Thoughts on Abraj Al-Bait

 Thoughts on Abraj Al-Bait

Abraj Al-Bait, also known as Mecca Royal Clock Hotel Clock Tower, is a government-owned megastructure located in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. The tower was built as a part of the King Abdulaziz Endowment Project, another megaproject started by the government with an aim of rejuvenating the city’s cultural value to modern pilgrims. 

The tower is located just 500 feet from Masjid al Haram, the holiest site in Islam. The tower is the third-tallest building in the world, has the world’s largest clockface and the world’s most expensive building (estimated at $15 billion). It is a mixed-use building: Hotel, Residential and Commercial. 

The architect and structural engineer for the tower was Dar Al-Handasah, a major project design consultant company, who had who designed several megaprojects in Lebanon. The contractor for the project was Saudi Binladen Group, Saudi Arabia's largest construction company.

A picture of the project (Image Credits: The Tower Info)

Thoughts on New York

Thoughts on New York

The Rockefeller Center, apart from being one of New York's most recognized institution also serves as a great case study for megaprojects: an one-of-a-kind project when it was initiated in the 1930s. Its accessibility, spectacle ship, complexity and 'larger-than-life' image could be envisaged by its chief conceptual creator Hugh Ferris. Hence, this megaproject is a completely different from what we have studied so far in class: the previous ones were functional is style while Rockefeller complex was completely apart in its scale and invisibility in forming the image of the city. An interesting aspect of Ferris' plan is how the Business Center, the Art Center, and the Science Center are integrated into the complex rather than stick out like a sore thumb. It did not have a central powerhouse. This is a feature which must be followed by other megaprojects planners (like the Multi-sport arena stadiums/Burj Khalifa): there is a need to build a strong sense of business community rather than have a star attraction and hope investments would flow in. 

Another aspect Ferris stressed on is how there was limitless possibilities to the city and the center was defined according to the needs of user people and not by the creators. Megaprojects, irrespective of its function/design/execution needs to adapt to the local use. It Rockefeller's case, it was the extensive patronization of radio, which earned its nickname the 'Radio City'. Rockefeller's impressive use of both the radio and the theater helped it to thrive commercially in the initial years. Also, when comparisons are made with other megaprojects of this scale then, Rockefeller dwarves other through its usage of corporate mass media. It gave a new dimension to New York City, by being not just a bunch of skyscrapers but by connecting people, increasing accessibility, communicating clearly and be a model for future urban planning.  

A picture of the Rockefeller Center (Image Credits: 6sqft)