From the Beirut Terraces to the Burj Khalifa, the Middle East is home to some impressive architectural projects. And while some are welcomed with open arms, others, like a modern tower in Mecca, still spark controversy. Here is a sampling of the most ambitious projects in the region, either because of their height, their sustainability, or their aesthetics.
Al Hamra Firdous Tower, Kuwait City, Kuwait
Rising 1, 350 feet in the center of Kuwait City, Al Hamra Firdous tower, completed in 2011, is the tallest stone-clad structure on earth, an accomplishment that helped it earn Time Magazine’s endorsement as “One of the Best Inventions of 2011.” The tower, by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill’s, is the tallest building in Kuwait and a very uncharacteristic skyscraper. Resembling a modern sculpture in movement, the graceful curves required 500,000 tons of concrete to be pumped up to a quarter mile into the sky. The concrete and limestone facade also decrease solar radiation from the desert heat to the South.
(Photo: www.urbika.com)
Walker Gunning contributed reporting.