MECCA | Abraj Al-Bait | 601m | 1972ft | 95 fl | T/O - Page 68

Witty Nickname · #**1341** Posted **Oct 10, 2011, 7:19 PM**

Just goes to show that religion and money cannot buy taste.

AutoBrad · #**1342** Posted **Oct 12, 2011, 2:22 AM**

It kinda reminds me of one of those freakish Las Vegas attractions. Perhaps a mini version will soon be installed on the Strip...

LeftCoaster · #**1343** Posted **Oct 12, 2011, 4:47 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by whiteford

the building is of the purest form of architecture. it has a purpose and it serves it purpose to an extreme that few if any other purpose built buildings in history have done. to that extent this building is a complete and utter success. all that and it is the second tallest building in the world. omg, what more could you ask for. i just wish the morons would stay away from this thread and go waste someone else s time with there endless, redundant, worthless trolling. this building is obviously chalk full of greatness. one of the man made wonders of the world. yet here comes the retards who go on and on about how awful it is. they must have incredibly low self esteem and a hidden (even from themselves), sense of self worthlessness. why else would they come here and call down what is obviously one of the most important structures to be built in the past 1000 or so years. it must make them somehow feel better than they actually are. this building is just that, it is more than the empire state building or the sears tower. them towers have very little significance to most peoples lives. other than the people that work in them. this structure serves an entire movement that is global. god has endorsed this thing.

It's a hotel with a shopping mall...

Boquillas · #**1344** Posted **Oct 13, 2011, 12:18 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by LeftCoaster

It's a hotel with a shopping mall...

Everybody who keeps comparing this to hotels (the Las Vegas Venetian and the Bellagio are probably the ones you're thinking of), perhaps a little awareness of context is in order.

The Bellagio and Venetian are a bits of architectural pastiche that in large part sample huge chunks of architectural elements from the city of Venice. In fact, though crass, oversized and somewhat "value engineered," for Vegas they are done rather well. What they do carry along with them is the reputation of Vegas and its numerous tackier and less-well-pulled-off designs, like New York New York, Luxor, Excalibur, etc.

OK, so inspired by Venice. Where did Venetian architecture come from? Give up? It itself was a pastiche of Constantinople and Moorish Spain architectural styles and influences.

So people see the big hotel in Mecca and think, "reminds me of the Venetian" in Vegas, when really, it just looks like itself, and where it comes from. Go back further guys. Think Alhambra. Think Koutoubia. Think Hagia Sofia.

I know its a monstrous, inelegant piece of real estate, but it didn't come from Vegas. Vegas came from it.

sphinx88844 · #**1345** Posted **Oct 13, 2011, 1:47 AM**

what are they building on the other side...it looks to be quite massive as well.

LeftCoaster · #**1346** Posted **Oct 13, 2011, 1:36 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boquillas

Everybody who keeps comparing this to hotels (the Las Vegas Venetian and the Bellagio are probably the ones you're thinking of), perhaps a little awareness of context is in order.

I wasn't comparing it to a hotel, I was saying it is a hotel... in response to someone else's post I quoted.

And I think you're reading too much into the Vegas comparisons. I don't think people are comparing the actual architectural styles so much as saying both are examples of huge tacky designs.

sphinx88844 · #**1347** Posted **Oct 13, 2011, 4:50 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by LeftCoaster

I wasn't comparing it to a hotel, I was saying it is a hotel... in response to someone else's post I quoted.

And I think you're reading too much into the Vegas comparisons. I don't think people are comparing the actual architectural styles so much as saying both are examples of huge tacky designs.

Bwahahaha That just made my day

whiteford · #**1348** Posted **Oct 14, 2011, 4:57 PM**

ya but good God, its huge! haha

Kippis · #**1349** Posted **Oct 14, 2011, 5:42 PM**

It's amusing to look at these images that include the mosque and the Abraj al-Bait complex together -- such an enormous series of buildings against the Kabba, which looks like a tiny black dot.

Sky Tower · #**1350** Posted **Oct 19, 2011, 12:28 PM**

Wow, what a magnificent building!
It's been about three years since I last looked at this build.
The clock tower part is an engineers wet dream, like Big Ben on Steroids (I know technically Palace of Westminster Clock Tower).
But damn, hourly "call to prayer" that can be audible 7 miles away would drive me crazy!

The Imster · #**1351** Posted **Oct 19, 2011, 7:06 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sky Tower

Wow, what a magnificent building!
It's been about three years since I last looked at this build.
The clock tower part is an engineers wet dream, like Big Ben on Steroids (I know technically Palace of Westminster Clock Tower).
But damn, hourly "call to prayer" that can be audible 7 miles away would drive me crazy!

First of all the call to prayer would NOT drive Muslims crazy - in fact they would love it - i hope they develop the surrounding area to compliment the building. Mecca needs more towers to compliment the pilgrims - i am sure Mecca will look stunning in the next 20-30 years!

Sky Tower · #**1352** Posted **Oct 20, 2011, 8:53 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Imster

First of all the call to prayer would NOT drive Muslims crazy - in fact they would love it - i hope they develop the surrounding area to compliment the building. Mecca needs more towers to compliment the pilgrims - i am sure Mecca will look stunning in the next 20-30 years!

I have offices in Dubai, Bahrain and Qatar and 80% of my staff are Muslim.
I asked, and the general consensus is it would drive them crazy too.

There seems to be a big difference between a 5 times a day Adhan (call to prayer) from a traditional minaret, having a conurbation area of 600-800 metres away from a mosque (which any business can avoid to be near if it becomes intolerable for non Muslims) than an arena stage audio setup that announces a call to prayer during ALL daylight times, on the hour every hour (13 times a day in the summer months) from multidimensional speakers with a booming audibility to some 2,500,000 people who live and work within the 7km radius of the Mecca metro area.

I'm sure as you state the 13,000,000 pilgrims that visit Mecca each year would love it, but could become extremely tedious for any Ex Pat businesses there or for many thousands of Muslims like many people would find that barrage of white noise tantamount to noise pollution or simply a deformation of the more traditional 5 times a day call to prayer.

I, as a businessman in the region would avoid the locale in favour of Jeddah or Riyadh for this very reason, and so would many other businesses.

Mecca is a Telecoms and Transportation hub; as my industry falls into that category, it's a shame that I would feel compelled to invest elsewhere.

The Imster · #**1353** Posted **Oct 21, 2011, 7:43 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sky Tower

I have offices in Dubai, Bahrain and Qatar and 80% of my staff are Muslim.
I asked, and the general consensus is it would drive them crazy too.

There seems to be a big difference between a 5 times a day Adhan (call to prayer) from a traditional minaret, having a conurbation area of 600-800 metres away from a mosque (which any business can avoid to be near if it becomes intolerable for non Muslims) than an arena stage audio setup that announces a call to prayer during ALL daylight times, on the hour every hour (13 times a day in the summer months) from multidimensional speakers with a booming audibility to some 2,500,000 people who live and work within the 7km radius of the Mecca metro area.

I'm sure as you state the 13,000,000 pilgrims that visit Mecca each year would love it, but could become extremely tedious for any Ex Pat businesses there or for many thousands of Muslims like many people would find that barrage of white noise tantamount to noise pollution or simply a deformation of the more traditional 5 times a day call to prayer.

I, as a businessman in the region would avoid the locale in favour of Jeddah or Riyadh for this very reason, and so would many other businesses.

Mecca is a Telecoms and Transportation hub; as my industry falls into that category, it's a shame that I would feel compelled to invest elsewhere.

Mecca & Medina are only places were non-Muslims are not permitted. I think peopel going there usually expect this - while few may moan. Never the less - Mecca needs to some awesome structures in its skyline - the demand is there and the economics makes sense - after all Jedda is constructing the Next Worlds tallest building at over 1000 meters - truly awesome!