off the wall This Saudi Arabian government‑owned, luxury hotel was designed by the Lebanon based Dar Al‑Handasah architectural group. Construction began in 2004, taking eight years to complete, and was officially opened in 2012. At the heart of the holiest Islamic city, the Makkah Royal Clock Tower brings an air of modernization to the bustling historic centre of Mecca. It was developed as a component of the King Abdulaziz Endowment. The clock tower stands in the centre of a high‑rise complex called Abraj Al-Bait. Six smaller high-rises surround it at varying heights, and they accommodate both residential and hotel uses. True to its name, four colossal clock faces are mounted near the top of the tower. These clocks hold the record for being both the largest and the highest in the world. At night, the clock faces are illuminated by one million LED lights that transform the tower into a green and white beacon. The spire of the tower features a spherical observation centre at its base. The spire is capped with a shining mosaic gold crescent weighing 35 metric tons. A number of cultural amenities can be found in the upper levels of the tower, including a centre for lunar observation, and a cosmology museum. Since a great many residents and guests in the tower participate in prayers five times a day, innovative solutions were provided in the elevator systems that transport people in a smooth and efficient manner. Group control systems were implemented that adapt to the travel patterns of passengers, intelligently anticipating their general location and destination. Using this technology, up to 75,000 people can exit all seven buildings without any problem.
Source: www.guardian.co.uk, www.arabianbusiness.com, wikipedia.org
Top 10 most expensive buildings built Rank
56
SOUTH AFRICAN PROPERTY REVIEW
Name
Place
Cost
1
Abraj Al Bait
Mecca, Saudi Arabia
$15 Bn
2
Marina Bay Sands
Marina Bay, Singapore
$5.5 Bn
3
Resorts World Sentosa
Singapore
$4.93 Bn
4
Emirates Palace
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
$3.90 Bn
5
Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas
Las Vegas, USA
$3.9 BN
6
One World Trade Centre
New York, USA
$3.80 Bn
7
Wynn Resort
Las Vegas, USA
$2.70 Bn
8
Venetian Mecau
Macau, China
$2.40 Bn
9
City of Dreams
Macau, China
$2.4 Bn
10
Princess Tower
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
$2.17 Bn