3 Skyscrapers You Must Experience

Architecture has permeated humanity since the beginning, as our ancestors ventured outside their caves and begun to experiment with materials and fibres, culminating in the development of iconic ancient civilisations like the Romans, the Incans and the Egyptians. Though we’ve come a long way from the pointed peak of the Great Pyramid and the striking, marble wrought beauty of the Acropolis, the structural triumphs of man continue to stand alongside modern entries. But how do they measure up? Current building trends (from the early 1900’s) observe a push for the sky, as highrises defied the third story, thirty-third story, one hundred and sixty-third story, in a race to take out the tallest title in the world.

Who are the main contenders? Take a look.

Burj Khalifa

Photo not mine

Once known as the Burj Dubai, the Burj Khalifa is the latest gold medallist in a never ending, skyward competition, shining above the cityscape of Abu Dhabi. Completed in 2010, this architectural stalagmite of glass, windows and cold, steely engineering reaches a breathless 2,716ft and houses one hundred and sixty-three floors. You’d think they’d need more than a ladder and a whole lot of workplace safety to construct this modern marvel; and you would be right. The folk of the Emirates enjoy breaking records, as the Burj Khalifa breaks a few, including world’s fastest elevators, highest mosque, highest swimming pool, highest nightclub, and perhaps most charmingly, highest restaurant. Located on the 122nd floor, Atmosphere serves up a variety of gastronomic delights. Race you to the top! Hang onto tight to the hand railing.

Mecca Clock Tower

Photo not mine

More than just a monumental time piece, the Mecca Clock Tower in Saudi Arabia houses the largest hotel in the world. Reaching a very respectable 1,972ft, this complex is a record holder in its own right, exceeding Dubai International Airport in floor space, attracting the accolade of the most metres squared in the world. How big does a building have to be to do so? The Mecca Clock Tower has a total floor space of 1,500,000m2. Imagine being a floor cleaner! Connected by halls, walkways and wings, the Mecca Clock Tower attracts thousands of visitors a month.

Taipei 101 (World Financial Centre)

Photo not mine

The dethroned king of the heights, Taipei enjoyed official tall supremacy from its opening in 2004 until the Burj Khalifa stabbed it in the back in 2010. Standing at 1667ft, Tapei 101 looms over the commercial Xinyi District, a magnet for Eastern trading partners, Western investors and global business interests. There are a total of 106 floors (101 above ground level – as the name suggests) and the outdoor observation platform will provide a view that will have you clinging to the balustrade in rapt attention.

Are you builder too? Do you dream of your own design or project making the top three list? Before you start transforming you attic stairs into a starting point, make sure you get the right education and enrol in a University program. Additionally, you’ll be up high a lot of the time, so contacting a business like Safe@Heights is paramount to keeping you in one piece to see your vision to completion. Do you have an architectural plan to blow the minds of the next generation? Let us know in the comments below.

Organizing the Linens

We don't have a very huge flat which can accommodate a spare area for a linen closet. The closest I can get to ever having a linen closet of my own is to use the spare cabinet we have to store our knick and knacks.

I have done my end-of-the-year cleaning already so I made room for my linens to store there. Here's a simple tip I can share to organize your linens if you are tight for space like I do.

1. Have your comforters vacuum sealed. It will stay flat until the next winter. I have so many comforters at home so you can imagine how bulky they can become when all piled up.

2. Stack your pillow cases in a small drawer you have. At least you have a use for that drawer in the cabinet.

3. Put loose and unused blankets in a vacuum pack as well. It will give more spare to other linens you have like curtains.

4. Keep few towels only. We have 6 towels at home, 2 for each of us and that is about it. We don't buy extra because we won't be using all of them at the same time. Keeping few towels will spare you the misery of washing and storing them when not in use.

Those are my tips. They are practical and will depend on one's situation. If you live in a condominium or high-rise building with very little area to spare then you can use these tricks to store those linens.

Stupidity at its Best!

I would understand if you want to keep your windows squeaky clean by polishing them at least twice a month. I would also understand if you are cleaning the windows of a one-storey or two-storey house. Professional cleaners use safety harness to clean high-rise buildings but this one guy is either a dare-devil or just plain stupid!

I got this forwarded mail from a friend. I do hope it is not "photoshop-ed" to look like he is actually cleaning his window from a high-rise residential building in Jumeirah, Dubai.

You be the judge. All I can say - this is what you call "stupidity at its best!"

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When he spotted a mark on his apartment window, this chap just had to pop out to give the glass a quick wipe with a squeegee.

Nothing odd about that – except that he lives 400ft up on the 34th floor of a tower block in Jumeirah Beach,Dubai.

He stepped out on to the narrow ledge and, holding the frame, stretched across to wipe away the annoying smudge.

Hell for leather: A window cleaner, circled, takes his life into his own hands on the 34th floor of a Jumeirah Beach apartment block

As he takes his life into his hands, at least he has the sense to hold on to the window frame, even if it is by his fingertips, as he goes about his task.

He was snapped making sure the windows were sparkling by a resident in a neighbouring apartment block.

A resident of a neighbouring block who took these pictures said: ‘The professional cleaners have safety harnesses and cradles and helmets. He had nothing.’

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