Saudi Prince Plans Mile-High Tower In The Desert

Plans for a mile-high tower in the desert, which would be twice the height of the world's tallest building, have been unveiled by the multi-billionaire owner of the Savoy hotel in London.

The building, masterminded by British-based engineers, will be constructed in a "mini-city" near the Red Sea port of Jeddah. The project, almost seven times the height of the Canary Wharf tower, will overtake skyscrapers planned or under construction in Dubai and Kuwait. It means the Middle East has opened a strong gap over east Asia in the race for the world's tallest building.

The Mile High Tower is the brainchild of Prince al-Walid bin Talal, 51, a member of the Saudi royal family, who has a fortune estimated at £11 billion and is the world's 19th richest person, according to Forbes magazine. Al-Walid's Kingdom Holdings has appointed a joint venture set up by Hyder Consulting and Arup, the London enginerring firms, to build the £5 billion tower..

The building will be fitted with a giant computer-operated damper stretching down several floors - to counter the nausea-inducing sway caused by the wind. The building will also be stabilised by two mini-towers, flanking the building's base and attached to the main structure by arched sky-bridges.

Keep reading The Times' report

The Telegraph reports visitors will be able to see Africa from the top.

Some diagrams from the Daily Mail:

Here is the prince, far right, with President Bush:

Comments

[ColoradoAngryRU]

It is called conspicious consumption. They learned it from Americans.

[kozmik]

Jeddah is also the port city beside Mecca. So it has symbolic as well as great commercial value. Millions of Muslims will be wowed as they make the pilgrimage. Though, one could argue whether there's a bit of contradiction between such a building and Mecca itself which from what I gather is a horizontal experience, aesthetically, symbolically, and literally.

Regardless, the landscape around Jeddah is pretty much all flat, featureless, dusty, dirt. So aside from whatever thrills one gets from the height, there's nothing to see up there. It would be like building in Death Valley. Any beauty of the landscape has to be seen from ground level.

The surrounding landscape looks pretty much the same from 1600 feet as it does from 100 feet altitude. Like parched dirt.

[WorkingClass]

When all the oil is finally pumped out Saudi Arabia will once again be one hundred thousand square miles of kitty litter - and one big freaky building.

[comingawakening]

Ah - Bush's friends. Impeach Now!

[BigSid]

WAKE UP AMERICA

I hope you like this tower America, as we're the ones paying for it. As we wage war in that region and our tax dollars pay for it, they build opulent phallic palaces and towers. I guess when a country doesn't have to finance it's own wars, there is enough money remaining in their budget to do things like this.

And, I guess since the hijackers of 9/11 were from Saudi Arabia, they don't have much fear of planes flying into their homeland's mile high towers. All while Americans in building more than 20 stories high lose sleep.

Interesting.

[Citizen69]

Interesting. Ritethefukon, BigSid.

[flycatcher]

I'm sure they're delighted at having limited the size of our ... structures.

Ten thousand years of human history demonstrate that this kind of thing is just temporary, though. "Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!"

[surfcitysteven]

Well, I guess that is better than financing terrorist attacks against US. Another favorite pastime of Saudi princes.

[sparkey]

I'm glad that my gas money is going to build a monument that Cheney's puppet can kiss a Saudi prince's ass in.

[tsloan]

indeed, the ultimate phallic symbol...

[commonsense2]

I wonder if it will have an indoor ski slope like that resort in Dubai - so we can be happy knowing our money spent on oil is furthering environmental disaster even more.

So sad,

[magicmary]

Why can't those rich b*stards do something with thier money that serves the common good of human society? Why can't they give everyone raises so their needs are met and they can create a more civil society?

Here's my proposed meme for the 21st century - Greed is so 20th century! It's just not cool anymore.

[Vyvjala]

You just described the current economy here......­.....

[magicmary]

Where is here?

[rue]

It's always easy to criticize the other fellow's fallacy. Look at what the USA has squandered during the past 60 years on its industrial-military complex first to fight communism and now terrorism. Talk about a waste.

[AgentMacGyver]

I think "the other fellow" is the obscenely rich jackass. Don't lump all Americans together. In addition, you and I owe the Internet to Cold War waste. USA! USA!

[magicmary]

When I say "rich b*stard" I mean all of them. They are countries unto themselves and I don't doubt theres alot of 'em in cohoots with each other at the expense of the rest of us.
All cultures have their greedy people. Instead of doing good for the rest of the world as they are undoubtedly being called to do by destiny they give in to greed instead.

[Vyvjala]

The chart a the top of this post, the graphics are wrong. Every inch of this building's height should equate to a million barrels of oil that this country has bought from these smiling sandworms.­..........­.

[Tariqahmed]

**********­**********­******
WASTE of money & Idiocy.
When land is not like one needs in Singapore, why go up. You will go up millions of miles anyway after the last moment of your life. Live as near to the mother earth till you live.
Poor and hunger ridden children will not be fed mile-high WASTAGE
and show of greed. FIRST TENET of ISLAM calls one to be humble.
SHAME ON YOU PRINCE.
Tariq Ahmed,M.D.
WASHINTON STATE,USA.
**********­**********­*********

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

Gawd ferbid the Prince donates a comparable sum of petrodollars to the Palestinians, the Iraqis, Darfur, etc, etc, etc.

[nefertiti]

are you kidding ? nah he wont be praised for helping the iraqis , the sudanese , or especially the paelstinians (he will be blacklisted by America ) he did offer 2 million dollars to 2 US universities 2 years ago , i think it was 2 years ago or last year , and he felt so proud to be quoted in the US media . He offered 18 Millions to the Louvre Museum to upgrade its Islamic wing . when he could have offered Food and Medicine for Dying muslims in so many countries . Ba.. like this leave me disgusted and fuming . the Saudi money is squandered by the AL saoud gang and there is no Accountability and no questions to be asked .

[Vyvjala]

And I guess flangeheaded bush and his wormy sidekick have exclusive rights to the penthouse.­..........­...

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

Your gas prices at work.

[WIpatriot]

I love it. Build it so high that the spaceships fly into it.

[abbiehoffmansghost]

Watch out a bunch or Republicans will probably fly some airplanes into it. Republicans--the new terrorists.

[WIpatriot]

Same ones as before, abbie.

[Weathermaker]

Yup, and in response the Saudis will invade Canada...