Rotating tower to be solar-powered

[JCMach1]

Dubai: Dubai's latest mind-boggling project will be yet another global first - a fully rotating tower powered by the sun.

Project engineers say the Dh400 million Time Residences tower in the City of Arabia master development will turn through 360 degrees, its rotation mechanism driven by stored solar energy... http://gulfnews.com/business/Real_Estate_Property/10086170.html

[MADem]

1. That's a mighty pricy....CLOCK!!!

....A distinctive time line runs down the building that meets 12 o'clock markings on the ground and the podium, allowing observers to use the building as a fully functioning time piece - it's unique, it's ambitious and it's an honour to be involved from the start," said James Abbott, senior architect at Palmer and Turner.

Dubai's Kulkarni QS will manage the project, while the task of rotating an 80,000 tonne tower through 360 degrees over a seven day period has been handed to Nick Cooper, managing director of Bennett Associates, the British engineer who designed the drill machine that bored the English Channel Tunnel.

Cooper said state of the art bearing systems at several points in the tower will allow a power plant to rotate the base of the tower at 5mm per second using only 21 electic kettles' worth of solar power.

Construction is expected to start in June next year with projected completion in the first quarter of 2009.

[JCMach1]

2. tHAT'S LIFE IN THE SANDLANDS...

[Kiouni]

3. while a complete waste of money...

it is pretty cool!