Tall Building: The Burj Dubai.... in Dubai

And what does this beast of a building mean for Dubai?  That's the interesting question to me.  Other cities put up towers because they need real estate to accommodate the growing population, like Taipei 101.  Dubai, though?  Motivation seems to be oil money burning holes in people's pockets.  There is over $90 Billion in construction in Dubai right now, but there is no demand for space!  Oil money is being tossed at the worlds' top architects with instructions: "Go ahead.  Play away.  Build me something huge that incorporates Arabic Religious shapes."  (Very common theme in these buildings, like the Petronas Twin Towers.) 

They seem to be taking the Vegas approach of, "Build it, and they will come."  They've got the largest building in the world; The largest mall in the world; The world's largest and most expensive hotel, the Burj Al Arab.  Dubai's a crazy playground, like Sim City 4 with the Billionaire Expansion Pack. 

Not surprising, though, is that people aren't biting.  Right now, the ratio of temporary workers to permanent residents is 8:1.  EIGHT TO ONE!  I just can't imagine how the population will ever catch up to this construction.  They might have to pay people to live there and keep this city-of-dreams slightly habited.  Lord knows they have enough money.

Seems to me that, over time, Dubai might prove to be the largest ghost town ever imagined.... another great human addition to the world, thanks to our healthy oil dependence.  Yay!  Burj Dubai's still one kick ass building, though.  It'll make a great demolition when we are all buzzing around in solar powered cars.