Janet CollinsKeeping the Rich Off the Streets
January 4th 2010 03:38
Burj Dubai
The world’s tallest building opened today, housing 160 floors of residential and office space. The height of the Burj Dubai has been reported as 818 metres, although the real height has been shrouded in secrecy.
What caught my attention about this new icon is not its height or even its magnificence but the social planning of the whole building so that inhabitants would not even have to leave it.
Just think. You could live on the 108th floor, go to work in one of the offices between the 109th and 160th floors, there’s the gym, swimming pools – indoor and out, at least one restaurant and a proposed night club for inhabitants to dance the night away.
Ironically, this spectacle of middle-eastern wealth was actually designed by architects from Chicago and, for some unknown reason, all is being kept tight-lipped about who will actually live or work there. The building supposedly is all sold out which really shows there is still plenty of wealth around in these really tough financial times. Does being wealthy carry with it an obligation to separate entirely from the community?
This goes for anyone anywhere. Here in Australia we have been infatuated for years with what were commonly known as the “McMansions”, huge houses that could almost have their inhabitants living quite separately from each other. Large complexes of residences with ground floor shops, cafes and restaurants sprung up just about everywhere, several having their own gyms and swimming pools; Some also boasting the services of a 24/7 “Concierge”.
I couldn’t imagine I would want to live like that even if I came into a really big amount of money. It almost seems like locking yourself inside and only seeing the world through a television screen, shopping entirely online and never having any of the basic interactions that go with shopping at the local store or even walking in the park.
It almost reminds me of the dark ages when the kings were in their castles and the peasants lived in shacks or on the streets. It is a funny circle we have turned and while there is nothing wrong with living in a big house or residence, the temptation to stay indoors most of the time and walk through the front gate as few times as we really need to, is separating us all.
According to various reports late last year, the McMansions have gone out of vogue, although this is probably more because there are few people who can afford to buy them in this climate rather than any real cultural change. But who knows? We may just go back to the good ol’ Sunday barbie.
Sourced: www.telegraph.co.uk
Image credit: reuters
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Now that would be scary!
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