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

[firstcranialnerve]

I agree, this is quite an ugly, backward design. Were they limited to something uninspiring because it would distract the people praying in the grand mosque?

[Alliance]

I think the Mosque itself is practically indomitable. I think its jsut a case of uninspired, if not poor design.

[Lecom]

Originally Posted by Spocket

I think it's good every now and then to have a building that initially makes you go "Ewwww...what IS that ?" Once this thing is complete, I have a feeling that it will become iconic and I mean that in a good way. It IS unique because of it's scale, it's situation, even it's raison d'etre. It's so ugly it's beautiful. It's so out of place that it's going to define the place that it's in.

The Eiffel Tower rationale. Good point.

[zerokarma]

So is the clock in the final design or not

[kenratboy]

Originally Posted by 1ajs

so any construction updates?

... the latest thing on flickr i can find is this posted november 13th
http://www.flickr.com/photos/chinx786/2000596661/

Just on its own, that is an awesome picture, the whole city looks very interesting (but I don't think they would take kindly to my kind).

Oh well, its theit city, who are we to judge them

[Surrealplaces]

Those are some pretty ugly buildings. Who designed those, and got paid for it??

[Surrealplaces]

Originally Posted by 1ajs

so any construction updates?

... the latest thing on flickr i can find is this posted november 13th
http://www.flickr.com/photos/chinx786/2000596661/

Well, the buildings may be ugly, but this shot of the city is great.

[johnandahalf]

Originally Posted by 1ajs

so any construction updates?

... the latest thing on flickr i can find is this posted november 13th
http://www.flickr.com/photos/chinx786/2000596661/

Looks like a city on the moon. Have they no trees? No nurseries? No landscaping of any kind? It just looks so "crumbly" to me.

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[PhxSprawler]

Originally Posted by johnandahalf

Looks like a city on the moon. Have they no trees? No nurseries? No landscaping of any kind? It just looks so "crumbly" to me.

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It is a desert.

[the urban politician]

I think this thing will be gorgeous.

I hate some of you architecture elitists, who would praise this exact structure if it were built in 1890, yet seem to loathe it now. What a silly, fickle group of nitwits some of you are..

[Nowhereman1280]

Originally Posted by the urban politician

I think this thing will be gorgeous.

I hate some of you architecture elitists, who would praise this exact structure if it were built in 1890, yet seem to loathe it now. What a silly, fickle group of nitwits some of you are..

Are you kidding me? I usually agree with you about "architecture elitists" but with a design like this it doesn't matter what year it was built in, its got horrible proportions and will look extremely cheesy because of that. just look at how awkwardly large the top of the main tower is, it look's about 50% larger than it should be.

Not to mention this will probably be clad in some horrid material like Precast or painted concrete that will add to the cheese over time...

[gttx]

Originally Posted by the urban politician

I hate some of you architecture elitists, who would praise this exact structure if it were built in 1890, yet seem to loathe it now. What a silly, fickle group of nitwits some of you are..

No one in their right mind would have built something this ugly in 1890.

[Brian.]

Originally Posted by Nowhereman1280

Not to mention this will probably be clad in some horrid material like Precast or painted concrete that will add to the cheese over time...

OUCH...that's gonna leave a mark...

[Complex01]

Hmm, i really dont know what to say about this one. So i will just look at the picture again...

[johnandahalf]

Originally Posted by PhxSprawler

It is a desert.

So's Phoenix, but they have trees there. It's not like Mecca's new & they just haven't had a chance to put in some plants. It looks misersable.

They should move it all to Orlando, since that's where so many people already make their pilgrimage each year.

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[Boquillas]

How I feel about the building seems immaterial compared to how fascinating I find that photo. If no other talls come to be built in Makkah, this building will be an icon regardless.

BTW, I see some Tamarisk trees in that photo, but most are likely to be found in the canyons and drainages between hills and along creeks and streams, not directly on hillsides. And if I'm not mistaken, Phoenix doesn't have trees on hillsides either. Of course, we all know that Phoenix's landscaping comes at great expense to their water supply.

[High Pointer]

Having hiked Phoenix's 3 highest mountains, I can confirm that they do not. The newer suburbs are using more desert landscaping, so there are still some but fewer trees. As far as natural trees go, you need to get about 5000' up into the surrounding mountains to find any.

But back on topic--how tall has the main portion gotten, roughly?

[Surrealplaces]

Originally Posted by the urban politician

I think this thing will be gorgeous.

I hate some of you architecture elitists, who would praise this exact structure if it were built in 1890, yet seem to loathe it now. What a silly, fickle group of nitwits some of you are..

I t would be ugly if it was built back then too. It's just a case of a building being ugly, no other way to look at it. No matter how much lipstick you try to put on this one, it's still a pig.

[Down_Under_the_El]

I don't know... if this was built in 1890 it would be pretty amazing.

It's kinda tall.

[CGII]

Originally Posted by johnandahalf

So's Phoenix, but they have trees there. It's not like Mecca's new & they just haven't had a chance to put in some plants. It looks misersable.

And all of those trees make Phoenix the model of sustainability.