Houston Now 11th Tallest City in the World

[badgermike]

Originally Posted by NYer75

The Chinese are going to keep bumping us down.

Insert Yao Ming joke here.

[SouthernBoy205]

I wonder will this decade result in higher rankings for the city.

[Rowdy]

Tall buildings really mean everything. That is all that matters in making an important world city.

[DejaBlue]

Dubai always looks like a computer generated model and not a real place.

[Rowdy]

Originally Posted by DejaBlue

Dubai always looks like a computer generated model and not a real place.

Are you referring to internet pictures of downtown?

[Johnhw2]

Originally Posted by DejaBlue

Dubai always looks like a computer generated model and not a real place.

The buildings there are built more for art than function. Strange floor plates make density difficult to achieve. But you can built an impressive skyline for relatively much less with 5-10ksf buildings vs 20-25 ksf ones. But the economics of the larger floor plate has to be better as loss in SF for penetrations like elevators and stairs make them much more efficient and effective.

[Rowdy]

Originally Posted by Johnhw2

The buildings there are built more for art than function. Strange floor plates make density difficult to achieve. But you can built an impressive skyline for relatively much less with 5-10ksf buildings vs 20-25 ksf ones. But the economics of the larger floor plate has to be better as loss in SF for penetrations like elevators and stairs make them much more efficient and effective.

You may be right. Dubai seems to be doing well. I admire what they have accomplished and I would be surprised to see them become less a world city. What can be learned from this place?

[MIBS98]

What can be learned? If you combine royal families, a bit of oil and you open up of the banking system to anyone such that the Russian mafia can launder all their money in your city and you allow Iran to get around global sanctions by transacting through your city, then you can build a lot of fancy stuff.

We can also learn that if you go too nuts and build a lot of things that make no sense, then you will go bankrupt as Dubai did. They needed a bailout from the government of the UAE and continue to struggle with massive debt.

[Rowdy]

Originally Posted by MIBS98

What can be learned? If you combine royal families, a bit of oil and you open up of the banking system to anyone such that the Russian mafia can launder all their money in your city and you allow Iran to get around global sanctions by transacting through your city, then you can build a lot of fancy stuff.

We can also learn that if you go too nuts and build a lot of things that make no sense, then you will go bankrupt as Dubai did. They needed a bailout from the government of the UAE and continue to struggle with massive debt.

You have all the facts. You see all. We should listen to you.

Forgive me if I listen the world around me instead.

[MIBS98]

You're forgiven.