Now the Arab Atlantis is building a new Colossus. Check out these specs:
The statue can move its arms and head; this demands an articulate joint between the elevators and the floors on these critical points. the joints are similar in function to those seen in joint buses, and will guarantee an uninterrupted movement inside of the statue, even if he slightly tilts his head.
The arms and head movement is controlled by computers and can mimic a prerecording of an actor for example. the rigid parts of the statue are made out of a steel frame structure with a cover of sheets of steel. the movable parts must be flexible, thus a material like rubber or silicon with a coating that mimic the glossiness of the steel is preferable.
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19 comments:
That is, quite possibly, the ugliest work of human architecture in history. I think it even supplants that ugly skeletor pyramid in North Korea. If there are ancient astronauts watching Dubai, they'll be leaving soon. No intelligent life here. :)
5 stars for above comment^
Bato says
"This will be the first thing the aliens will attack I'm sure." --comment from Design Boom article.
Fabulous timing: the unveiling of plans for a statue of the Beast, right after Eric Bana plays alien Nero, AKA the Beast, in Preterist eschatology.
Party in the All-Seeing-Eye!
This seems like a monument to the Nephilim, if anything. Kind of looks like Dr. Manhattan.
No one might get this reference, but it reminds me of that episode of Ren and Stimpy where the Lincoln Memorial is turned into an animatronic version of itself and picks its own boogers.
Yeah, this whole thing is not only sinister but tacky as all hell. Now we've got the new spaceport insta-metropolis opening up in Kazahkstan as well. All of this thanks to petrodollars, I might add.
"Yeah, this whole thing is not only sinister but tacky as all hell."
Yup. Almost looks like a giant statue of Lenin... I'm not sure whether that or Dr. Manhattan is funnier.
I don't see enough evidence to buy into the literal truth of anything like ancient astronauts, but I do see a lot of what you see and it's damn fascinating.
One thing I've noticed is that our modern world seems to be producing, on an international scale, a large number of works of art, film, architecture, music, etc. that have two very interesting characteristics:
1) They invoke, often rather blatantly, a lot of very interesting "occult" or mythological imagery.
2) They are of very poor quality, often seeming to be slapped together with no attention to detail or intent for longevity or impact.
#2 is particularly true of things like this, and of many films these days.
I suppose you could say that the trend toward poor quality flash is endemic in the culture, as illustrated by things like McMansions that fall apart after 10 years.
But McMansions and Taco Bell huts are built so poorly because it's cheap. They're cheap and disposable. These things cost a fortune. So people are willing to spend fortunes, often of their own money, to build cheap disposable artifacts like this?
Dubai itself is obviously not built to last. Not only have I read that many of its buildings are... umm.. shall we say... not built to the highest standards... but the city itself is quite possibly the least sustainable city on Earth. Its per capita energy and water consumption makes a place like Dallas, Texas look positively green by comparison. This can't possibly remain economical, especially since the UAE is running out of oil faster than many of its neighbors.
Almost makes you wonder if they really are acting out some sort of cargo cult drama and these things are just corny props for the ceremony... :)
Like I said, not sure if I buy it literally but there's definitely something there at some level-- even if only mythological.
Whatever is going on, it's being taken deadly seriously. Even if these buildings are slapdash, you're talking a construction agenda of a scale unseen in our lifetimes. And Dubai is not alone. My feeling is that they're not going to all of this trouble simply as some kind of ruse. A movie is one thing- what's going on with these projects is something else entirely. But in the end it's a party we're not invited to.
You're right- so much of what we see is unsustainable. Makes you wonder, doesnt it?
Yes, it makes me wonder.
What we should be doing with our vast wealth is creating a humane, sustainable, just, and free civilization that our children could enjoy. Not only would this be the right thing to do, but it would be-- on both the individual and the genetic/evolutionary level-- the selfish thing to do.
But it's abundantly clear that our leaders have something else in mind, and that something else is either sinister, delusional, or just plain dumb... or maybe all of the above.
I used the term selfish above very intentionally. It's clear to me that whatever this is is not motivated by self interest. These people are sacrificing their wealth and in some cases their power to do something very big.
Petty evil (lying, stealing, etc.) is often committed in the name of greed and short-sighted self-interest. But to commit grand, unspeakable evil you must have a higher cause to which you are selflessly devoted.
A woman came into my high school once to talk about Nazi Germany. Her family had been Nazis when she was a child, so she was telling the story from that perspective. She said something that's stuck with me: "When your leaders start talking about how enlightened they are, run."
(Long time reader... keep up the good work!)
I agree with what you're seeing, but let me just add this- there's this notion that the "elite" is solely to blame for the world's ills and if we just get rid of them everything will be roses. I don't see it that way at all- those very same attitudes you mention affect people at every strata and level- it just becomes a question of scale.
The problem is that we're still chimps- chimps with very dangerous toys. It's that chimp nature within all of us that needs to be exorcised forever or we are doomed.
Sustainability is a black hole of a word.
Gottfried Semper said Modern Architecture is the full circle development of the tipi, it's a tensegrity structure with steel bones and glass curtain walls for skin; basically an animal or human.
"a scale unseen in our lifetimes", I just see it as an insult to our lifetimes. The Space Station might be of larger scale or perhaps some speculated tunnel system. If the all our Military budgets went to Civil Works Projects then we would have something to gloat about. Architecture is a diseased profession, the good stuff is all theory but never gets built.
What would have been impressive would have been taking all that money and using it to turn the desert into a rain forest with the help of mycellium.
I agree with what Adam I. is saying, and I also agree with Chris on how the "revenge" mindset is one which is bound to perpetuate. It's the territorial "chimp system" which lives within all of us that sees us flinging poo (our clashing ideals) and passing judgment, it fuels war and hatred between people and is very easy to stir up and control by those aware of it, whether they deserve that knowledge or not.
The creepy thing about Dubai is the level of corruption involving the underpaid workers, and the secrecy which is attained by having a fairytale resort in the middle of the desert. Makes me think of the pyramid on the dollar bill, standing in the desert. The whole place is a step backwards as far as I'm concerned.
Yea, a step way back... to the Atlantis slave colony. Great comments on this post.
I'm also reminded of Dr. Evil's submarine and space station.
What it really comes down to finding a purpose beyond accruing wealth and/or power. Dubai is a monument to ego, everything else be damned. At least New York skyscrapers pretended to represent some human ideal. These petro-cities represent autocracy.
I've been thinking very seriously about intentional communities- we saw abortive attempts at them in the last Gilded Age and in the late 60s. But I think it's going to become very difficult to sustain present arrangements in the face of economic breakdown. Maybe communications technology can help facilitate new communities- maybe sheer boredom destroyed prior attempts.
Off-topic: 16 Going on 17 State Farm Commercial.
I just saw that commercial in an episode of The Biggest Loser. 11 couples (11:11) compete to loose weight in 17 weeks.
But Chris... all the philosophies of the world, for ages now, have said that finding a purpose beyond accruing wealth and power is the answer. Like No. 42, nobody wants to hear it - at least not on my block.
Environmental/economic collapse can MAKE us listen, but of course, by then we are back to the stone age... again. It is curious how the builders of Dubai ignore even their own self interest. An alien cargo cult indeed.
Reality is a Perpetual cluster f#$k machine that's trying to show us how pointless our materialistic endeavors really are. Like if we prove that structures exist on the moon and/or Mars. We've been here before and obviously it was the wrong path. Start with the heart and turn off the psycho switches in our DNA.
Looks like a giant Oscar.
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