.

noreply@blogger.com (sam050787) — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 14:44:00 -0700

Ice Hotel, Sweden

noreply@blogger.com (sam050787) — Sat, 5 Apr 2008 02:18:00 -0700

Construction

The Ice Hotel Sweden is built from blocks of ice gathered from the Torne River, as well as bulldozers, chainsaws jackhammers.

The building process starts in mid-November when the snow guns start humming and large clouds of snow start to drift along the Torne River.The snow is sprayed on huge steel forms and allowed to freeze. After a couple of days, the forms are removed, leaving a maze of free-standing corridors of snow.In the corridors, dividing walls are built in order to create rooms and suites. Ice blocks, harvested at springtime from Torne River, are now being transported into the hotel where selected artists from all over the world start creating the art and design of the perishable material.

Each year, the ice hotel has a different design, usually spreading over a space of about 53,700 feet and about 4000 tonnes of ice. This year, the hotel was built with collaborative input from students of Stockholm's Royal Institute of Technology.

Rooms and Amenities

Guests can choose among 60 rooms and suites. This $400-per-night frozen icon has a chapel, art exhibition hall, cinema and bar.

The Ice Hotel Sweden also features a number of other kinds of rooms, including a sauna, a reception hall, a multimedia theater and an ice chapel for weddings, baptisms and other ceremonies.

Cool factor: A $1,000, 90-minute dogsled ride takes guests from the airport to the hotel.

Breakfast buffet, morning sauna and towels are available of course – and there's a restaurant on site, made from ice, serving "whitefish roe, venison and reindeer, cloudberries and arctic raspberries. "All transformed into tasty delicacies guaranteed to please the most discerning gourmet."

Interiors: Not only is the entire Sweden Ice Hotel structure made totally of ice, but all of the furniture and most of the decoration found within is also made from ice. Beds at the Sweden Ice Hotel are slabs of solid ice, and chairs are carved from blocks of ice. Statues and other forms of art are carved throughout the hotel, in rooms and in hallways, and tend to be quite ornate. For comfort, reindeer skin blankets are draped over beds and chairs to offer (moderate) warmth. Full jumpsuits made of beaver nylon are issued to guests of the ice hotel in Sweden, as are insulated body bags first developed for astronauts walking on the moon.

The first ten bedrooms, which opened last week, are Art Suites, designed and created by artists from around the world. Each was chosen on the merits of their design but few have worked with ice before – their talents include sculpting, illustrating, filmmaking and woodwork.

"You are awakened in the morning with a cup of hot lingonberry juice at your bedside."

In the main area of the ice hotel in Sweden guests will also find a bar, where glowing cocktails served in glasses made of ice (but of course) are served to patrons, with an emphasis on ice-cold vodka. Drinks are served below zero degrees in the hotel’s Absolut Icebar, but food is offered in the more cozy surroundings of the hotel’s two restaurants, which serve wholesome warming dishes including local specialties such as reindeer and elk.

The features of ice hotels are constantly evolving, as the buildings are re-constructed each year. Heated bathrooms are located near the ice hotel, as are heated cabins for travelers who want to be a part of the action, but not a part of the cold. Costs for an overnight stay range from $300 - $500 per night, depending on the size of your room. Be sure to book your stay well in advance, as the popularity of this hotel grows with each new winter season.
Extra Information

The Sweden Ice Hotel is open for business beginning in December (depending on the weather) and ending in March. Click here to visit the official website of this hotel.

Ice hotels around the world

noreply@blogger.com (sam050787) — Sat, 5 Apr 2008 02:03:00 -0700

ICEHOTEL in Jukkasjärvi, Sweden: the original and (I think) the best, it has such amenities as an ice bar and even an ice church.

Ice Hotel Canada in Sainte-Catherine-de-la-Jacques-Cartier, Quebec, this ice hotel also has a chapel (for white weddings, of course) and even offers daytime tours for people who aren’t interested in spending the night on ice.
The Aurora Ice Museum: at the Chena Hot Springs resort in Fairbanks, Alaska, can be booked for overnight stays, even though they no longer have actual hotel rooms made of ice, as they once did.
The Igloo Village ice hotel, part of the Kangerlussuaq Hotel and Conference Centre in Greenland, is pretty minimalist as ice hotels go.
Snow Village in Finland includes a bar and restaurant made of ice.
Lainio Snow Village in Yllas, Finland offers both conventional and icy accommodations. Book your own ice suite!
Snowland, also in Finland, is primarily an ice restaurant, but the property also features a handful of sleeping igloos.
LumiLinna SnowCastle in Kemi, Finland, has the customary ice hotel, restaurant, and chapel—plus what appears to be a drawbridge. That makes (at least) four ice hotels in Finland. Wow.
The Alta Igloo Hotel is located in Norwegian Lapland.
The Kakslauttanen Cabins & Igloos in Ivalo, Norway, feature your choice of accommodation—log cabins or ice beds in ice rooms—and is apparently quite popular with honeymooners. Go figure.
Hotel Ice Balea Lake in Romania is a relative newcomer, and doesn’t even have its own Web site. However, another site claims: “The rooms are equipped with matrimonial bed from ice, covered by lamb fur…” I think that description speaks for itself.
Iglu-Dorf runs five different igloo hotel villages in different parts of Switzerland each winter.

cool FACTS

noreply@blogger.com (sam050787) — Sat, 5 Apr 2008 01:27:00 -0700

The Ice hotels are built near rivers where workers can draw water, freeze it into large blocks of snow and ice and cut the ice into large blocks before trucking it into place. The Igloos are cut out by hand.Extensive, large-capacity ice hotels take about five to six weeks to build. But when spring comes, all the hard work melts away, and the hotels must wait until winter to rebuild. the Ice Hotel is temporary shelter. Once the outside temperatures climb above 0°C (32°F), the structure will begin to melt.

Ice hotels are large extravagant complex Eskimo igloos. Igloos are built of snow. During construction, snowflakes that fall on the igloo melt and then quickly refreeze into ice. Once an igloo is complete, the Eskimos place a hot lamp inside and seal the entrance. As the snow begins to melt, it runs down the interior walls of the igloo. When the walls are all wet, the builders remove the lamp and leave the door open. The sudden exposure to the cold outside air freezes the water on the walls, creating a layer of ice. The igloo now has a triple layer of insulation: an ice coating on the interior of the snow walls, the snow walls themselves, and ice coating on the exterior of the snow walls..

Some 10,000 tonnes are used to build the original Ice Hotel in Jukkasjärvi, 200km north of the Arctic Circle in Swedish Lapland (icehotel.com), while 15,000 tonnes of snow and 500 tonnes of ice are used to build the one in Quebec (icehotel-canada.com).

Ice also gives structural strength to both igloos and the Ice Hotel. Hotel guests do not have to worry that the building might collapse if a blizzard dumps several feet of snow on the roof.

The interior of the ice hotels glitter with elaborate ice furniture, ice bars and even ice glasses. Colorful lighting makes the structures look more like magical snow castles than frigid arctic dwellings.

Sweden's ice hotel uses geothermal energy to provide its electricity but the other ice hotels don't have that natural resource at their disposal. Instead, they require vast quantities of electricity to create the ice as well as to power the on-going guest amenities such as the toilets , bar etc. And all that energy provides just one night's stay as guests typically spend the remainder of their holiday in nearby purpose-built log cabins.

How is it possible to stay warm in a hotel room built of ice? The secret is the fact that ice and snow are good insulators. An insulator is a material that prevents or slows the flow of energy in the form of heat, electricity, or sound. In contrast, a conductor is a material that allows the energy to flow. For example, feathers are a heat insulator; aluminum is a heat conductor. Ice helps keep the Ice Hotel relatively warm. It traps the heat inside the hotel room and keeps the colder air outside. Even if the outside temperature drops to well below freezing, the temperature inside the hotel room remains just a few degrees below freezing.

Cool !

noreply@blogger.com (sam050787) — Thu, 3 Apr 2008 23:15:00 -0700

Ice Hotel , Sweden

Ice Hotel, Canada: Bar

Official Postcard Video:Ice Hotel,Canada

Ice Hotels - Hottest destinations

noreply@blogger.com (sam050787) — Wed, 2 Apr 2008 00:16:00 -0700

This is not an urban legend, 'they' are real hotels available for guest stays. An ice hotel is a temporary hotel made up entirely of snow and sculpted blocks of ice,drawn from a nearby winter. Today there are ice hotels in Sweden,Romania,Norway,Canada, Alaska and Finland. The original ( first) Ice Hotel was constructed around 1989 near the village of Jukkasjärvi, Kiruna,Sweden .This ice hotel has been around for over 18 years. The ice hotels are promoted by their sponsors and have special features for travelers who are interested in novelties and unusual environments, and thus are in the class of destination hotels. All the ice hotels are reconstructed every year.A constant sub-zero temperature is needed for construction and operation. The walls, fixtures, and fittings are made entirely of ice, and are held together using a substance known as snice, which takes the place of mortar in a traditional brick-built hotel.

Millau Live!!!

noreply@blogger.com (sam050787) — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 16:14:00 -0700

Here is a link to a Live Web-cam feed of the MILLAU VIADUCT .Click here to visit. You can also find Cam-feeds for other famous places.

LAY man's SAY

noreply@blogger.com (sam050787) — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 18:51:00 -0700

Sam Lee's article just exemplifies the revolution in architecture.It is not the culmination of evolution of Technology, yet ,man's ambition is audaciously undeterred to challenge even Mother Nature. I am overwhelmed at the fact that we have the technology to actually put Non Linear Dynamic analysis to use .In fact,it is being used in some very important upcoming buildings as mentioned in the article. Although the calculation discussed in the article is beyond my reckoning, I have strove to understand the gist of the article and the importance of it.I would really like to understand more about it from a lay person's perspective. I had expected to get an idea about the sequence of the steps involved in using Non Linear Dynamic analysis but I am afraid I didn't quite follow that. I would also like to question Sam Lee that how safe the already built skyscrapers of USA and other countries are and what could be done to make them safer and more stable to earthquakes.

Construction Facts

noreply@blogger.com (sam050787) — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 19:51:00 -0700

Two major obstacles faced in building this Megastructure were crossing the River Tarn, and spanning the huge gap from one plateau to the other. The solution proposed is unique- to use seven pylons instead of the usual two or three.
SETEC’ approached the British Architect Sir Norman Foster to design a bridge to last 120 years.
Tests revealed problems for drivers that how could the journey time be only about a minute using such a high, long and thin structure (just two lanes either way). The solution was to incline the bridge slightly (3%) to improve road visibility, and to make the whole structure curved (The curve is 20km in range;to lessen the sensation of floating) — even though this would lengthen the bridge to 2.5 km and add to the cost.Please note: The red towers in the picture were removed after completion of the Bridge.
To prevent drivers from the distraction of the beautiful scenery, the hard shoulder on both sides was increased in width to three meters.
Emergency phones were designed for every 500 metres along the full length on each side.
It has been designed to look as delicate and transparent as possible. It uses the minimum amount of material, which made it less costly to construct,light and decreased the wind load : the deck, the masts rising above the road deck and the multi-span cables are all in steel.
The steel deck was pre-constructed in 2,000 pieces at Eiffage’s Lauterbourg factory in Alsace and GPS-aligned, 60cm at a time.The factory was given just 20 months to supply the elements for the deck and the piers of the viaduct.

To accommodate the expansion and contraction of the concrete deck, there is 1m of empty space at its extremities and each column is split into two thinner, more flexible columns below the roadway, forming an A-frame above the deck level.

A 3m-wide emergency lane provides increased security. It will, in particular, prevent drivers from seeing the valley from the viaduct.

As the bridge is exposed to winds of up to 151km/hr, side screens are used to reduce the effects of the wind by 50%. The speed of the wind at the level of the road therefore reflects the speed of the wind found at ground level.

Construction work used approx. 127,000m³ of concrete, 19,000t (tonnes)of steel-reinforced concrete and 5,000t of pre-constraint steel (cables and shrouds). The project needed 205,000t of concrete, of which 50,000m³ will be reinforced concrete. In total, the viaduct weighs 290,000t.

An 18-lane toll station 6km north of the Millau Viaduct is housed under a structure made of a special concrete patented by the group Eiffage.

Features

noreply@blogger.com (sam050787) — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 17:51:00 -0700

The Millau Viaduct is supported by seven concrete pylons,each range in height from 77 to 246 m, and taper in their longitudinal section from 24.5 m at the base to 11 m at the deck. Each pylon is composed of 16 framework sections, each weighing 2,230 tons. These sections were assembled on site from pieces of 60 tons, 4 m wide and 17 m long, made in factories in Lauterbourg and Fos-sur-Mer by Eiffage.

The seven masts, each 88.92 m high and weighing around 700 tonnes, are set on top of the pylons. Between each of them, eleven stays (metal cables) are anchored, providing support for the road deck.

The metallic deck, which appears very light despite its total mass of around 36,000 metric tonnes, is 2,460 m long and 32 m wide. It comprises eight spans. The six central spans measure 342 m, and the two outer spans are 204 m.

To allow for deformations of the metal deck under traffic, a special surface of modified bitumen was installed by research teams from Appia. The surface is somewhat flexible to adapt to deformations in the steel deck without cracking, but it must nevertheless have sufficient strength to withstand motorway conditions (fatigue, density, texture, adherence, anti-rutting, etc.). The "ideal formula" was found only after ten years of research.

The pylons, deck, masts and stays are equipped with a multitude of sensors. These are designed to detect the slightest movement in the viaduct and measure its resistance to wear-and-tear over time. Anemometers, accelerometers, inclinometers, temperature sensors are all used for the instrumentation network.

noreply@blogger.com (sam050787) — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 17:39:00 -0700

Construction Timeline

Crossing The Millau Viaduct

le Viaduc de Millau

noreply@blogger.com (sam050787) — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 17:09:00 -0700

Standing Tall across the valley of the River Tarn near Millau in southern France, this grandiloquent cable stayed bridge traverses the Tarn valley above its lowest point, linking the Causse du Larzac to the Causse Rouge.This is the Millau Viaduct (French: le Viaduc de Millau).This Megastructure,which is the tallest vehicular bridge in the world with a mast summit of 343 meters,was designed by Norman Foster of Foster and Partners, and bridge engineer Michel Virlogeux. It is slightly taller than the Eiffel tower and falls short of 38m to the Empire State Building.Construction started in 2001 and it opened for use in December 2004.This gargantuan structure has an incredible length of 2460m.

"The Millau Viaduct is a magnificent example, in the long and great French tradition, of audacious works of art, a tradition begun at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries by the great Gustave Eiffel," [President of France Jacques Chirac] told a reception.

Safer skyscrapers

noreply@blogger.com (sam050787) — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 21:45:00 -0700

NON Linear Dynamic Earthquake Analysis of Skyscrapers (Summary)

In "Non linear dynamic Earthquake Analysis of Skyscrapers," published in the
CTBUH 8^th World Congress ,Dubai 3-5 March 2008, Sam Lee provides a solution how to use the Non Linear Dynamic Earthquake Analysis in building Skyscrapers in seismic areas.

Building a skyscraper in an earthquake prone area (seismic area) is always an issue of concern for construction engineers. In these areas, the earthquake loads are classified into three levels based on their intensities -Frequency level,Design intensity level and Severity level.

Linear analysis is adequate for the first load level but not for the other two because the skyscrapers move to plastic region (An area of the stress-strain graph in which permanent changes to a building begin to occur) when subjected to the other two levels. This is where Lee reinforces the use of Non Linear Dynamic analysis to evaluate the non linear seismic response of the structures to those earthquake loads. It is a practical analysis tool for structural design, and “because of this technique, the skyscraper can be designed with added safety and economy”(1). Without the non-linear dynamic analysis, the engineers can’t estimate the response of the skyscrapers to the design intensity and rare level earthquakes.

Lee states the three obstacles faced by an engineer in applying the nonlinear dynamic analysis.The first being, It is too complex to be solved by older computers.The second is the results might be very sensitive to the properties of the structural non linearities.And the last is the analysis results vary significantly to different earthquake records.

This journal provides a solution on the ABAQUS platform by selecting the appropriate non-linear dynamic analysis procedure, accurate non linear models for the structures, an efficient dynamic equation integration scheme and the appropriate earthquake records. A software package called BEPTA (Building elastic-plastic time history analysis), developed on the ABAQUS platform is used for this.

The Non linear dynamic analysis procedure: Skyscrapers are built one story at a time ,in the computer ,first. The structural elements of each story are activated progressively and the final stress status is obtained at the completion of the construction.

The non-linear model actually presents the non-linearity of the structure which includes the geometric non-linearity, material non-linearity and combination of both. This model presents the nonlinear constitution for steel and concrete.

There are two types of integration schemes of the non linear dynamic equations. One is the unconditional stable implicit scheme to solve structural dynamic problems. The other conditionally stable explicit scheme is used for large scale problems. Emphasis is placed on how the explicit scheme can solve large and complex problems.

Earthquake records are provided by the seismic engineer at the site investigation. Earthquake always comes in three directions (one vertical and two horizontals).Therefore three earthquake records are input into the structure in an analysis run.

The nonlinear dynamic analysis has been used for some prominent projects in china such as the Shanghai World Financial center,Jinta and Guanghou West Tower.

Click Here to read the original article

WORK CITED

Lee, Sam. " Non linear dynamic Earthquake Analysis of Skyscrapers." CTBUH 8^th World Congress ,Dubai. 3-5 March( 2008): Pages 1-8.

The SKYDECK

noreply@blogger.com (sam050787) — Wed, 5 Mar 2008 18:37:00 -0800

The Sears Tower SKYDECK observation deck is located on the 103rd floor of the tower. It is 1,353 feet (412 m) above ground and is one of the most famous tourist attractions in Chicago. The Skydeck was opened on June 22, 1974.

Tourists can experience how the building sways on a windy day. On a clear day, one can enjoy the panoramic view till 40-50 miles -- the city of Chicago, Michigan, Indiana and Wisconsin.

It takes about 45 seconds to soar to the top in either of two special elevators. The Sears Tower SKYDECK competes with the John Hancock Center's observation floor a mile and a half away, which is 323 feet (98 m) lower.

A second SKYDECK on the 99th floor is used when the 103rd floor is closed.

The view from the Skydeck is absolutely breathtaking.For your enjoyment on the way up, the elevators are equipped with 50-inch flat screen monitors that make you feel like you're blasting off through the top of the Sears Tower and into space - with views of the earth compliments of NASA and the Space Shuttle Endeavor.

FEATURES OF THE SKYDECK:

Interactive Chicago history exhibits
Multi-language (English, French, German, Japanese, Polish and Spanish) kiosks that guide you through a tour of Chicago landmarks
Knee-High Chicago, a "kid-level" display that teaches kids about Chicago sports and history
High-powered telescopes

Sheer Amazing Facts about the Sears Tower

noreply@blogger.com (sam050787) — Mon, 3 Mar 2008 07:12:00 -0800

At first, the Sears Tower was going to be two twin towers occupying the site at half the height of the current tower.

The building has been climbed up twice, by Dan Goodwin in 1981 and by Alain Robert in 1999.

The Sears Tower contains enough concrete to build an eight-lane, five-mile-long highway, enough steel to build 50,000 automobiles, and enough telephone wiring to wrap around the world 1.75 times.

Sears is no longer headquartered in this building, having sold the building and moved out to Hoffman Estates, Illinois in 1992.

On a clear day, you can see four states -- Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Michigan -- from the Sears Tower Visitor Skydeck.

The building leans about 4 inches (10 cm) from vertical due to its slightly asymmetrical design, placing unequal loads on its foundation. This can occasionally be felt.

The antennas atop the Sears Tower are struck by lightning an average of 650-675 times per year.

The restrooms on the 103rd floor sky deck 1,353 feet (412 m) above street level are the highest in the world

Watch the exclusive full episode of "Modern Marvels: Sears Tower"

noreply@blogger.com (sam050787) — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 08:31:00 -0800

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Architecture ,Engineering and Construction

noreply@blogger.com (sam050787) — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 22:37:00 -0800

The superstructure consists of nine interlocking (square)tubes (Bundled tube system) that terminate at different heights, creating the iconic stepped-back appearance of the tower.The sides of the squares are 75 feet (for an overall width of 225 x 225 ft btw. exterior column lines and 229' at outside faces). Height to width ratio is 6.45:1
This "bundled-tube" configuration was a revolutionary engineering concept at the time, pioneered by SOM's very own Fazlur R. Khan.

Each tube is a rigid steel frame that performs in tandem with its neighbor to efficiently counteract all lateral and gravity loads. (This is in contrast to the popular tube-in-tube system, in which a rigid network of floor diaphrams and closely-spaced exterior columns work in unison to resist lateral loads whereas a centralized core functions to carry vertical loads exclusively.)

Click Here to view Bundled tube system and Here for Tube-in-Tube system

It allowed for large open office spaces on the lower levels and smaller floor plates on the upper levels with unobstructed views of the cityscape.Sears, Roebuck and Company reside in the lower level .

To aid in occupant comfort, belt trusses were rigged on the upper mechanical floors thereby further reducing shear forces (i.e. wind-induced sway).

Building automation was a primary design consideration as well. For fire, security, and HVAC monitoring and control, engineers opted for a Honeywell computer system, one of the largest such networks ever installed at the time.

Another technological innovation was the robotic window washers that could be programmed to descend along tracks built into the curtain wall. Currently, they operate eight times per year.

Vertical transportation was also crucial. Designers had to ensure efficient flow of pedestrian traffic throughout the building — which, on any given day, could number in the tens of thousands. Westinghouse Electric Corp. employed "skylobbies" for this purpose, a system which Otis Elevator Co. Designated transfer-floors would be served by banks of double-deck express elevators. Separate banks of local-service elevators would carry passengers to their final destination.

Early stage of construction

Later stage of construction

Brief Hi'STOREY'

noreply@blogger.com (sam050787) — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 21:39:00 -0800

The construction of Sears Tower began in August 1970 and the building reached its originally anticipated maximum height on May 3, 1973 .When the Sears Tower was completed in 1973 it surpassed One World Trade Center in New York City, completed earlier that year as the World’s Tallest Building. It stayed the worlds tallest building from 1973 to 1998, when the Petronas Towers in Malaysia surpassed it( because of the spires atop the buildings).The Sears Tower still remained the world's tallest building, counting by roof height until fall of 2004, when Taipei 101 in Taiwan was completed, 19 feet taller than the Sears Tower’s roof.

The tower is 108 stories tall as counted by standard methods, though the building owners count the main roof as 109 and the mechanical penthouse roof as 110. The distance to the roof is 1,451 feet (442 m), measured from the east entrance.

Two television antennas were added to the structure in February 1982, increasing its total height to 1,705 feet (520 m). The western antenna was later extended to 1,730 feet (527 m)^[4]June 5, 2000 to improve reception of local NBC station WMAQ-TV. As a result of this it used to be the tallest building to the tips of the antennas till August 12, 2007, when the Burj Dubai (1,921.6 feet, 585.7 m) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates was reported by its developers to have surpassed the Sears Tower in all height categories.

A comparison of the heights is shown below.(click to enlarge)

SKY IS THE LIMIT

noreply@blogger.com (sam050787) — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 08:30:00 -0800

The Chicago skyline is one of the most picturesque views in the world.It is also the tallest.Among the soaring peaks kissing the sky, one monumental MEGASTRUCTURE stands out bearing testimony to the fact 'its lonely at the TOP'. This 145o ft ,110 storey icon has been the tallest building in United states since 1973. It is the tallest buiding in the whole of North America.It was also the world' s tallest building from 1973 to 1998.
This is the Sears Tower.

Commissioned by Sears, Roebuck and Company, designed by chief architect Bruce Graham and structural engineer Fazlur Khan of Skidmore, Owings and Merrill,the Sears Tower offers more than 3.8 million square feet of office and retail space.Sears Tower is THE business location in Chicago.

COMING UP NEXT>>>

noreply@blogger.com (sam050787) — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 08:15:00 -0800

SEARS TOWER , chicago

Looking For a free entry?

noreply@blogger.com (sam050787) — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 14:18:00 -0800

"There is an entry fee to the hotel if you just want to see it from the inside, which is about ~50 euros. Although there is a trick that might help you get in without payment. Make a reservation on the phone for any restaurant in Burj al-Arab, you will get a reservation number which you have to show at the front gate. When you get inside to the hotel, just avoid the restaurant. Make sure you dont give your real phone number to them."-xyz

DO NOT MISS THIS....

noreply@blogger.com (sam050787) — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 14:00:00 -0800

Attention friends,

If you want to download this awe-inspiring episode of NATIONAL GEOGRAPHY MEGASTRUCTURES on THE BURJ AL ARAB, for free and absolutely without any trouble, Click below. The file is Password protected. This episode is extremely rare on the internet.

Hint:The first name of our favorite Professor (ENG-106) in small letters.

I strongly recommend you to watch it.I can guarantee you will be amazed

Click here to download

ImageS

noreply@blogger.com (sam050787) — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 21:22:00 -0800

The Xperience

noreply@blogger.com (sam050787) — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 07:11:00 -0800

"If you like golden fountains, mirrors on ceilings, fawning staff and an ooze of opulence, you will be in your element here. Guests are met at the airport and chauffeured to the hotel in a white Rolls Royce (for an extra fee, the transfer can be made by helicopter), then whisked to their rooms by a white-gloved, personal butler who remains on call 24 hours a day. The escalators are flanked by two gigantic fish tanks (don’t be surprised to see scuba divers inside, cleaning the glass). The hotel has it own beach on the mainland, accessible by golf buggy, and a rooftop restaurant, the Al Muntaha, with fabulous views.

Some guests may feel a bit cut off at the Burj. In the hushed lobby, staff tiptoe about, and gawking tourists must pay an entrance fee just to step inside. Not everyone will want to stay at this kind of hotel, but it is an interesting place to visit." - Economist.com

check out some wonderful snaps of its interiors and exteriors here

Each suite has floor to the ceiling windows with spectacular views on the Persian Gulf. Every suite has sumptuous living and dining area, and office facilities. They are equipped with 42 inch Plasma screen TV, and everything is automated and can be controlled via remote. The list goes on, like 13 pillows to choose from and similar thoughtful care for the guests.

There is huge variety of brilliant, elegant restaurants that offer much more than the average. Al Mahara (The Oyster) let you enjoy your meal next to a large circle aquarium. The Skyview Bar leaves you with an unforgettable experience drinking coctails -made by Rikard Lindqvist (mixologist) from Sweden- 200 m above the sea-level. If that is not enough, there are 8 more restaurants to choose from.

X-pense

noreply@blogger.com (sam050787) — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 06:51:00 -0800

Despite its size, the Burj Al Arab has only 28 double-story floors with 202 bedroom suites. The smallest suite occupies an area of 169 square meters (1,819 square ft), the largest covers 780 square meters (8,396 square ft). It is also one of the most expensive hotels in the world. The cost of staying in a suite begins at $1,000 per night and increases to over $15,000 per night; the Royal Suite is the most expensive, at $28,000 per night.

Suites feature design details that juxtapose east and west. White Tuscan columns and a spiral staircase covered in marble with a wrought-iron gold leaf railing show influence from classicism and art nouveau. Spa-like bathrooms are accented by mosaic tile patterns on the floors and walls, with Arabian-influenced geometries, which are also found elsewhere in the building.

If you want to book your room at The Burj Al Arab... click here

Burj al-Arab has the most luxurious interior imaginable. Khuan Chew, Design Principal of KCA International was responsible for the interior design. The most expensive materials were used throughout the building. There is no exact data about the cost of the hotel, but rumours say that the return of investment could be 100 years.