Now THIS is a garage!

Make no mistake about it, rich people really do have more fun.  The selections available to rich folks goes up exponentially based on how much money you have, better clothes, food, cars and housing.  In the case of housing, there is a new building being built in Dubai which raises the bar so high that it will probably be years until this building is topped.  It certainly isn't the tallest building in the world, but with each apartment having its own garage on the same floor as the apartment itself, to not own a truly spectacular car while living here would be considered heresy.

Sent to me by my sister (user name sisterof00J) this building truly is an engineering triumph in terms of design.  Aside from the garage and various other luxury features, each level moves independent of the other levels to be a rotating skyscraper.  You have to check out all the photos to truly appreciate how cool this building is.

Agent001 if you are reading this article, you need to get your name on the waiting list so that when traveling abroad for AutoSpies.com the Agents have a "home away from home."  In doing so I think it only appropriate that you (Agent001) provide a Lamborghini or Ferrari to be used when we are in Dubai carrying out our Agent responsibilities.

Us Agents like the rest of the readers here at AutoSpies.com have come to expect the best things in life, and ownership in a building like this certainly carries that allure.

superchicagoman11 - 8/7/2008 6:16:46 PM

+7 Boost

Dubai is crazy they have great dreams!

MadibaP - 8/9/2008 12:30:33 PM

+2 Boost

Yes well why don't you use less then?

pchera01 - 8/7/2008 6:16:49 PM

+9 Boost

wow, looks great
I was there in April 2008, I love it
next trip I want to stay at Burj Al Arab for one night

Agent63 - 8/8/2008 9:05:18 AM

+1 Boost

I've stayed at Burj Al Arab. World class service, very friendly, and would love to experience it all over. They sent a limo to pick me up and chauffeur me back to the hotel. It was amazing. I don't have any other way of putting it. It's a MUST. Just like how it's a MUST to experience Vegas at least once in your lifetime.

superchicagoman11 - 8/8/2008 2:38:33 PM

+1 Boost

And the world's only 7 star hotel

DW1968 - 8/10/2008 6:08:12 PM

+1 Boost

How many is it to stay one night there?

DW1968 - 8/10/2008 6:10:18 PM

+1 Boost

I meant how much. Or how many dollars.

On the topic: pretty cool idea, and nice design. I wonder who gets to control the "shape" of the building...does it go through pre-programmed rotations, or do the residents of each floor just pick whatever angle they want to be rotated at, whenever they want...?

eric452 - 8/7/2008 7:17:34 PM

+7 Boost

DUBAI!!!
that place owns

drake0707 - 8/7/2008 8:01:09 PM

+7 Boost

Engineers on drugs. Good drugs.

SisterOf00J - 8/7/2008 8:18:31 PM

+4 Boost

00J, I thought you'd like that!

The idea of a rotating building is intriguing. But I get motion sick riding in the car when you, 00J, are driving. How much more so if you're driving me into a rotating flat?!

M53R - 8/8/2008 2:11:14 AM

+6 Boost

Welcome to the bright side of the Middle East :)

rom64 - 8/8/2008 2:57:09 AM

+4 Boost

I also heard a story called 'reality' and that's completely false. I recall watching a 60 minutes documentary of Dubai, what was most intriguing is that they showed the Prince humbly driving his own car, walking around the city with no escorts or body guards and politely greeting and hearing the opinions of his people.

It's sad other oil rich Arab countries & their oppresive dictators in the region don't realize the example led by the people of Dubai and their prince. GO DUBAI!!!

TauronB2G - 8/8/2008 10:15:56 AM

+1 Boost

Hey Rom, I saw that same 60 minutes piece last sunday and was quite intrigued and enamored with Dubai. Although I do worry about some of the more reckless spending habits and building projects, I do like the engineering risks and feats they are taking to build their own utopia. I would love to visit there one day. Maybe I will go next year.
T

NARunner - 8/8/2008 9:05:42 AM

+1 Boost

very cool, but what happens when everyone has to go to the work in the morning and you are the 100th person to press the car elevator button? With one shaft transporting cars to the ground level it might take a while...

eric452 - 8/8/2008 3:53:42 PM

+1 Boost

the kind of people that would live in this building would not be in a rush for work(Since they would be rich business owners most likely)

DW1968 - 8/10/2008 6:14:23 PM

+1 Boost

Good point. But it sounds like this is a mixed use building (retail, hotel, etc), and only the residences have a integrated garage...

So about 20 people or so, not 100. Still a potential problem, but not quite as bad.

2ndbimmer - 8/8/2008 10:36:06 AM

+1 Boost

i think it is awesome architecture. I get motion sickness, but i bet it moves so slow, you wont even notice.

AgentOrange - 8/8/2008 11:06:17 AM

+4 Boost

Makes the West look like 3rd world countries..

MercedesBenz00Z - 8/8/2008 4:01:01 PM

+4 Boost

America already is a third world country. No person sees a country with stupid health care system that kills the middle class as a rich country. The only first world countries in the West are in Europe.

eric452 - 8/8/2008 8:17:16 PM

+1 Boost

MercedesBenz00Z

true. only way is for America to get a smart president that knows how to run a country. unlike bush.

Western Europe > Canada > Australia > America

DW1968 - 8/10/2008 6:15:53 PM

+1 Boost

And learn to spell and punctuate properly.

sector - 8/8/2008 5:33:17 PM

+1 Boost

Saudis better build these things quickly before the alternative energy sources start taking over. Diminishing dependency of foreign oil = less disposable income for Saudis.

eric452 - 8/8/2008 8:13:30 PM

+1 Boost

Dubai gets only 5% of its money from oil, they mainly get it from tourism, and trade.

why do you think they are building so many things there, because there running out of oil so they go with plan B(attracting tourist)

kut17 - 8/8/2008 8:12:06 PM

0 Boost

More proof that the U.S. needs to start drilling for oil in the U.S. and stop funding this BS. That is ridiculous.

NARunner - 8/8/2008 11:39:35 PM

+2 Boost

Ever hear of a little bank called Citigroup? Yeah, the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority is the largest shareholder with about a 5% stake that it bought for $7.5b. And the Kuwait Investment Authority bought a $3 billion stake.

In addition, the Qatar Investment Authority announced at the beginning of this year that it has plans to invest $15 billion in various blue chip companies and european banks.

They are taking their "oil" money and reinvesting ir in OUR economy. It won't just be oil funding these projects,

NARunner - 8/8/2008 11:40:36 PM

+2 Boost

Steve Ballmer, Jeff Immelt, and Robert Iger will be funding them too!

DW1968 - 8/10/2008 6:22:31 PM

+1 Boost

As if we needed more proof; we should have started doing something about this decades ago.

The one thing I would say, though, is that our response shouldn't be off-shore drilling, or any other kind of petroleum extraction.

We must and should spend our money to find a clean, renewable energy. As long as we're going to develop an alternative energy, let's do it right, and solve both problems (energy & global warming) at the same time.

MartyMoose - 8/9/2008 6:46:26 PM

+1 Boost

WTF?!

mpwr - 8/10/2008 7:09:59 AM

+1 Boost

From Wiki...

Uniquely, each floor will be able to rotate independently.This will result in a constantly changing shape of the tower. Each floor will rotate a maximum of 6 metres (20 ft) per minute, or one full rotation in 90 minutes.

The entire tower will be powered from turbines and solar panels. Enough surplus electricity should be produced to power five other similar sized buildings in the vicinity. The turbines will be located between each of the rotating floors. They could generate up to 1,200,000 kilowatt-hours of energy. The solar panels will be located on the roof.

Incredible

DW1968 - 8/10/2008 6:18:39 PM

+1 Boost

Agreed. Even more impressive than I originally thought.