As the space crunch on Earth continues, most buildings are going vertical. The second tallest building, which is just about 251meters shorter than Dubai's 828-metre tall Burj Khalifa, will be unveiled soon. The Makkah Clock Royal Tower measuring 577-meters long will be 59 meters taller than the 508-metre tall Taipei 101 tower. Developed by the Saudi Bin Laden Group, the tower is a part of the 4.5 million-square-metre, Abraaj al-Bayt complex, of the Kingdom Holding Co....
Going to prison was probably one of the most shameful things but not anymore! Norway will soon be the new home for a luxury prison called as Halden Prison. The fool's paradise will open on April fool's day and can house up to 252 inmates to make it the second biggest in the country! This opulent 'jail' is created to look like college dorms with 10-12 prisoners in each cell, but it's even better, considering the cells come with...
Competition is tough when you have high profile real estate to make. So when Nikken Sekkei beat 31 international companies for a contract to design a brand new and sustainable Saudi Stock Exchange Headquarters building worth of $245million, they would've been over the moon! This new building at Riyadh would be fifty floors high. In a bid to make the building ecologically viable, the new headquarters of the Saudi Stock Exchange, or Tadawul, would have technologies like solar shading,...
Looks like the US Embassy has finally realized that security is greater than style! Philadelphia based architecture firm Kieran Timberlake who is the winner of the design competition for designing the United States’ high security new Embassy in London. The 500,000 square foot building will house 12 stories and is billed as the greenest as it is situated in the Nine Elms area of wandsworth which is an area with quiet neighborhood. The light-emitting, crystal form building is tagged...
With the rate at which the Dubai skyline is changing, don’t be surprised if the city is known as the land with the most breathtaking architectural landmarks. The city which is home to the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa is all set to house another beauty in the vicinity of this tall structure. Christened the Magnolia Tower, it is a Deluxe Serviced Apartment Tower in the Burj Dubai district to be developed by Damac Properties. Designed by Sadar...
Just after a few weeks of its unveiling, the Burj Khalifa is already facing competition. Reportedly plans have been floated for a new superscraper in Miami that could steal the corwn of the world’s tallest building from the Burj Khalifa. According to Miami herald, Kobi Karp has submitted designs for Miapolis, a 'city within a city' planned for Watson Island. If built, the 160 storey building will be 183 meters higher than the Burj Khalifa. What is more, the...
The downtown Los Angeles skyline glittered as the Marriott-Ritz Carlton tower opened to the public yesterday night. The tower was expected to make a sparkling debut at night with lights in the city’s newest high-rise snapping on for the first time. Owners of the 54-story Ritz-Carlton and JW Marriott tower rigged lights on the top 27 levels to flick on floor by floor in a rising wave to celebrate completion of the hotel, which is the last piece of...
Move over Australia, New Zealand is now gearing up to have a world class tennis center full of luxury and comforts. And the best part is, it will not use a single penny from the taxpayers for this $25million extravaganza! Tipped to draw large number of international tennis stars, the center is said to be well equipped and well planned. The gym will feature a $2 million state-of-the-art cardiovascular and weights equipment. This project will spot a $7 million...
If you are known to be clumsy, then a glass house is definitely not the ideal home for you. But for the rest of you folks who love this fragile material so much that you would be willing to live in a house made just from glass, the concept house designed by Santambrogiomilao group is definitely the perfect residence for you. Besides a love for glass you must also be willing to give up all your privacy as the...
The much anticipated Burj Dubai, the tallest building in the world is all set to open today. The final height of the Burj Dubai - Arabic for Dubai Tower however, remained a closely guarded secret on the eve of its opening, though developers told newspapers it is 818 meters. The record setting building which is touted to be the world’s tallest building boasts the most storey’s and highest occupied floor of any building in the world. Its observation deck...
Development plans for the Remington Centre have just been released by Kohn Architects and Canadian development company, the Remington Group. The new mixed-use complex, located north of Toronto, will house over 360 retail stores, including shops currently found at Market Village. Providing over 74,000 sq m of commercial and residential space, this centre is touted to be the largest multi-cultural shopping centre in North America and one of the largest retail redevelopment projects in Canada. An additional residential/hotel tower...
Some people use balloons to shift their locations, like in the movie Up!, and some use it as a make shift auditorium. At least that's what the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden has in mind. As a huge addition to its property, they plan to alter their landmark cylindrical building two times each year thanks to a giant inflatable balloon! Designed by New York-based designing firm Diller Scofidio & Renfro, this structure will provide temporary venues for arts performances,...
There are two sides of a coin and same is the case for every idea or plan. What else can I say about the $500 million Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation's new headquarters. The 900,000-square-foot headquarters comprised initially of two six-story, boomerang-shaped buildings on 12 acres. The new building is Green, not only in color, but also in terms of being earth-friendly. Aiming for a Gold rating in LEED Certification, the structure boasts of a living roof on the...
Montenegro became an independent country recently and the tiny Balkan nation is busy building its reputation as a luxury destination for Western Europeans. Montenegro has long been struck by the Yugoslavian Wars and the battles have done much to scar the image of this lovely and picturesque country. The country was recently featured in James Bond movie Casino Royale, and also through celebrity beach concerts by Madonna and the Rolling Stones. Make Architects have won the contract to build...
If you were a celebrity, things like relaxing inside your house without having to worry about prying eyes is a luxury. In fact, you cannot predict when someone is going to peer through your window or from which chimney a stalker might just appear. Thus, Britain's first underground mansion has been given the go-ahead to build an underground mansion, targeted at wealthy football players. The football champions and their families have long complained of lack of privacy and the...