

http://navedz.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/011-inside-masjid-al-haram-041.jpg
http://navedz.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/013-inside-masjid-al-haram1.jpg
http://navedz.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/009-inside-masjid-al-haram-022.jpg
http://navedz.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/008-inside-masjid-al-haram-012.jpg

imagen 4 floors of this (it will be 5 floors in the near future)

[GulfArabia]

http://www.compositesworld.com/cdn/cms/1010_CT_EI2.jpg
http://img202.imageshack.us/img202/4940/30166414.jpg
http://img838.imageshack.us/img838/7439/507518783312402171bbb.jpg
http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/3245/50757865728e38ae5312b.jpg
http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/8934/5078708930c5a2482a4fb.jpg
http://img233.imageshack.us/img233/5638/5078711518402d2c4f2fb.jpg
http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/6620/5078715874aa9ab58e8bb.jpg

[MolsonExport]

This will be the # 2 tallest "building" in the world for a while.


Tokyo Skytree (2080 feet) will surpass Abraj Al-Bait early next year.

[Traynor]

Tokyo Skytree (2080 feet) will surpass Abraj Al-Bait early next year.

^Sadly the Skytree is not a "building" otherwise the CN tower would still be in the mix.

[GulfArabia]

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4113/5083248285_1f9da6aa38_b.jpg

Sunset

[Innsertnamehere]

if you included towers, you would also have to include the Guangzhou tv tower....

[GulfArabia]

But it will remain as the largest building in the world, Dubai's Airport is now second place

[GulfArabia]

http://img191.imageshack.us/img191/3339/5082988051a2ff42d72ab.jpg

[GulfArabia]

http://img535.imageshack.us/img535/2053/5089399258697120ee48b.jpg

[muppet]

I think it's larger than Dubai's airport by quite a bit...

either way, a new wonder of the world imo

[HowardL]

From the renderings early on, I was optimistic yet hesitant. But now that it's really taking shape, this thing rocks crazy hard.

[GulfArabia]

http://img838.imageshack.us/img838/1135/49727984074a3ab37ee0b.jpg

[Crush_Buds]

Awesome shot :tup:

I can't wait to see the crescent.

[Troubadour]

Whenever I see giant clock towers, I automatically think "1.21 jigawatts!" :cool:

[rythym]

How many total rooms does this complex have?

[colemonkee]

Keep the pictures coming, GulfArabia. They're awesome.

[PhxPavilion]

This will be the # 2 tallest "building" in the world for a while.

How long is awhile? In a couple years it'll be:

1. Burj Khalifa
2. Pingan International Finance Centre
3. Shanghai Tower
4. Abraj Al-Bait

By roof height it would be ranked 8th (top of the clock).

Also, both it and the Dubai Airport Terminal 3 are tied at 1,500,000 m^2 of floorspace. The whole of the Dubai airport is much larger.

[M.K.]

http://img535.imageshack.us/img535/2053/5089399258697120ee48b.jpg

pretty impressive the detailed wonderful marble ornaments work inside the mosque. Also impressive how huge the high is on top of this hill, comparing it to the rest of city, seems the pumping-up or pop-up out like in film darkcity, if i remember right, but also shows how religion dark strong side is to them to make a huge tremendous contrast between rich tall tower and poverty besides. An imperium in a Favela

[PhxPavilion]

....but also shows how religion dark strong side is to them to make a huge tremendous contrast between rich tall tower and poverty besides. An imperium in a Favela

It's an example of superfluous exuberance in the worst way, hardly surprising considering it's funded by the Binladen Group.

[Tom In Chicago]

^What's your point? Binladen construction group practically rebuilt the existing structure surrounding the Kaaba. . . among many other things all over Saudi Arabia. . .

So yeah. . . let's keep this back on topic. . . thanks in advance. . .

. . .

[Biff]

Looks like a modern day Agraba (Alladin) in that last picture (sorry for the Disney correlation, i have small kids) Essentially it looks like a modern day castle.

Truly and amazing structure whether you like it or not.

http://ic.maxabout.com/Cartoons/Disney%20Wallpaper/Agrabah.JPG

[M.K.]

^Remember just to put the source of this interesting fictional and fantasy pic, that is allright. Taken in consideration the kids fantasy, point of view as father, well... you are right in some way. :haha: :haha: :haha: laugh a lot the correlation. Btw impressive Painting of the Alladin Castle. Who is interested to make a fantasy diagram of it? But the correlation is 'correct' because it is also Arabic Story, isn't it?

[GO_UAE]

Agraba means = female scorpion in Arabic

just some useless piece of info :D

[wong21fr]

I love the House of Saud crest on the face of the clock. Overlooking the Grand Mosque as a symbolic representation of the role as the "Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques". It is a pretty nice bit of symbolism.

Though "Guardian" seems more appropriate than "Custodian".

[GulfArabia]

Alladin may seemed like a "Great" cartoon in the west, but it was an insult to us living in the arab world. this cartoon didn't represent us or our culture and has nothing to do with this thread. stop trolling.

[GulfArabia]

Emirates 24 | 7


Giant Makkah clock to be ready next month
Saturday, October 23, 2010

* The 601 meter tower, took only two years to construct

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1431/5105722751_4151808afd_b.jpg

A giant clock tower constructed in Islam’s holiest city of Makkah as one of the world’s highest towers will be completed next month and will be linked to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), a Saudi newspaper said Saturday.

The third face of the clock skyscraper, which was launched on a trial basis last month, has been completed while the fourth side will be finished in early November, Sahafaonline Arabic language network reported.

“The fourth side is located south of the Makkah Grand Mosque…it will be finished early next month to mark the end of the project that will be one of the most important hallmarks for Muslims around the world,” it said.

“The clock timing will be linked to UTC after the fourth and last side is completed…a 23-metre crescent on the watch has been constructed and is believed to be the largest man-made crescent in the world….loudspeakers have also been installed on top of the watch to transmit prayers call, which can be heard within a distance of nearly seven km.”

UTC, also referred to as Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), Universal Time (UT), or "Zulu" is an international time scale used in astronomical and aviation publications, weather products, and other documents.

Formerly and still widely called GMT, UTC nominally reflects the mean solar time along the Earth's prime meridian. UTC is expressed using a 24-hour clock but can be converted into a 12-hour clock--AM and PM.

Inaugurating the clock tower last month, Saudi officials said they hoped it would establish Makkah as an alternate time standard to the Greenwich median.

The tower's height will reach 601 metres when it is completed, making it the world's second tallest building -- ahead of Taiwan's 509 metre Taipei 101, but well behind the Burj Khalifa, the 828 metre skyscraper in Dubai.

More than six times larger in diameter than London's famed Big Ben, the clock faces, with the Arabic words "In the Name of Allah" in huge lettering underneath and will be lit with two million LED lights.

The tower, which took two years to construct, is equipped with an elevator to take visitors to the surrounding balcony below the four clocks.

In August, the clock tower triggered panic among Muslim pilgrims when it was shrouded with fog, mistaken for smoke from a fire.

Civil Defence vehicles rushed to the tower site after receiving numerous calls from pilgrims saying that the building is engulfed in smoke.

http://www.emirates247.com/news/region/giant-makkah-clock-to-be-ready-next-month-2010-10-23-1.307663

[GulfArabia]

it took just 2 years to build a complex with 7 towers one of them over 600 meters !

[Lecom]

^Remember just to put the source of this interesting fictional and fantasy pic, that is allright. Taken in consideration the kids fantasy, point of view as father, well... you are right in some way. :haha: :haha: :haha: laugh a lot the correlation. Btw impressive Painting of the Alladin Castle. Who is interested to make a fantasy diagram of it? But the correlation is 'correct' because it is also Arabic Story, isn't it?

The correlation also rings true because both are single-construction megaprojects by the royalty situated among a maze of small, private developments on narrow old streets.

[KevinFromTexas]

Make sure to credit the photographers of the construction pics with a link.

[GulfArabia]

The correlation also rings true because both are single-construction megaprojects by the royalty situated among a maze of small, private developments on narrow old streets.

the building is an ENDOWMENT & profits gained from this building goes to the maintenance of the 2 Holy Mosques (just like Hajj Season profits) + all the 80's old buildings around the mosque are demolished and new giant ones are getting rebuilt (more supertalls) the numbers of pilgrims doubled to 4 million in the last 10 years and its going to be 10 million in the next decade.

:tup:

[whiteford]

i think this building is wonderful and epic to the extreme. i love it for what it is. true it wouldn't look good in most any skyline, because it would own and dominate any skyline, but for what it is and where it is, it is a world stunner. i love the way it looms. it is monolithic, grandeur. It is a tribute to God. As for myself, i thank god that they built it because i love big tall monster buildings. thats what this is and to that extent it is unmatched. No other structure on the planet earth has the outright dominating effect that this tower exudes. if you don't appreciated that then what kind of skyscraper fan are you anyhow? I have found that many people lurk these forms and don't relay like skyscrapers or skylines at all. at least their comments make me think so. It grows tiresome and so i have said my piece. in the end, this is truly the ultimate man made wonders of the world and for that i love it.

[KevinFromTexas]

How large (tall) are the clock faces? They must be well over 100 feet.

[BStyles]

46 Meters. Damn metric system.

Okay using a calculator it says that 46m=about 150 feet. I'm not far-sighted but even I will be able to see the time.:haha:

[Lecom]

the building is an ENDOWMENT & profits gained from this building goes to the maintenance of the 2 Holy Mosques (just like Hajj Season profits)

What's your point? The project is still a single-construction megaproject by the royalty situated among a maze of small, private developments on narrow old streets. It's not good or bad, it's a fact. I don't know why you felt the need to clarify me.

I appreciate the fact that the profits go to a greater public cause, but it's still a megaproject developed by the royalty. It's not a bad thing or anything, it's just what it is, so I don't know why you seemed to get offended.

[Biff]

Alladin may seemed like a "Great" cartoon in the west, but it was an insult to us living in the arab world. this cartoon didn't represent us or our culture and has nothing to do with this thread. stop trolling.

Hold on there skippy. No one is trolling here and i think you are way off base. I for one think that it is an incredible project and enjoy very much seeing the updates.

The picture from the movie Aladdin, i feel is entirely accurate. I am in no way making fun of the structure as cartoonish. I am more pointing out that it resembles the castle from the movie in many ways. It is smack in the middle of a very mono-tone (white) low rise, two to three storey looking Arabic city. It rises to immense heights and can be seen from, I'm sure everywhere around as it becomes the focal point for the whole city.

I sorry if you took offense but i am not revising my opinion that the Abraj Al-Bait reminds me of the way the castle looks in the picture i posted. I enjoy viewing this thread as it is one of the tallest towers in the world right now and i find it very interesting.

If you consider this to be "Trolling" then thank you very much but i am going to continue trolling.

[M.K.]

The correlation also rings true because both are single-construction megaprojects by the royalty situated among a maze of small, private developments on narrow old streets.
I know that, 1 with all, all with nothing, confused in the same correlation of money like the private cemitery Taj Mahal, that fits in the same impression of Bliff guy pic. It would be 2 of those imponent things, then just 1, in which after death, he was put besides, in a kind of strange way, saving the public money, when most, you know how they live in streets. But back to topic, if we see the building itself architectonically saying and forgetting the rest, then really the 8th marvellous this humanity. Nobody is trolling here, but we know truth.

[Dr_B2]

super cool :)

[Obey]

This is one massive building.

[GulfArabia]

Hajj season is only 3 weeks away, meaning construction s most likely to halt for a month (al-Adha 4-day holiday comes after) ...

[GulfArabia]

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs096.snc4/36154_1561953302489_1645020927_1354957_8004822_n.jpg

[Crush_Buds]

Wow. Great shot.

[M.K.]

actually, why the clock so high? what's the reason for having this clock in that horizon pic view? airplanes reference to worry?
what time would be in clock, local or west/east somewhere?

[Pavlov]

I need to see this building with my own eyes somehow. Its convenient because I need to see the great mosque with my own eyes too. Now I just need to find a way to get to Mecca.

[whiteford]

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs096.snc4/36154_1561953302489_1645020927_1354957_8004822_n.jpg

well now i am convinced of the building's awe inspiring beauty. that photo just shoots the hell out of any argument against this building being beautiful.:slob:

[View2saintmartin]

You could put a lego tower on an ant hill at sunrise and have the same effect. It also does not change the fact that Mecca is being destroyed by greed and hubris.

[GulfArabia]

Thanks to Asyqulhuur, the new addition is clear hear.

http://img188.imageshack.us/img188/5606/5123041727b794ae25e9b.jpg

http://img259.imageshack.us/img259/2619/5123041401efa20f7933b.jpg

Finally ....:)

http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/6751/5123041065236ec17f64b.jpg
from ssc forums

[Aleks]

i really dislike the chocolate-colored top. it should've been the same shade of beige as the rest of the building.

[woodrow]

You could put a lego tower on an ant hill at sunrise and have the same effect. It also does not change the fact that Mecca is being destroyed by greed and hubris.


:previous: This!

That's my question. Is Mecca being destroyed?

Now, I think the building has an epic quality. Against my better aesthetic judgment, I like it, but . . .

It just seems weird to have the tower loom over the Grand Mosque like that. It would be as if a giant tower were to be built right next to St. Peters in Rome.

I guess it is ignorance on my part. Has there been any disagreement among prominent (or not) Muslims regarding the siting of the tower?

GulfArabia - any insights?

[GulfArabia]

i was there last month, the building is really tall but being next to the grand mosque you will not understand how huge the mosque is unless you see it your self, i guess its because all made of marble it makes abraj al bait less attractive. we do not worship buildings as muslims. and as a saudi my self i know that my country is very wealthy, so when how how old the city looked i thought there should be more buildings like abraj al bait. seeing that int he next few years pilgrims will jump from 4 million to 10 million, the whole central area needs to change, all buildings in 1km radius will be demolished, 60% of buildings have been demolished so far, most of them were built in the 80's, for thousands of years this area of makkah have always changed. this time there are trains and a push to make makkah the first smart city int eh world by 2020. there are 21 skyscrapers under construction behind the complex and many more to come, and in 40 years they will most likley be demolished and rebuilt again. this is not a typical city.

this is not St. Peters in Rome. because muslims who go there actually practice their religion and they don't go there to look at pretty buildings

[Infernal_Elf]

amazing shot gulf arabia thanks alot for sharing really shows the height of this awesome development.

and as Gulf arabia partly mentiones Saudi arabia builds such tall towers right by the Grand mosque and elsewhere in Mecca out of necessity rather than other reasons

as for the brown color of top although i am a fan of this project i must say that makes it rather ugly and the color change is too abrupt.

on the other side tho the clock looks way better with the sides now up makes the proportions much better

[GulfArabia]

You can see how dark the buildings are at night leaving the WHITE mosque illuminated

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3200/2812222674_120b661e21_o.jpg

[GulfArabia]

as for the brown color of top although i am a fan of this project i must say that makes it rather ugly and the color change is too abrupt.

yeah i agree, but at the same time if it was kept beige it will still look bad... its because the sudden change in hight, because they weren't planning on a clock or a 600 meter tower when construction started, it used to be 400+ meters only

[brian.odonnell20]

well now i am convinced of the building's awe inspiring beauty. that photo just shoots the hell out of any argument against this building being beautiful.:slob:

It actually looks ugly in that pic with nothing else around it and its odd shape... maybe not in a few years as gulf arabia crows 20 times daily, but for now it looks epicly out of place and awkward...

[GulfArabia]

20 times daily

its just what happends when you get asked "20 times daily"

[whiteford]

You could put a lego tower on an ant hill at sunrise and have the same effect. It also does not change the fact that Mecca is being destroyed by greed and hubris.

what ever.:koko:

[whiteford]

It actually looks ugly in that pic with nothing else around it and its odd shape... maybe not in a few years as gulf arabia crows 20 times daily, but for now it looks epicly out of place and awkward...

no it dose not.:sly: :sly:

[whiteford]

this tower is too nice for you guys. you are just against it for no other reason other than you don't like something about who built it or where it was built. or some dumb shit. you sure are not judging it by its own merits. instead some of you have chosen to dislike the project far before construction even had begun. I find your arguments against this skyscraper weak. i mean come on. its a monster skyscraper and you are trying to convince everyone that it sucks.

[STR]

^It's completely possible to dislike this building on its own merits. I, personally, like big buildings. This, however, is unforgivably bad architecture. It's like a cartoon drawing of a building, rather than real architecture. There is no proportion, the colors are random, and I see some kind of box structure jutting out the side of the main tower for no apparent reason about 5 or 6 stories below the base of the clock. That box in no way matches the parts of the building around it. There is no need for that to be there, unless someone thought it looked good.

I think, the main problem with this building is that the architect took small buildings and just blew them up to a huge size. That can work at 5-10 stories, but does not work at all at 100 stories. You can't take the Grand Mosque, which I think we can agree is a fairly nice building, and just stack it and expect it to look good too. The result of trying to stretch lowrise architecture is a ugly mess that reeks of a Las Vegas theme hotel (which are supposed to be cartoonish) or some of the worse buildings in Dubai, which have the exact same problem as this one, but are fortunately smaller.

Yet, even Dubai hired good people for their larger projects. These people aren't good because they're western, but because they have experience building this big. They know what does and does not work. The people that designed this are inexperienced with large building design. I'd wager that the Royal Family (or whoever financed this) hired someone local, who only had experience building small scale. I can understand, politically, religiously, nationalistically, why it would be difficult to hire a foreigner to design this, but you could at least have someone who knows how to build something this big look over the plans.

But don't worry too much, the biggest issue with this building is the facade. That can always be replaced in 20 or 30 years, so there's hope yet.

[whiteford]

i was there last month, the building is really tall but being next to the grand mosque you will not understand how huge the mosque is unless you see it your self, i guess its because all made of marble it makes abraj al bait less attractive. we do not worship buildings as muslims. and as a saudi my self i know that my country is very wealthy, so when how how old the city looked i thought there should be more buildings like abraj al bait. seeing that int he next few years pilgrims will jump from 4 million to 10 million, the whole central area needs to change, all buildings in 1km radius will be demolished, 60% of buildings have been demolished so far, most of them were built in the 80's, for thousands of years this area of makkah have always changed. this time there are trains and a push to make makkah the first smart city int eh world by 2020. there are 21 skyscrapers under construction behind the complex and many more to come, and in 40 years they will most likley be demolished and rebuilt again. this is not a typical city.

this is not St. Peters in Rome. because muslims who go there actually practice their religion and they don't go there to look at pretty buildings



it is a functional place of worship for them. i think it looks wonderful and like i said, "epic".

[whiteford]

^It's completely possible to dislike this building on its own merits. I, personally, like big buildings. This, however, is unforgivably bad architecture. It's like a cartoon drawing of a building, rather than real architecture. There is no proportion, the colors are random, and I see some kind of box structure jutting out the side of the main tower for no apparent reason about 5 or 6 stories below the base of the clock. That box in no way matches the parts of the building around it. There is no need for that to be there, unless someone thought it looked good.

I think, the main problem with this building is that the architect took small buildings and just blew them up to a huge size. That can work at 5-10 stories, but does not work at all at 100 stories. You can't take the Grand Mosque, which I think we can agree is a fairly nice building, and just stack it and expect it to look good too. The result of trying to stretch lowrise architecture is a ugly mess that reeks of a Las Vegas theme hotel (which are supposed to be cartoonish) or some of the worse buildings in Dubai, which have the exact same problem as this one, but are fortunately smaller.

Yet, even Dubai hired good people for their larger projects. These people aren't good because they're western, but because they have experience building this big. They know what does and does not work. The people that designed this are inexperienced with large building design. I'd wager that the Royal Family (or whoever financed this) hired someone local, who only had experience building small scale. I can understand, politically, religiously, nationalistically, why it would be difficult to hire a foreigner to design this, but you could at least have someone who knows how to build something this big look over the plans.

But don't worry too much, the biggest issue with this building is the facade. That can always be replaced in 20 or 30 years, so there's hope yet.

i myself respectivly dissagree with you on all parts. and on the otherhand, do respect your well thought-out, reason's for shooting the building's design full of holes.:shrug:

[GulfArabia]

. The people that designed this are inexperienced with large building design.

Las Vegas theme is mostly Stolen from Arabian a& Islamic architecture and not the other way around. Hijacked.

the buildings are BinLadin the largest construction company in saudi, they built the grand mosque its self, and all governmental buildings including the KAFD (king abdullah finical district)

:tup:

[peanut gallery]

Architecture firm is Dar Al-Handasah (http://www.dargroup.com), who are originally from Beirut. They've been around 50 years and they've designed highrises before.

Personally, I think the clock is fantastic and I like a lot of the details (at least what I can tell from pictures). But I'm not sure how much I like it overall and in context. I'd have to see this one in person to come to a definitive conclusion about it.

[STR]

Las Vegas theme is mostly Stolen from Arabian a& Islamic architecture and not the other way around. Hijacked.

the buildings are BinLadin the largest construction company in saudi, they built the grand mosque its self, and all governmental buildings including the KAFD (king abdullah finical district)

:tup:

Las Vegas doesn't steal, it parodies. The difference is that Vegas doesn't pretend to be original. Being totally fake is basically the appeal of the place, that and slot machines and all you can eat buffets. Additionally, if anything, they've parodied classic European architecture more than Arabic. Even the Luxor, while an Egyptian themed hotel in a pyramid, is modernist, a western school of design.

As for the BinLaden Group, they're an engineering firm, not architects. I never said the building was constructed poorly.

Architecture firm is Dar Al-Handasah (http://www.dargroup.com), who are originally from Beirut. They've been around 50 years and they've designed highrises before.

Personally, I think the clock is fantastic and I like a lot of the details (at least what I can tell from pictures). But I'm not sure how much I like it overall and in context. I'd have to see this one in person to come to a definitive conclusion about it.

Have any examples of their work? Anything larger than 30 stories?

Also, I like the clock too. It's appropriate for the location. It's the rest of the building I have the problem with.

[GulfArabia]

i saw it in person, and just like Burj Khalifa, pictures don't do it justice. probably due to the weather, and that we don't have that much experienced photographers from makkah in this forum.

Detail:

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1194/5106317254_f02548effa_b.jpg

[GulfArabia]

OLD PIC, few km away

http://www.zamaanonline.com/images/World%20biggest%20largest%20tallest%20clock%20tower%20in%20Makkah%20(Mecca)%20saudi%20arabia.gif

[OneWorldTradeCenter]

The height is now 508m, same as Taipei 101.

[Aleks]

okay okay, don't get off track or else we're gonna have to start suspending people. it's ok to have some minor off-topic discussions but it seems like people take things too personal or just randomly troll when they have the chance. just don't reply and the comments will be deleted. replies (to trolls) only create more comments which need to be deleted and harder to monitor the situation.

btw, please start a good discussion instead of repeating the same "if this was built in america! if it was built next to st. peters!" it's not rome, it's not america. get over it.

saying that, i don't think the facade's shape is bad but i do dislike the colors on top. the clock looks sooo cool at night though!

[texcolo]

http://img191.imageshack.us/img191/3339/5082988051a2ff42d72ab.jpg

Do the patterns along side the clock faces spell out anything in Arabic???

:shrug:

[GO_UAE]

yes ... "There is no god but Allah and Mohammed is his messanger (Prophet)"

[peanut gallery]

Have any examples of their work? Anything larger than 30 stories?

There is a sampling on their website (http://www.dargroup.com) but it looks like only their most recent work. There are a couple towers I noticed that looked pretty nice, but I don't think they were over 30 stories (after a cursory review I don't think there is anything other than this on there that tall). Just going by the work they've posted on their website, much of their latest work has been lowrise (maybe 5-15 stories). One thing we know for sure: this is the tallest building they've ever done.

[whiteford]

okay okay, don't get off track or else we're gonna have to start suspending people. it's ok to have some minor off-topic discussions but it seems like people take things too personal or just randomly troll when they have the chance. just don't reply and the comments will be deleted. replies (to trolls) only create more comments which need to be deleted and harder to monitor the situation.

btw, please start a good discussion instead of repeating the same "if this was built in america! if it was built next to st. peters!" it's not rome, it's not america. get over it.

saying that, i don't think the facade's shape is bad but i do dislike the colors on top. the clock looks sooo cool at night though!
i agree, the green color of the clock is perfect.

[STR]

There is a sampling on their website (http://www.dargroup.com) but it looks like only their most recent work. There are a couple towers I noticed that looked pretty nice, but I don't think they were over 30 stories (after a cursory review I don't think there is anything other than this on there that tall). Just going by the work they've posted on their website, much of their latest work has been lowrise (maybe 5-15 stories).

They've apparently done some work with airports, at least conceptually, that looks okay. Yet...this thing is completely different looking from everything else they've done. It's a lot worse than anything else they've appeared to do. They've generally stayed away from bastardized Neo-Mughal crap like this.

Their lowrise work at Al Qasr comes close to this, but it's still more tasteful. Actually, the original concept for Abraj al Bait was a lot cleaner looking. It makes me think they really didn't entirely design this. Sure, they were the architect of record, and developed the basic concept, but someone (read: a Saudi Royal who has more ambition than ability and taste) dictated this direction to them, and they did the best they could with it. It's probably why the tower changed so many times, the royal decided on something new, and Dar had to accommodate it.

It explains why the shorter buildings are less ugly, and the main tower has the worst problems. Of course, I might be giving them too much credit. Their West Bay and Ibn Buttula complexes are the same kind of awful as this building is.

[kiwi4life]

this is one crazy ass superstucture, i love it, its freakin sweet, i would do anything to be able to work at the top of it, those cranes look super small compared to the bulk size of this mammoth structure

[kiwi4life]

i wonder how they assembled that clock because that would of taken some effort

[whiteford]

i love the clock as well and that part of it alone must have been quit the feet to assemble as you have said.;)

[GulfArabia]

3 clocks are ticking. only one left

final render


http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jNeQRdwUY6o/TJEtO6sc6PI/AAAAAAAAA1o/PZD3UGywgAY/s1600/makkah-tower-clock-18.jpg


Check out the size of ppl (look below)

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qoJr7kKgahs/TGpzI3D0FoI/AAAAAAAAOVs/mJdmTNYYFuo/s1600/makkah-tower-clock-11.jpg

[GulfArabia]

the tents were lit up for the first time

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rulacreative/5078859962/
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4084/5078859962_8ae36e32ea.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/rulacreative/5078859962/)

amazing panorama here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/brod_a39ab/5090724760/
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4083/5090724760_90b3b5253f_b.jpg

[Tom In Chicago]

^I hope these are your photos. . . if so, thanks for sharing. . . if not, please update them with proper credit. . . thanks :)

. . .

[GulfArabia]

thanks for reminding me, they weren't mine, i'm not in makkah right now but i was there last month :)

[GulfArabia]

Makkah Clock Royal Tower, a Fairmont Hotel,

opens its doors to pilgrims for Hajj

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4084/5078715874_aa9ab58e8b_z.jpg
01 November 2010

MAKKAH, Saudi Arabia: Fairmont Hotel & Resorts announces the opening of Makkah Clock Royal Tower, A Fairmont Hotel, located only a few steps away from the Masjid Al Haraam and the Holy Ka'aba Islam's most sacred site. Its unique and distinctive features will ensure a landmark presence offering warm and welcoming hospitality to its guests.

The hotel is the focal point of the iconic Abraj Al Bait Complex, which is part of the King Abdul Aziz Endowment Project whose mandate is to upgrade the precincts of the Two Holy Mosques. Makkah Clock Royal Tower is the tallest concrete building in the world, with 76 stories reaching 577 meters (it's 601 meters) and housing 858 rooms and suites. It is an integral feature of the development - the 40-meter clock, whose four facades are visible from 17 kilometers away and more than five times larger than Big Ben in London, will announce daily prayers to the Muslim world through amplifiers, thus reaching a radius of 7 kilometers.

Mr. Mohammad Arkobi, Vice President & Managing Director, FRHI Makkah KSA, expressed his joy and pride in opening the hotel in Makkah and commented, "This event is a momentous opportunity to provide a new amenity to Muslim pilgrims and visitors from all over the world. We are honored to offer exceptional services to Holy Land pilgrims and look forward to ensuring our visitors have truly memorable experiences with us. We also hope to demonstrate our sincere commitment to caring for our communities, a hallmark for our brand and colleagues."

The Tower houses a lunar observatory center, in addition to a museum for Islamic icons and objects of arts, serving to preserve and promote the region's culture and heritage. The hotel demonstrates smart technology design, featuring 10 thousand kilometers of fiber optic cable for speedy communications and Internet connection for the guests. The property's 76 elevators will provide comfortable transfers during Azan (calls to prayer) and high-occupancy Umrah and Hajj seasons and the hotel also features easy access to the Haram, as well as two large prayer rooms for male and female guests.

Guests at Makkah Clock Royal Tower will enjoy a variety of international cuisines including the innovative "Al-Dira", which offers local flavors from the various districts of the Kingdom and will introduce guests to the culture of oriental Saudi cuisine.

For those planning functions in the city, Makkah Clock Royal Tower offers a selection of meeting rooms and event spaces while a 24-hour business center, high speed and wi-fi Internet access and translation services ensure business transactions are conducted effortlessly.

http://www.zawya.com/story.cfm/sidZAWYA20101101082110

http://www.catererglobal.com/employer/assets/getAsset.aspx?uiAssetID=23e7f2d7-03ba-4eb6-8b78-a7444825f897



^^ NEW PICS

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1050/5148591544_eb7158a396_z.jpg

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1402/5147987851_400bb655a4_z.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4064/5147988315_6fa9162e43_z.jpg

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1330/5147989413_8c2e188c69_z.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4112/5147990041_68bc81f9b7_z.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4066/5148594918_0cfd419e68_z.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4037/5147993143_a3164d730d_z.jpg




Pics from supertall thread :)

http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/8117/51211288447680a30320b.jpg

http://img168.imageshack.us/img168/2196/5136093426a6b5c73e9eb.jpg

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1255/5136093806_db7f618c38_b.jpg

http://img708.imageshack.us/img708/7331/abraj1.jpg