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usarender
millennium club
Joined: 01 May 2004
Posts: 1258
Location: San Diego, Ca
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 Posted: Wed Jan 02, 2008 5:01 pm Post subject: World's Biggest Mega Architectural Projects |
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Foster + Partners Crystal Island
| Quote: | 21/12/2007
Foster + Partners creates the world’s largest inhabited building
One of the world’s most ambitious building projects, Crystal Island has been granted preliminary planning permission in Moscow. Enclosed within a vast mega structure covering a total floor area of 2.5million square metres – the project’s scale is unprecedented. At 450m the scheme in one of the tallest structures on the planet, creating a spectacular new emblem on the Moscow skyline. Conceived as a self-contained city within a city, it contains a rich mix of buildings including museums, theatres and cinemas, to ensure that it is a major new destination for the whole of Moscow.
Presented to the Moscow Public and Architectural Council, Crystal Island is a highly anticipated new project. Located on the Nagatino Peninsula, edged by the Moscow River, it is located only 7.5 km from the Kremlin, and offers panoramic views over Moscow from a viewing platform at its apex.
Crystal Island will have a range of cultural, exhibition and performance facilities, approximately 3000 hotel rooms and 900 serviced apartments, as well as offices and shops, designed to maintain a dynamic and animated public realm throughout the day. Residents are able to work and live within a densely planned area where every amenity is within easy walking distance, including an international school for 500 students. Mixed-use also presents a strong case for energy balance, with individual components using energy at different times, while reinforcing the breadth of economic and social activity of the area.
The building’s spiraling form emerges majestically from a newly landscaped park, rising in converse directions to form a diagonal grid. This distinctive geometry extends throughout the project into the park. The result is that the scheme is seamlessly integrated into a new park landscape, which provides a range of activities throughout the year, including cross country skiing and ice skating in the winter.
The internal built volumes assume a staggered formation within the triangulated steel mega frame, extending flush against the sloping facetted glazed outer skin. This terracing creates a series of wintergardens, which form a breathable second layer and thermal buffer for the main building, shielding the interior spaces from Moscow’s extreme summer and winter climates. A vertical louvre system sheaths the internal facades to ensure privacy for the individual apartments. |
Now we're talking. 
Dubai's Mega Projects
(Click on the blue links to open a new page).
and --->>
Dubai Mega Projects
and this one --->>
Dubai Mega Projects
This page contains a list of Dubai's Mega Projects -->>
| Quote: | * Burj Dubai
* Dubailand
* The Palm Jumeirah
* The Palm Jebel Ali
* The Palm Deira
* The World Islands
* Dubai Waterfront
* Dubai Marina
* City of Arabia
* Jumeirah Lakes Towers
* Festival City
* Dubai World Central
* Dubai Pearl
* Dubai Metro
* Dubai Creek
* Dubai Culture Villiage
* Dubai Silicon Oasis
* Dubai Media City
* Dubai Internet City
* Dubai Heathcare City
* The Lagoons
* Falcon City of Wonders
* Al Balwadi
* Legends Dubai
* Dessert Safari
* Aqua Dunya
* Media Production Zone
* International Financial Zone
* Dubai Business Bay
* Sheikh Zayed Road Towers
* Dubai Autodrome
* Dinosaur Park
* Sports City
* Golf City
* Bio Dome
SkyScraperPage Latest
* Burj Dubai Tower
* The Palm Islands
* Dubailand
* Dubai Marina |
Dreams of Dubai
Hydropolis, World's First Underwater Hotel
| Quote: | Hydropolis
Hydropolis - the world’s first underwater hotel in Dubai - 27 acres and 220 luxury suites.
This Dubai mega-project is definitely extraordinary. The hotel is sitting on the Persian Gulf floor 66 feet below the surface. The hotel consists of three elements: the land station - shaped as a wave, the connecting tunnel - transparent and 1690 feet long and the underwater hotel in the shape of a jellyfish.
Guests enter Hydropolis from the beach. The land station isn’t only the entrance to the hotel, but offers also the hotel’s cinema, a cosmetic surgical clinic and a marine biological research institute. Then guests take the train through the transparent tunnel which connects the land with the underwater hotel.
HydropolisBesides the hotel’s 220 luxury suites - some are bubble shaped with clear glass walls - Hydropolis has two translucent domes that break the water’s surface and have retractable roofs. Hydropolis has much to offer for its guests - it features a ballroom, a concert auditorium, a museum, a library, three restaurants, a shopping mall, a Roman-themed spa and a pool. It will even produce its own clouds to protect the guests from Dubai’s sun.
Construction technologies from submarines and oil platforms were used for the underwater construction of Hydropolis. Custom-built Plexiglas was produced for Hydropolis’ walls to withstand water pressure which is three times higher than pressure at the surface. Private investors took the sponsorship for the estimated costs of $550-million. Future guests will have to pay $6000 per night for this extravagant underwater experience. Hydropolis is scheduled to open at the end of 2007.
Hydropolis was designed by the German architect Joachim Hauser who was inspired by Jules Verne’s famous novel 20,000 Leagues under the sea. Hauser thinks that the future of city planning lies in the sea and that humans could actually live self-sufficiently underwater. |
Dubai Business Day, 200 Skyscrapers
| Quote: | Business Bay
Business Bay will be the central business district in Dubai. It is currently under construction. Business Bay will be a business, commercial and residential district and is located in an area around the extended Dubai Creek.
Business BayBusiness Bay will be similar to New York’s Manhattan and will provide the infrastructure for international businesses to set up their headquarters there. Business Bay will contain over 230 high-rise buildings to accommodate them. In this area Burj Dubai, the tallest building of the world, is currently under construction. Many international hotels and the famous Emirates Towers can be found there. On the Creek side, Business Bay is close to the Dubai Festival Center and not far from Dubai International Airport.
The whole business district gets a new face. The Creek has been extended for this mega-project. More than 200 new skyscrapers will be built. If Dubai does something, it doesn’t do it by halves. |
The World
| Quote: | The World
The World is another Dubai mega-project off the shores of Dubai. The World islands are man-made islands shaped into the continents of the Earth. It will consists of 250 to 300 small private islands. There are four categories of islands available - private homes, estate homes, dream resorts and community islands. Each island will range from 250,000 to 900,000 square feet in size, 130 to 260 feet of water between each island. The World will have a total size of 5.4 miles in width and 3.6 miles in length. You can reach your island only by boat or helicopter.
The WorldThe purchasing price of an island is an estimated average of 25 million dollars. This Dubai mega-project is expected to be completed in 2008. The construction of The World has already begun and can be seen on Google Earth.
The World was inspired by the also man-made The Palm islands in Dubai. The World is located 2.5 miles off the shore of Jumeirah between the Jumeirah Palm island and the Deira Palm island. |
Changing The Face of Dubai
| Quote: | New Mega Project
Back in Dubai after three weeks in UK & Europe, then showing visiting friends around the city and some of the new developments. At last I can put some time into trying to post here more regularly.
We need more authors for the Dubai Metblog by the way, so if you're interested let me know.
Back to the post - today the papers have run the story that the Arabian Canal is going ahead. It's been talked about for a while but the latest rumours were that it was either put on hold or cancelled altogether. It seems they were what most rumours are, untrue.
Arabian Canal will be a 75 kilometre waterway will come in from the Arabian Gulf at Jebel Ali where the Dubai Waterfront development is taking shape, flow inland around the new World Central International Airport and back to the Gulf close to Dubai Marina and Palm Jumeirah.
It will be up to 150 metres wide and 6 metres deep, able to take boats up to 40 metres in length, take around three years to complete and cost US$11 billion. Work is due to start at the end of this year.
It will flow through what is basically barren desert and when it's done it will obviously add a huge amount of extra waterfront land for Dubai's development.
Also announced was the first of the developments which will eventually, I'm sure, run all around the canal. This is a vast US$50 billion waterfront development covering 20,000 hectares and stretching 33 kilometres along the inland section of the canal. The developer says it will include residential areas, business centres and marinas. Work will probably begin at the end of 2008 and take fifteen years to complete.
Showing my friends around I had a look at just a small part of the development that's going on and even that was mind-boggling. The size and scale of the rest of the current development plus this new project are almost beyond belief! |
And, an excellent report on the Golf Region, what is going on there, with development and economic figures, as well as a review of these projects above, and others -->>
PDF File - The Gulf Region Report
And some more Dubai Mega Projects ! -->>
UAE Railway: Mega Transportation Project and Others
| Quote: | Cityscape Dubai: Premier Mega Project Expo!
18 December, 2007
There is one event that stands out above all others as the premier Mega Project expo for the UAE and the entire Middle East. That event is Cityscape Dubai. Everyone who is anyone in the world of Middle Eastern real estate development attends. All the great Mega Project developers have exhibits setup with their spectacular projects. They all come, including:
- Emaar
- Nakheel
- DAMAC
- Aldar
- Tamouh
- Sorouh
- Hydra Properties
- Reem Investments
....to name just a few. Cityscape Dubai has in fact become the largest business to business real estate investment and development event in the entire world! At Cityscape Dubai 2007 over 50,000 attended!
Quote from Cityscape:
"Cityscape Dubai attracts regional and international investors, property developers, governmental and development authorities, leading architects, designers, consultants, and all senior professionals involved in the property industry. It provides an annual forum that celebrates the very best in real estate, architecture, urban planning and design from around the world."
Cityscape Dubai is a true marvel! Here are some links so you can see it for yourself!
Here is a YouTube video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0doIiORnviE
This is a link of some photos a friend of mine took while he was there. Click on any image to enlarge it:
http://projectdxb.com/
This link is to the Cityscape photo gallery:
http://www.cityscape.ae/2007_Photo_Gallery.html
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and in this same article above (click on the main blue links) -->>
| Quote: |
ahrain Financial Harbour
17 December, 2007
Today we will step out of the UAE and go to Bahrain in order to cover the Bahrain Financial Harbour (BFH). The architecture of all the Bahrain Mega Projects, including the BFH, looks like something out of a science fiction movie 200 years in the future! Truly amazingly futuristic.
BFH looks like some kind of financial Nirvana! If you worked here you would never want to go home!
BFH is:
"A world class fully integrated waterfront development which will create a complete financial city, a self contained community in the center of Manamma, Kingdom of Bahrain."
More:
"Envisaged as a complete financial city for the global finance sector BFH development uniquely combines business, leisure and residential components and is being developed on a high profile waterfront site. The development has also been designated by the Government of Bahrain as a Strategic Investment Zone, with a unique blend of liberalized conditions to attract private sector participation. BFH offers a highly compelling rationale that makes it a natural choice for any progressive and ambitious financial institution."
BFH is destined to become a primary financial center for the Middle East and, in fact, a financial center for the entire world.
Here are 2 excellent YouTube videos of BFH:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4OIjf9Dr88
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b17qUFxAyxg&feature=related
Here is a link to the BFH website:
http://www.bfharbour.com/html/index.php |
and --->>
| Quote: | Al Marjan Island, Ras Al Khaimah
11 December, 2007
Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) wants to emulate Dubai! Who can blame them? So what do they do?? They develop their own gigantic island Mega Project to rival the Palm Islands of Dubai. This RAK Mega Project is called Al Marjan Island. In fact Al Marjan is made up of 5 man made islands, and yes Al Marjan will be just as impressive as the Palm Island developments of Dubai!
The 5 islands of Al Marjan will feature:
- At least 10 major hotels
- At least one marina complete with a marina village full of luxury condos and townhomes
- A water themed park with attractions for the whole family
- A variety of luxury resorts
- A wide variety of villa residences including "floating villas."
- Shops and restaurants of all kinds as well as a variety of sports facilities
- Business areas, etc., etc.
Al Marjan Island is being developed by Rakeen and looks amazing. It is right up there with the Palm Islands of Dubai! This Mega Project will do wonderful things for RAK and the rest of the Emirates.
See Al Marjan Island here:
http://www.rakeen.com/projects/Al_Marjan_Island.html
http://www.menareport.com/en/business,/217637 |
and also, very interesting and applicable to building designers and architects -->>
Alternative Energy Mega Projects
BUILDING-INTEGRATED wind turbines
Tidal Power Stations
Alternative Energy
and many others....
Is anything spectacular like this being built in the US?
Dreamland Sudan
| Quote: | * Client : Bahgat Group
* Role of MB : Development consultant & Project Manager
Project Summery:
Built over an area of 2040 fedan on the blue nile, Khartoum project will be an integrated city will contain residential villas, commercial areas, administrative buildings, a theme park, golf course and sports resort |
and don't miss the skyscrapers page forum
(By the way, this is all about architecture!) -->>
The Skyscraper Page Forum
Let us know what you guys think of these.
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podmedia
Joined: 02 Jan 2008
Posts: 17
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| Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2008 2:28 pm Post subject: Abu Dhabi following in the footsteps of Dubai |
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Hi,
Thanx for the info. It is truly impressive how this little emirate is concreting itself on the global map. What's unbelievable though is that despite how small Dubai is, I mean it is only a narrow strip of land along the coast, yet they continue to find new opportunities for developing mega projects.
One question though:
Do you live out in Dubai? If so, how come you don't report on Abu Dhabi. It is the largest of the seven emirates and the capital city. Abu Dhabi have mega projects in the pipe-line too. I was a design consultant for AL Raha Beach ............which is a $50 billion international resort scheme attracting architects like Zaha Hadid, Norman Fosters, Jean-Paul Novell, Tadao Aldo etc. Also, in preparation for the Grand Prix in 2009 the city is building a new track and Ferrari museum.
A Ahmed |
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usarender
millennium club
Joined: 01 May 2004
Posts: 1258
Location: San Diego, Ca
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| Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2008 2:49 pm Post subject: About Abu Dhabi and other Mega Projects in the Gulf Region |
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Although I don't live in Dubai, the subject of the world's largest Mega Projects is fascinating to all.
Regarding your question, Abu Dhabi is covered in the pdf file link I placed in the post above --->>
PDF File - The Gulf Region Report
| Quote: |
Dubai does lead the way in major projects, but the developments going on in other
Emirates as well as the other GCC states, seeking to copy the success of Dubai, are
equally spectacular.
Abu Dhabi has announced the plans to
develop Saddiyat Island which will
transform the 26 square kilometre
natural island into a strategic
international tourism destination. The
project is likely to cost in excess of
US$26 billion.
The project is a symbol of Abu Dhabi’s
renewed economic openness and a
signal that the emirate is open to
international partnerships.
Abu Dhabi will be investing over US$100 billion in the next five years in new airports, a
seaport, new towns and tourism. Other examples of this are the Al Raha district (US$15
billion), the Abu Shuoom Island development – Emirates Pearl (US$9.5 billion) and The
Reem Island project (US$5.5 billion). These follow the opening of the luxurious Emirates
Palace Hotel with 390 rooms, one of the largest hotels in the world.
Sharjah has announced the US$4.9 billion Nujoom Island resort and the US$800 million
Stars Island project. The latter will comprise 10 islands surrounded by lakes fed by the
waters of the Arabian Gulf all connected by bridges. Located on the islands will be 10
apartment blocks, 2,500 villas, hotels and retail units. Fujairah will also spend US$800m
to develop its tourism sector in the next five years and this will include the Al Dana
project (350 villas and 11 hotels). The US$327 million Al Ameera Village is planned for
Ajman and Umm Al Quwain will construct the US$8.1 billion Al Salam City on the
Emirates Road, to promote tourism and house over half a million residents.
Saudi Arabia’s oil revenues are expected to reach over US$200 billion in 2006 and this
will result in a budget surplus of about US$60 billion. This will drive the continuing
investment in infrastructure with three mega projects being announced in 2006. These
include two new refineries at US$6 billion each, the railway across the kingdom and the
US$26.6 billion King Abdullah City (see artists impression below). |
And there are other projects listed, including those in Durrat Al Bahrain, including the 1.3 billion Amjaj Island project, with photos of the same, and the Bahrain World Trade Center and the Two Seas island city. Illustrated also are other projects such as the spectacular Blue City Oman, the Al Madina Al Zarqa.
| Quote: | It is a new city,
covering an area of 35 square
kilometers, incorporating luxury hotels
and is designed for up to 200,000
residents. Oman is also investing
US$800 million in The Wave project at
Al Seeb, a hotel, marina, yacht and golf
club complex. |
Other projects illustrated in the PDF file -
The Pearl Qatar, a 2.5 billion man made island, and developments in Kuwait, such as the Buobyan Island , the new Subiya City and Failaka Islands.
| Quote: | | Beyond the GCC States there are also large projects underway, examples being the US$4 billion Cairo Heights and the US$1.2 billion project to construct a hotel, retail and the residential complex at Port Ghalib. The Damascus World Trade Centre, one of the largest commercial developments in Syria is underway (US$120 million). |
Also illustrated are the booming airport development sectors, the hotel sectors,the retail sector, the office sector and the residential sector in the gulf region, with in depth analysis and statistics. |
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podmedia
Joined: 02 Jan 2008
Posts: 17
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| Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2008 3:04 pm Post subject: |
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| Thanx! This is truly unbelievable! |
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usarender
millennium club
Joined: 01 May 2004
Posts: 1258
Location: San Diego, Ca
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| Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2008 3:10 pm Post subject: |
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| Yes, and there seems to be no end to it ! The unbelievable phenomenon continues.... and many new projects keeps springing up.... all over the United Arab Emirates ..... can anyone keep up with all this ? |
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usarender
millennium club
Joined: 01 May 2004
Posts: 1258
Location: San Diego, Ca
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| Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2008 1:41 pm Post subject: |
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| Does anyone know of any other mega architectural projects, not listed ? If so, I would like to hear from you and see it. |
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usarender
millennium club
Joined: 01 May 2004
Posts: 1258
Location: San Diego, Ca
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usarender
millennium club
Joined: 01 May 2004
Posts: 1258
Location: San Diego, Ca
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usarender
millennium club
Joined: 01 May 2004
Posts: 1258
Location: San Diego, Ca
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| Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2008 5:28 pm Post subject: Multi-Billion Dollar Airport |
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Multi-Billion Dollar Airport - Beijing's Luxury Terminal (GALLERY)
Now this project is fantastic also !
| Quote: | In February of next year, the world’s largest luxury airport will open in Beijing, arriving in time to accommodate the international tourists arriving for the Summer 2008 Olympic Games. One single building, Terminal 3, will be bigger than all five of London’s Heathrow Airport terminals combined.
“The new building will feature south-east orientated skylights, which maximize heat gain from the early morning sun, and an integrated environment-control system that minimizes energy consumption and carbon emissions,” according to Born Rich. “The whole thing has been designed in a short span of four years. The terminal building alone cost $2.8 billion, and $4.6 billion was spent on all the related infrastructure.”
The gigantic building will also be the most high tech airport building in the world. The multi-million dollar project will cover 245 acres, enough space to accommodate 43 million passengers. It will be decorated with traditional Chinese art and celebrate the welcome visitors to the nation’s cultural traditions. |
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usarender
millennium club
Joined: 01 May 2004
Posts: 1258
Location: San Diego, Ca
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| Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 4:40 pm Post subject: |
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And some more interesting links -->>
The Silver Screen of Architecture
THE NEW SILVER SCREEN OF ARCHITECTURE - Main Link
(To view the forum postings, just click on the blue letters above).
_________________
"You can't stop me, my horizon is allready planned. If you are worthy, you can fly with me over these seasons. I am coming, all around the world. Just to hear the power of "I survive". I am coming, all for the sake of a better place for all. |
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IDesign4You
Joined: 27 Jan 2008
Posts: 3
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| Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2008 3:17 pm Post subject: |
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Truly fascinating projects out in UAE and hadn't heard of Al Marjan Island, very exciting as well. It seems United Arab Emirates are still one step ahead in bold new mega projects.
I find the links in the structures forum interesting as well, and those in the Fireside forum also. Many great stories there.
And a few other topics are very interesting as well, seen in some of these links 
http://arch.designcommunity.com/topic-19573.html
such as this topic
http://www.designcommunity.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=8565&start=0
Good job to all who are discussing topics such as I found here
http://www.designcommunity.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=8565&start=0
| Quote: | Briefly...
Check out the Metabolists and Futurists. They, as a group, portray the thinking and philosophies that some great architects have worked on in the past. I'm sure if you dig around you will find similar ideas based on contemporary methods, technologies and financing. I think the future depends heavily on three things: natural resources, population and and money. I doubt tremendously that we will ever be a "Jetsons" society, despite our romantic notions of flying cars. But "Dune" does have some merit in terms of extreme conditions of the planet that does have direct impact on our built environment. But these are so far off that it can only remain in theory. In the short term, the future of cities has more to do with population density and the "community" of a vertical living. I think green spaces are becoming very heavily promoted by many groups beyond architecture mostly because the outdoors promotes better living. Architecture that adapts to that will be seen more and mroe attractive and the money trail willo follow suit. For now, these are seen as unecessary expenditures by developers but more and more architects are doing great job at selling to them the added value...which is partly why the value of real estate is shooting through the roof, WORLD WIDE!
mx2 |
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lekizz
millennium club
Joined: 11 Jan 2006
Posts: 1217
Location: UK
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| Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2008 6:30 pm Post subject: |
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| That's got to be one of your most poorly disguised alter egos, usarender! |
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Architorture
millennium club
Joined: 31 Jul 2004
Posts: 1380
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| Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 10:12 am Post subject: |
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| i can proudly say i designed and detailed 4 guardposts at one of the above listed projects in UAE... i believe they are under construction as we speak |
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Kevin
Site Admin
Joined: 13 Apr 2004
Posts: 1397
Location: Eugene, Oregon
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| Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 2:12 pm Post subject: |
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Pretty cool. 
We await the pics! |
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