Dubai continued

So i wrote about Dubai earlier, but since then I have learned more about the city. I think these things are definitely worth mentioning. One of them is like the all-time superbowl championship of architecture and the other is the mona lisa of creative engineering. This city is now one of the wealthiest around the world, and they want everybody to know it.

What is the most coveted feat that everybody wants? Tallest building. Dubai can claim that. The Burj Dubai is by far the tallest building in the world soaring at an amazing 2,684 feet as of January of 2009 (currently still under construction). The building started construction in 2004; the plans have changed since then adding hundreds of feet to the original planned height. Some interested facts:

• The elevators have evacuation procedures (so you can use them in emergencies)
  
• The concrete in this building could make 1900km (which is 1180 miles)
  
• The conrete weighs as much as about 100,000 elephants


• The rebar used end-to-end would make it a quarter way around the world


• It was made to withstand the worst storm Dubai has had in over 100 years


• It is as tall as the Sears Tower with the Eiffel tower on top of it

So besides this ridiculous building, there is another feature of the city that will immediately catch your eye. The Palm islands are man-made islands that are made just of the coast in Dubai in the Persian Gulf. There are three different islands that were designed with the Palm Jumeriah as the only one completed. Each of the islands are in the shape of palm trees, and will have an area large enough to house many people. The Palm Deira (which was started in 2007) is supposed to be able to house over 1 million people on it.

There is so much architectural feats to see in this city. Between the tallest building, the two tallest hotels, the biggest water fountains, the largest man-made islands, largest indoor skiing mountain, the longest bridge (in plans), this city will put you in amazement. However, with the recent economic problems, this may not last for long. Most of the things listed are still under construction, and probably won't be finished until the economic problems are solved.