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

[Pizzuti]

But one of the strong themes you see all across Islam is that Mosques are supposed to be extremely serene and you're supposed to be extremely focused on prayer.

The whole argument for keeping men and women separated by a screen is that being in the presence of the opposite gender is distracting, and separation ads to the serenity.

I'm not sure exactly why this mosque was left open, but I've always assumed it's because it was simply too expensive to build a massive dome, and pointless since Mecca is very dry and usually cloudless anyway, so why not open it up to the blue sky during Hajj time?

The Masjid-al-Haram is in the middle of a city, but I'd still guess that there is a kind of haunted silence when you're standing in the middle of that open space when it is empty. Not any longer, though. Now it'll be a bustling city, surrounded by skyscrapers - you're in Times Square! What's next, big TV screens on the skyscrapers flashing McDonald's advertisements?

I know that massive skyscrapers and development lends itself to the feeling of "energy" that a lot of us get excited about when we picture millions and millions of people filling the mosque and pouring in from surrounding hotels and prayer rooms. But I think our sense might be a little contrary to what the mosque is about.

I've been defending this project for a while on the grounds that few of us commenting here are Muslim, so we don't really know if the religion would favor an isolated prayer site or a busy, integrated prayer site. After seeing that picture, though, I think I sort of switch sides, considering how much sky view is actually taken up by buildings.

[SkyscrapersOfNewYork]

its horrible!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Crush_Buds]

I highly doubt the monarchy would ever allow neon signage in the vicinity.

Be it an exaggeration or not, Mecca will modernize and I think the sanctity of the site will always be the first priority when considering development. Sure, it maybe striking or imposing when first seen, but I don't think that a building will distract Islam's followers from devout prayer.

[Zerton]

what is up with the tents on top...

[huggkruka]

The construction photo (on pg. 22) of the hotel towering over the Kaba is just insane.

[leftopolis]

Originally Posted by Zerton

what is up with the tents on top...

Having seen an up-close image of some of the "tents"...They appear to be outdoor/rooftop seating areas of some sort. This type of canvas roofing is quite common, particularly in large outdoor gathering places.

Remember, the average temperature for Mecca is high year-round and shade is welcome! Even in November, average temps are 94F and 73F for the low. Record highs are 100F+ for every month of the year except January. Average Number of Days/Year Above 90F/32C: 298!
http://www.weatherbase.com - Mecca

From that perspective, it might be a good thing to have a giant skycraper shadow for the crowds of pilgrims.

[Crush_Buds]

Silly. But if you close an eye and flip off the computer with your left hand...it matches/covers up the last pic really well!! Too funny.


Makes me like this thing even more.

[malec]

At night. The size of this thing is just ridiculous.

Originally Posted by ibib

Nice pics by SAUD, if they were just at day time to observe the cladding progress

[shakman]

Good development... ...wrong place for it.

[pablosan]

Interesting concept.

[steveve]

This is a HUGE development (and building)!

Not only is it tall but it's HUGE!!!!... i mean HUGE!!!!

It's hard to believe how tall it really is due to the large scale of things!... you can't see the scale of the buildings by the photos... you have to compare it with something else!

Even considering there are so few floors, you can't get the scale of things!

[Patrick]

No doubt it's an impressive project but it's location is just so awkward, pressed up against those neighboring highrises, it's all so alien looking. The other skyscrapers are so crammed in together I can only imagine how awful the views will be, but like I said, it is impressive.

[leftopolis]

Originally Posted by Patrick

No doubt it's an impressive project but it's location is just so awkward, pressed up against those neighboring highrises, it's all so alien looking. The other skyscrapers are so crammed in together I can only imagine how awful the views will be, but like I said, it is impressive.

I'm not clear on what you mean about it being pressed up against neighboring high-rises..."It" and "the high-rises" are essentially one building--there's one common podium for the whole cluster.

[Chelsea Spy]

this is probably the ugliest skyscraper in the world and an awful violation of an ancient city of incomparable historic importance - imagine building something like that next to the Vatican...

[Dylan Leblanc]

Images from - http://www.mujahideenryder.net/2009/...rld/#more-3638

[Spocket]

That thing makes kittens cry.

[shakman]

Originally Posted by Spocket

That thing makes kittens cry.

Seeing that monstrosity next to our holiest shrine makes me cry. For those who are Muslim, do not forget that the Prophet (PBUH) predicted a competition for buildings to reach the sky. What better to have as such then in Mecca.

[Aleks]

The building it's self actually grew onto me a lot. It fascinates me to see such a large structure and so close to each other!

I do agree however that it should be father from the mosque. Maybe a kilometer away with train lines running to-and-from the mosque. This will definitely add more capacity to surrounding hotels though. Or it'll just be a gateway for the rich to come more and more. Although I think the first one is more likely.

[CalibratedZeus]

Originally Posted by Aleks

The building it's self actually grew onto me a lot. It fascinates me to see such a large structure and so close to each other!

I do agree however that it should be father from the mosque. Maybe a kilometer away with train lines running to-and-from the mosque. This will definitely add more capacity to surrounding hotels though. Or it'll just be a gateway for the rich to come more and more. Although I think the first one is more likely.

In this first image, you see the Masjid al Haram as the large white area, the tower just south of it.


Now, about 5 KM to the east, you see this...

A GIANT tent city that houses many during their pilgrimage. Pretty much all of those tents can be moved into the Abraj Al-Bait. A great space saver, but like you said, it should definitely be further away from the Masjid al Haram.

[Pizzuti]

Okay, it's when I see that flier advertising "24-hour butler service" and "1 suite being 36,000 sq meters" that I really think that the decadence here really contrasts with the image and message of the Masjid-al-Haram.

Isn't one of the major aspects of the Hajj supposed to be that everyone is equal? You could be a multi-billionaire or a poor farmer from Bangladesh, but when you're circumambulating the Kabba, all of that is gone. Everyone looks and is totally equal during the hajj.

Not so in this building. There's automatically a differentiation between the janitors and cooks and the rich people who they cater to, and there are expensive suites and cheap suites. That is the way most of the world works, but it certainly changes what the hajj is about. I wonder if most pilgrims will even be able to afford to come in to this thing.