Originally Posted by R@ptor (Post 2799117)

Actually Saudi Arabia allows western tourists into the country since two years ago. But you have to travel in a group and the annual number of tourist visas is pretty limited. So pretty much the same as with North Korea, which also allows tourists these days.

Originally Posted by StarScraperCity (Post 2991317)

I definitely would rather have seen the 2005 version under construction. The clock ruins this in my opinion.

Originally Posted by the urban politician (Post 2992952)

^ This comment is appearing over and over again to the point of being comical. What, exactly, do some of you all have against clocks?

Are we not allowed to put clocks on top of prominent buildings any more, or are only Big Ben and older European buildings entitled to this? Sorry, but I think time is a wonderful symbol, not to mention that it actually serves a practical purpose to have time pieces atop prominent buildings.

Lets also not forget that keeping track of time is important in Islamic culture, as they are supposed to pray 5 times a day.

Originally Posted by StarScraperCity (Post 2993019)

No, not at all. It's simply ugly.

Originally Posted by the urban politician (Post 2992952)

^ This comment is appearing over and over again to the point of being comical. What, exactly, do some of you all have against clocks?

Are we not allowed to put clocks on top of prominent buildings any more, or are only Big Ben and older European buildings entitled to this? Sorry, but I think time is a wonderful symbol, not to mention that it actually serves a practical purpose to have time pieces atop prominent buildings.

Lets also not forget that keeping track of time is important in Islamic culture, as they are supposed to pray 5 times a day.

Originally Posted by WonderlandPark (Post 2993240)

It's ugly, its out of proportion to the scale of the building. Yes, time is important, and yes, other places have clocks on top of towers, but this is just un-appealing. The clock is on the scale of Las Vegas, which isn't exactly the model city you want the holy city of Mecca being built. Nothing against Islam, if they did this in Rome, the Forbidden City, Bangkok or Jerusalem there would be the same cries of "ugly."

Originally Posted by CEO (Post 2990531)

Makkah (formerly known as Mecca)
Madinah (formerly known as Medina)

Originally Posted by wsxyz (Post 2993954)

Actually, it is still called Mecca. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the name of a city in one language being different than another.

Originally Posted by DUBAI2015 (Post 2789849)

The Abraj Al Bait Towers is a building complex under construction (Completion 2008) in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. It will be the largest (not tallest) building in the world by mass, the tallest building in Saudi Arabia, and one of the tallest buildings in the world at 577 m.

The site of the structure is across the street from the entrance to the Masjid al Haram, which houses the Kaaba, the holiest site in Islam. As a result, the Abraj Al Bait Towers will have a large prayer room capable of holding nearly four thousand worshippers. It will contain a five-star hotel to help accommodate the over two million pilgrims who participate in hajj each year.

In addition, the Abraj Al Bait Towers will have a four-story shopping mall and a parking garage capable of holding over eight hundred vehicles. Residential towers will house permanent residents while two heliports and a conference center are to accommodate business travellers. In total, up to 65,000 people would be housed inside the Towers.

Previous Designs:
http://i13.tinypic.com/433bgoo.jpg
400m?

Old Design (2005):
http://img300.imageshack.us/img300/730/abbbsnv2.jpg
485m.

Now Design (2007):
http://aawsat.com/english/images/200.../O31708309.jpg
577m.

U/C picture from March
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/133/3...d80e7b43_o.jpg
http://img63.imageshack.us/img63/5196/ab2xp6.jpg

Enjoy! :banana:

Originally Posted by Slugbelch (Post 2990208)

I would have preferred this version

http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/8718/9rd8.jpg

Originally Posted by NewYork (Post 3018742)

wow! amazing!! :sly:

Originally Posted by Untitled (Post 3019601)

I wonder how Jews would feel if this were being built in Jerusalem, or Christians if it were Bethlehem.

Gimme some other religion/city combos. Who'd want this? Who wouldn't?

Originally Posted by Lecom (Post 3019884)

But then again, Jesus' birthplace is a small, serene space, while the Kaaba is about grandeur and ability to accomodate as many people as possible. Though it's debatable whether the building is too grand for its location, it is definitely more fitting for where it is as opposed to other religious centers for other religions.

Originally Posted by cactus22minus1 (Post 3020151)

FYI: This thing is very visible and fairly recent looking on Google maps.

Originally Posted by Northwest (Post 3226420)

I know its been a while since your post, but would you mind providing latittue/longitue coordinates to view this project from satellite images? Like a Google maps link? :)

Originally Posted by Untitled (Post 3020975)

Good point about Bethlehem. What about the Vatican?

Originally Posted by Aimster (Post 3018412)

with so much oil money I would expect to see more high-rises in Saudi Arabia.

I do not like this project at all. The leaders must be too busy playing buy the European prostitutes to pay any attention to the real designs.

Originally Posted by leftopolis (Post 3228821)

I don't find it intimidating at all--it certainly exudes a power and intensity, yet (in the most recent renders I linked to a few posts up) I still find it inviting. Considering the sheer bulk of a building made up of 7 towers--which individually would be a large building in any city--all on one podium, the disign is realatively gracefull. They've certainly made an effort to maximize views, for example the towers in front are triangular.

It serves to inspire awe, and succeeds at housing thousands under one roof in a location which attracts millions. Where I might critique it is whether it is appropriate for the place. This is afterall a building which will cater to the upper classes, not to the masses. Perhaps there are only 800 parking spaces because most guests will arrive by limo or helicopter. There really is a thin line between the ostentatious spirituality meant for this structure and the kingdoms of gambling found in Vegas. Oddly, this building would not look out of place on the strip IMO. Then there's the 4 story shopping mall across the street from a holy shrine--maybe they will only have stores selling religious goods? Good timeless architecture reflects a local sense of place and I'm not convinced WRT this structure. Perhaps a Muslim who has experienced the Haaj(sp?)/Mekkah would be in a better position to answer.

Originally Posted by Northwest (Post 3226420)

I know its been a while since your post, but would you mind providing latittue/longitue coordinates to view this project from satellite images? Like a Google maps link? :)

Originally Posted by cactus22minus1 (Post 3229231)

Sure, no problem. There is a lot of really interesting things you can see in this view along with this massive(!) project. Like the 'little' swarm of pilgrims. :)

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie...&t=h&z=16&om=1

Originally Posted by Northwest (Post 3227491)

I for one am glad the gigantic clock tower design appears to have been dropped! Come on now, its almost 2008 and most everyone has a cell phone, watch, or something that will tell the time. The giant public clocks made a lot more sense 100+ years ago, and I still love to see them on historic buildings.