JEDDAH | Kingdom Tower | 3,303 FT / 1007 M | ON HOLD

[The North One]

Originally Posted by Kurtz

Indeed the kingdome tower is so romantic

Well, I never said anything about romance.

[Aaronaa4]

Hey guys,

Here is my August update of the Kingdom tower. Once again, thanks everyone for the great photos, they always make my day and made this video possible. Lets keep watching the progress together I promise the video wont disappoint, enjoy!

• Video Link

[toxteth o'grady]

Originally Posted by Beedok

Didn't the Burj Khalifa require a massive bailout to finance it (and therefore get renamed from Burj Dubai to Burj Khalifa).

Yes, I was quite surprised Wiz Khalifa had the pocket change to spare.

[chris08876]

From construction camera:

[jbermingham123]

I went back really far in this thread to try to figure out why this is being built in the middle of nowhere... and still have no answer

[Nomadd22]

Originally Posted by jbermingham123

I went back really far in this thread to try to figure out why this is being built in the middle of nowhere... and still have no answer

All the other sites were taken.

[photoLith]

Its been answered a million times before, its in the middle of nowhere now, but a city will be built around it, kind of like how the Burj Dubai was built sort of in the middle of the desert, now theres skyscrapers and developments all around it.

[whiteford]

sometimes you need to start from scratch to realize a dream so big. i cant believe so many would waist time on such a redundant question. the reasoning is simple and obvious.

[SkahHigh]

Closer pic from the webcam:

[Ultros]

Originally Posted by jbermingham123

I went back really far in this thread to try to figure out why this is being built in the middle of nowhere... and still have no answer

There is no answer to your question, because it's not being built in the middle of nowhere.

[06hdfxdwg]

Eh. I'm sure all those other cranes are building the McDonalds and Footlocker,so have no fear,the KT will have company. I sure would love to have a food wagon there. Must be a bitch being a construction worker out there,as i'm sure they have to order out for food 3 days in advance,just to get some lunch there by noon.

[bflatflat9]

Originally Posted by Ultros

There is no answer to your question, because it's not being built in the middle of nowhere.

Yeah, and the closest humanity is the town of Dog Holler, SA.
"not in the middle of nowhere".......?....!..

[RobEss]

Why was my post about Gulf projects using slave labor deleted? Isn't that relevant to discuss here? Aren't the states and conditions of the laborers as important as the buildings they build?

Isn't it important, on a forum that discusses skyscrapers so intently, to also discuss their human and ethical cost? Focusing solely on the finished product loses sight of the bigger, uglier means by which they are often built and degrades our understanding and appreciation of them. How might you look at a building differently with the knowledge that people lost their liberty and their lives in its construction?

[JManc]

Originally Posted by RobEss

Why was my post about Gulf projects using slave labor deleted? Isn't that relevant to discuss here? Aren't the states and conditions of the laborers as important as the buildings they build?

Isn't it important, on a forum that discusses skyscrapers so intently, to also discuss their human and ethical cost? Focusing solely on the finished product loses sight of the bigger, uglier means by which they are often built and degrades our understanding and appreciation of them. How might you look at a building differently with the knowledge that people lost their liberty and their lives in its construction?

No. This particular section of the forum is limited to construction status updates only. Any discussion regarding labor and political issues should be directed to general discussions.

[RobEss]

Originally Posted by JManc

No. This particular section of the forum is limited to construction status updates only.

This thinking doesn't seem to apply to the numerous other offshoot topics discussed in this thread, but I take your point.

I must insist though that the discussion of a building's construction includes the discussion of a buildings labor force. After all, pieces of steel don't rise without human hands to place them. And since a single project's labor policies and work force are usually as unique as it's design, shouldn't the discussion surrounding them have an equal place in this thread? Isn't the discussion of unions in NYC threads just as relevant as one about labor in Jeddah? And aren't the hands and feet of a worker just as present during a building's construction as it's glass and steel?

I'm not trying to make an explicitly political or moral statement here, I just think this particular facet of the Kingdom Tower's construction shouldn't be excluded from the thread simply because it doesn't address curtain walls or foundations. It does address a critical element of this projects very existence, namely the enslaved people making it rise.

p.s / tl;dr - I know this argument won't make much difference in the moderation of this forum, but please do consider it.

[JManc]

Originally Posted by RobEss

This thinking doesn't seem to apply to the numerous other offshoot topics discussed in this thread, but I take your point.

I must insist though that the discussion of a building's construction includes the discussion of a buildings labor force. After all, pieces of steel don't rise without human hands to place them. And since a single project's labor policies and work force are usually as unique as it's design, shouldn't the discussion surrounding them have an equal place in this thread? Isn't the discussion of unions in NYC threads just as relevant as one about labor in Jeddah? And aren't the hands and feet of a worker just as present during a building's construction as it's glass and steel?

I'm not trying to make an explicitly political or moral statement here, I just think this particular facet of the Kingdom Tower's construction shouldn't be excluded from the thread simply because it doesn't address curtain walls or foundations. It does address a critical element of this projects very existence, namely the enslaved people making it rise.

p.s / tl;dr - I know this argument won't make much difference in the moderation of this forum, but please do consider it.

Feel free to create a thread about this in the Skybar about ME labor practices but the Projects & Construction forums are strictly for construction updates only. This is something that is not up for debate. There were several threads posted about this very same issue when the Burj Khalifa was being built but they were not allowed in the Burj Khalifa construction thread and directed elsewhere.

[RobEss]

Originally Posted by JManc

Feel free to create a thread about this in the Skybar about ME labor practices....

Thanks for being diplomatic, but if I might have the last word -

I find it unsettling how easy it is for us to separate these issues; as though the tower were only made up of its component parts, untouched by vice or abuse. Separating the discussion simply makes it harder to appreciate the real horror and scope of human trafficking associated with these projects. To imply (even unintentionally) that the building and its construction is divorced from issues of slavery is, in my opinion, contributing to a general ignorance on the matter.

Okay, I'm done. I won't bring it up again here. I've only been motivated to write this much because an acquaintance of mine's son was tricked into slavery on a Saudi project. It's not uncommon, and it's bigger than you think.

[kingkirbythe....]

Originally Posted by RobEss

Thanks for being diplomatic, but if I might have the last word -

I find it unsettling how easy it is for us to separate these issues; as though the tower were only made up of its component parts, untouched by vice or abuse. Separating the discussion simply makes it harder to appreciate the real horror and scope of human trafficking associated with these projects. To imply (even unintentionally) that the building and its construction is divorced from issues of slavery is, in my opinion, contributing to a general ignorance on the matter.

Okay, I'm done. I won't bring it up again here. I've only been motivated to write this much because an acquaintance of mine's son was tricked into slavery on a Saudi project. It's not uncommon, and it's bigger than you think.

I second your statement.

[The North One]

Originally Posted by photoLith

Its been answered a million times before, its in the middle of nowhere now, but a city will be built around it, kind of like how the Burj Dubai was built sort of in the middle of the desert, now theres skyscrapers and developments all around it.

So they're making the same mistake again? Because Dubai turned out so well.

IDK, why none of these middle eastern princes with seemingly unlimited money build a beautiful European-esque city with well done islamic type mid rises and tree lines streets with beautiful mosques, that's what I would do and it would probably be a lot more feasible in the long run.

But I guess they're just too obsessed with monolithic skyscrapers so they can show off how "well endowed" they are to the world. *sigh*

[JManc]

Originally Posted by RobEss

Thanks for being diplomatic, but if I might have the last word -

I find it unsettling how easy it is for us to separate these issues; as though the tower were only made up of its component parts, untouched by vice or abuse. Separating the discussion simply makes it harder to appreciate the real horror and scope of human trafficking associated with these projects. To imply (even unintentionally) that the building and its construction is divorced from issues of slavery is, in my opinion, contributing to a general ignorance on the matter.

Okay, I'm done. I won't bring it up again here. I've only been motivated to write this much because an acquaintance of mine's son was tricked into slavery on a Saudi project. It's not uncommon, and it's bigger than you think.

I understand where you're coming from and it is hard to discuss one but not the other but the rule is meant to keep all off-topic conversation directed away from this section, not necessarily political or social but anything. This is why I think thread(s) dealing with labor practices in the ME/China are totally fair game on this forum.