Savoy owner plans world's tallest building

The race to build the world's tallest building has reached a new level with plans for a mile-high tower to be built near the Red Sea port of Jeddah in Saudi Arabia. The multi-billionaire owner of the Savoy Hotel in London has unveiled plans for the ambitious £5 billion tower, which will overtake skyscrapers planned or under construction in Kuwait and Dubai.

The Mile High Tower will be double the height of its nearest rival, and will be almost seven times the height of the Canary Wharf tower in London. Visitors will be able to see Africa from the top of the tower, the Sunday Times newspaper reports.

Riyadh-based Kingdom Holding, which is controlled by billionaire Prince al-Walid bin Talal, will invite bids before July for contracts to build the tower in Saudi Arabia's commercial capital. The project will push architecture and engineering to new limits, as the tower must be robust enough to withstand the extremes of temperature and strong desert winds in the region.

Gulf Arab states, flush with funds from record high oil prices, are trying to outstrip each other to build the world's tallest building. They have opened up a strong gap over east Asian countries in the race, with mega-skyscrapers planned or under construction in Kuwait and the booming United Arab Emirate of Dubai.

The Burj Dubai, which is due for completion in 2009, had previously been predicted to take the crown as the world's tallest man-made structure. Prince al-Walid, a member of the Saudi royal family, bought the Savoy Hotel, in the Strand in London, for £1.25 billion in 2005

All of the worlds tallest towers in Manhattan

Here is a nice photo of what all of the worlds tallest towers would look like if they were in Manhattan.

Burj Dubai March 30th 2008 photo update

Burj Dubai March 30th 2008 photo update, photos of Dubai skyline. The Burj Dubai is really starting to stand out in the skyline.

Burj Dubai Spire Erection Methodology

This has a wealth of info that I never took to notice before as the lifting was so far away.

First the new platform is probably a working platform as in the plan above. Thing is it is supposed to be on tier 19. I wonder what the reason for it being on tier 18 is ? ( no I don't think it is because the structure is going to be less than 818 m. )

I have been looking at this plan and I have an idea of the exact lifting proceedure but if someone can grasp fully what the proceedure is going to be perhaps you can enlighten us with your thoughts. It looks like there is going to be more than one lifting stage to me. Also looks like they are going to finish parts of the structure after the lifting is completed. Also looks to me they will finish tier 19 then start the lifting after that as Cul said. Kinda looks like they will continue building higher on 2 ( ? ) of the 3 wings and finish the third after lifting. This lifting proceedure is going to be very interesting and somewhat more complex than at first glance.

Burj Dubai officially the new World's Tallest Structure

The Burj Dubai is now officially the World's Tallest free standing Structure, the current height of the newly installed columns is 630.5 meters. The top of the three new columns are 1.7 meters taller than the KVLY-TV Mast. And the current floor count is 160:mezz 2, so officially Tier 18 has now started.

Below is a photo of the first column just after it was installed, this is the one that broke the record! also I have posted two more photos of the Burj Dubai and the city of Dubai. lastly is a diagram showing the current status of progress on the mighty Burj Dubai.

Dubai vs Star Wars

Here is a recent photo of Dubai and a image of the city from Star Wars, Dubai is a futuristic city in the making. By the year 2020 after Al Burj and the other super tall skyscrapers that are currently in progress or on the drawing board are completed Dubai will be a city like no other. :D

Burj Dubai March 21st 2008 photo update

Burj Dubai March 21st 2008 photo update, the current floor count is level 160 Mezz 2 at 624.1 meters or 2048 feet in height. When they put up the first column on level 160 mezz 3 the top of it will be 630.5 meters or 2068.5 feet in height. The steel work on level 160 mezz 3 should start in the next day or so btw...





Burj Dubai March 21st 2008 photo update,

Burj Dubai March 20th 2008 photo update

Burj Dubai March 20th 2008 photo update, the Burj Dubai in the clouds, the Burj Dubai in the fog, the Burj Dubai from the beach, some of the many cranes on the Burj Dubai project site.

Cladding starts on first mechanical floor of the Burj Dubai

Cladding has started on first mechanical floor of the Burj Dubai, here is some photos of the cladding progress.

Burj Dubai March 19th 2008 photo update

Burj Dubai March 19th 2008 photo update, Photos one and two show the steel progress up to level 160 Mezz this is at the top of tier 17. Photos three and four are of the Burj Dubai and the city of Dubai skyline. Photo five shows what the full Burj Dubai complex will look like on its completion.

Burj Dubia vs Empire State Building vs World Trade Center

Here's a different comparison, just to compare with Empire State Building and former World Trade Center the Burj Dubai is at it's current built form. The current height of Burj Dubai is 182m/600ft above its level 124 observation deck.

Burj Dubai crane assembly and dismantle process

Here is a image of the Burj Dubai crane assembly and dismantle process to put the steel work in prospective the top 40 or so floors of the Burj Dubai will be like the top 15 floors of the Empire State Building.

Helicopter aerial shots of the Burj Dubai

Burj Dubai March 19th 2008 photo update, helicopter aerial shots of the Burj Dubai and the city of Dubai.

Photos from level 153 of Burj Dubai

These photos were taken from level 153 of the Burj Dubai and show the greater metropolitan area of the city of Dubai, photo number two is going down the coast looking toward Abu Dhabi, photo number three is going up the coast looking toward Bukha. Photo number five is looking down at the traffic from level 153 of the Burj Dubai.

Burj Dubai March 18th 2008 photo update

Burj Dubai March 18th 2008 photo update, the cladding is coming along nicely and they should reach the 5th mechanical floor very soon if they can keep up the current pace of progress.

Burj Dubai March 17th 2008 photo update

Burj Dubai March 17th 2008 photo update, the night skyline of Dubai and a photo of the roof taken on March 17th 2008

Burj Dubai March 16th 2008 photo update

Burj Dubai March 16th 2008 photo update, the first photo is of the greater metropolis of Dubai. The second two photos are of the Burj Dubai as of March 16th 2008