http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/2342/15717938iu4.jpg

EDIT -- 18 Oct, 07; the building is slightly redesigned. See page 3. New design on left:
http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/9784/01sp3.jpg


Indian tycoon Mukesh Ambani, chairman of Reliance Industries, India's largest private sector company, has been mooting the idea of a groundbreaking residence for his family for almost a decade. As is company is leading the charge in Indian real estate, with massive SEZs planned to come up across the country, Ambani wanted his residence, located at Altamount Road, in the heart of Mumbai's skyscraper construction scene, to reflect the future of Indian construction.

The design of the Residence Antilia, as it came to be called, was kept a close secret even after construction started a couple months ago. Several days ago, he finally approved the release of the building's design to the public.


The Perkins + Will-designed 27 storey tower already under construction is planned to be the greenest in Mumbai (in apparent conflict with the Park Hyatt Tower (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=471040) and Lodha Bellissimo (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=471379), which also claim the tag.) Like most capital projects in Mumbai, and reflective of Indian architecture and ancient Indian Vaastu Design, these buildings are to be garden buildings that, since they are skyscrapers, appropriately embody the garden-in-the-sky concept.

Residence Antilia goes one step further. It is designed as the largest and tallest "living wall (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Living_wall)" in the world -- a seamless, vertical garden that encompasses all walls of the building climbing to the 40th floor. Within this Vaastu tradition, the spine is regarded as the main source of support of the building, symbolically leading upward toward enlightenment. The various floor planes encombass a variety of garden tiers, terraces, water falls, ponds, recreational facilities, and enclosed, living areas that takes advantage of the most spectacular views of Mumbai and its waterfront.

You can see this goal in even the original plan of the tower:
http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/5692/22400835ga3.jpg


The building's height is significant. At 245m, it will be one of the tallest buildings in Mumbai. Although it only has only 40 floors, due to the non-standard design of the building, using the Indian construction standard of about 3.5m/floor, it will have the virtual height of a 70 storey tower, and will rival the nearby Imperial Twin Towers (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=471390) in height.

The tower will have 6 floors of parking; several floors of just gardens; a couple "entertainment" floors including a massive theater; 2 floors of guest apartments, and various floors dedicated to the kitchen, laundry and other services. Reliance Corporate offices will be in the bottom floors and the private Ambani family residence will make up the topmost several floors. A helipad is designed on top, but there is mixed reports on whether this feature has been actually approved by the authorities.

Construction is well underway, can can be seen in the skyline. With nearly two floors being added every day, construction is expected to be completed by November, 2008.

Cheers,
Jai

impresive design haven't seen one the same that is in construction can't wait if they'll put the plants in the tower :)

[edit]

Awesome...I like the fact its a green building and one of the only ones being built in the world.

Hope to see more renders of the building.

love such green towers :)

I like daring designs, but my personal opinion is that this tower is quite unsightly and reminds me of a stack of books. I hope they redesign the building while keeping all the green elements. Mumbai deserves an attractive green-building, not this thing.

What a strange design...

interesting design.

it's already rised up from above photo! any construction site pictures?

RIL is also planning a 150-room boutique hotel, with an exclusive Billionaire’s Club for global business bosses and heads of states to reside and interact.

Great design. Finally a billionaires club.. ;)

Well, even it's kind a pile of books, 'mossy' one, it's still good by me. Mukesh Ambani will be the king there, by having residence on the skyscraper's top.

Ambani went totally public with the project yesterday. Lots of articles in the world press on this today, however the original article that the rest got their information from was from yesterday's Mumbai Mirror. This article confirms much of what was put out about this building before, but also corrects some information, namely:

Total number of floors: 27, not 40
Total height: 173.2m, not 245

Can a mod correct the title to reflect this please?


--------==--=--==--------

MUKESH AMBANI'S MANSION IN THE AIR
The 27-storey glass-fronted building will have parking for 168 cars, three helipads, a theatre and a staff of 600 for its upkeep

And an u/c picture:
http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/7008/pc00305001b9cb9ok5.jpg

ANAND BIRAI AND SUDHIR SURYWANSHI

You may have read details about Mukesh Ambani's new house-in-the-making at Altamount Road, but even as work on its construction goes on in full swing, here on your right is the first picture of what it will look like when it's complete.

Mumbai Mirror is in possession of the entire architectural plan for Residence Antilia (as the house is going to be called, after a mythical island), the subject of enormous curiosity in the city ever since the Reliance Industries Ltd chairman purchased the 4,532 sq mt plot in 2002.

The plan, drawn up by the firm Perkins+Will, reveals that the house will resemble a virtual glass palace, with entertainment centres, a health club, a swimming pool and various green spots thrown in for good measure.


http://img128.imageshack.us/img128/6743/pc003040016f67arw7.jpg

COVER STORY

Construction of Mukesh Ambani’s new house at Altamount Road, where real estate prices are now in the region of Rs 75,000 per sq ft, began in late 2006, and the first six floors are already in place now. The building is expected to be complete in September 2008.


27 FLOORS

According to the plan, the house will rise to a height of 173.12 meters, equivalent to that of a regular 60-storeyed residential building. However, Antilia will have only 27 storeys in all, which means each floor will have a ceiling considerably higher than the current average of nearly three meters.


SIX FLOORS FOR PARKING

The first six floors — which have come up — will be reserved for parking alone, and that too for cars belonging only to Mukesh's family. Space for a total of 168 'imported' cars has been earmarked here.


FLOOR FOR CAR MAINTENANCE

Sources said the Ambanis would prefer to have all their cars serviced and maintained at an in-house service centre. This centre will be set up on the seventh floor.


ENTERTAINMENT FLOOR

The eighth floor will have an entertainment centre comprising a mini-theatre with a seating capacity of 50.


BALCONIES WITH GARDENS

The rooftop of the mini-theatre will serve as a garden, and immediately above that, three more balconies with terrace gardens will be independent floors.


THE 'HEALTH' FLOORS

While the ninth floor will a 'refuge' floor — meant to be used for rescue in emergencies — two floors above that will be set aside for 'health.' One of these will have facilities for athletics and a swimming pool, while the other will have a health club complete with the latest gym equipment.


FOR GUESTS

There will be a two-storeyed glass-fronted apartment for the Ambani family's guests above the health floors. One more refuge floor and one floor for mechanical works will be built on top of these apartments.


FAMILY

The four floors at the top, that will provide a view of the Arabian Sea and a superb view of the city's skyline, will be for Mukesh, his wife Neeta, their three children and Mukesh's mother Kokilaben.


AIR SPACE FLOOR

According to the plan, two floors above the family's residence will be set aside as maintenance areas, and on top of that will be an "air space floor," which will act as a control room for helicopters landing on the helipad above.


HELIPAD

The plan states that three helipads are to be built on the terrace.

However, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation officials told this paper that permission for the helipads has not been granted yet. "The residential plans were approved threefour years ago. Two levels of basement have also been shown in the proposed project," Sudhir Shinde, deputy engineer at the BMC's building proposals department said.


STAFF

Nearly 600 staffers are expected to work fulltime in the building, sources said.


TOTAL STATS

According to BMC records, the total area of Mukesh's Altamount Road plot is 4,532.39 square meters. The proposed built-up area is 4,778.09 square meters (only for residential purposes), and the permissible built-up area 4,939.81 square meters.
http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/2253/42586493it4.th.jpg (http://img175.imageshack.us/my.php?image=42586493it4.jpg)
http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/1795/68816546hw5.th.jpg (http://img175.imageshack.us/my.php?image=68816546hw5.jpg)

Can a mod correct the title to reflect this please?


--------==--=--==--------


i think you can that yourself


just click edit and go advance

Nope, not the thread title of the first post. You can edit the title of subsequent posts, though

Wow, this is one cool project!!!

Can a mod correct the title to reflect this please?

Sure. Too bad it was downsized in height. Still one of the most revolutionary designs I've ever seen. I look forward to seeing how this one turns out.

Crazy design! I like it, a nice green tower. :cheers:

Incredible tower,India keeps surprising me more and more every time

This might be one of the most expensive residences in the World.
Just the cost of the land at current prices for this House is Rs 350 crores ( $ 80 million ). The construction cost and final value of this residence is still unknown.

Weird shape

looks good, great experiment. Reminds me of the Dutch pavillion at Expo 2000 Hannover:
http://www.smart-travel-germany.com/image-files/hanover-expo2000_large.jpg

This building is completely awesome. Although I note that no less than 600 staff will work there full time. This is one of the major barriers to these garden-style designs: the up-keep required on the plants (Swiss RE in London had its gardens drastically slashed because of the cost) In India, where staff cost nothing, it's not such a big deal. Although I can forsee a time when labour is not so cheap and I wonder who will tend it then.

This building is completely awesome. Although I note that no less than 600 staff will work there full time. This is one of the major barriers to these garden-style designs: the up-keep required on the plants (Swiss RE in London had its gardens drastically slashed because of the cost) In India, where staff cost nothing, it's not such a big deal. Although I can forsee a time when labour is not so cheap and I wonder who will tend it then.

Maintenance wouldnt be a problem for Mr Mukesh Ambani. He is the richest person living in India worth more than $20 billion and still growing. And i dont see the labour getting too cheaper anytime soon, as the population just doesnt stop increasing in India:lol:

Yeah, that makes sense *smacks head*


You're right! I'll bet most of the staff would be gardeners, and not as I imagined as hundreds of redundant butlers. Hell, there's probably floors dedicated to storing lawnmowers and topsoil or whatever.

wow very unique. I heard that the cost of this building is 1 Billion USD???

it is a cool building, it's also obscene but then in india 56 people own literally 26% of the country!

Yeah, that makes sense *smacks head*


You're right! I'll bet most of the staff would be gardeners, and not as I imagined as hundreds of redundant butlers. Hell, there's probably floors dedicated to storing lawnmowers and topsoil or whatever.

Don't worry. Knowing India, I'm sure there will be plenty of redundant butlers. I have a friend who employs a boy simply to change the TV channel.

vanity, vanity, vanity... this world is sick.

vanity, vanity, vanity... this world is sick.

What's sick?

^ this world. Or is it normal to build such a building for one family (granny, His Majesty Mukesh, his wife a their three children, in total six people!)?
Mr.Mukesh, will this house make you and your family happy? :ohno:

It's horrible. So horrible. I don't like it. What an ugly tower..
Yes, it's a great residence for a family, but all that they have of richness, they have it of kitsch..

You're kidding me? ^^ This tower is freakin' awesome! One question though: is this really just for his family? Or is it an apartment development with a section for his family?

You're kidding me? ^^ This tower is freakin' awesome! One question though: is this really just for his family? Or is it an apartment development with a section for his family?

Its exclusively for the Mukesh Ambani family.
Currently they are living in a 14-storey building in downtown Mumbai and plan to move in their new home by next year.

I saw a story saying that the Singaporean developers had pulled out because of arguments with the contractors. Any updates?

Seems like one of those buildings you either love or hate... no middle ground. I still haven't decided yet, have to see how it turns out.

Regardless if its pretty or not, whether its vain or not, you've still gotta acknowledge that in this day of skyscraper blahs and copycats, its a pretty intuative and radical design that embodys an engineering concept that really pretty is unique.

I saw a story saying that the Singaporean developers had pulled out because of arguments with the contractors. Any updates?
Interesting.. never came across that story. If true it fills in some gaps. Several months ago, it was made public that some unnamed Singaporean firm would design the building of some 40 odd floors (perhaps where the original height confusion came from.) They acted pretty certain of the deisgn. But then all the confusion came then they suddenly announced the current design Perkins + Will.

This was the Singaporean design. And speaking of bland:
http://img248.imageshack.us/img248/8366/1ak9jy1.jpg (http://img313.imageshack.us/img313/5151/1ak9py8.jpg) http://img248.imageshack.us/img248/6549/2gt3id9.jpg (http://img313.imageshack.us/img313/5219/2gt3pt3.jpg)

Their design wasn't anything special, so imho good thing they pulled out

i ran this story on skyscrapernews about three weeks ago, it's actually ended up in all the national newspapers in the uk now. it certainly has the attention of people.

very feral looking building,for a man to show his ego in the land of poverty and slum!keep it up mr.mukesh

http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/2342/15717938iu4.jpg

Indian tycoon Mukesh Ambani, chairman of Reliance Industries, India's largest private sector company, has been mooting the idea of a groundbreaking residence for his family for almost a decade. As is company is leading the charge in Indian real estate, with massive SEZs planned to come up across the country, Ambani wanted his residence, located at Altamount Road, in the heart of Mumbai's skyscraper construction scene, to reflect the future of Indian construction.

The design of the Residence Antilia, as it came to be called, was kept a close secret even after construction started a couple months ago. Several days ago, he finally approved the release of the building's design to the public.


The Perkins + Will-designed 40 storey tower already under construction is planned to be the greenest in Mumbai (in apparent conflict with the Park Hyatt Tower (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=471040) and Lodha Bellissimo (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=471379), which also claim the tag.) Like most capital projects in Mumbai, and reflective of Indian architecture and ancient Indian Vaastu Design, these buildings are to be garden buildings that, since they are skyscrapers, appropriately embody the garden-in-the-sky concept.

Residence Antilia goes one step further. It is designed as the largest and tallest "living wall (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Living_wall)" in the world -- a seamless, vertical garden that encompasses all walls of the building climbing to the 40th floor. Within this Vaastu tradition, the spine is regarded as the main source of support of the building, symbolically leading upward toward enlightenment. The various floor planes encombass a variety of garden tiers, terraces, water falls, ponds, recreational facilities, and enclosed, living areas that takes advantage of the most spectacular views of Mumbai and its waterfront.

You can see this goal in even the original plan of the tower:
http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/5692/22400835ga3.jpg


The building's height is significant. At 245m, it will be one of the tallest buildings in Mumbai. Although it only has only 40 floors, due to the non-standard design of the building, using the Indian construction standard of about 3.5m/floor, it will have the virtual height of a 70 storey tower, and will rival the nearby Imperial Twin Towers (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=471390) in height.

The tower will have 6 floors of parking; several floors of just gardens; a couple "entertainment" floors including a massive theater; 2 floors of guest apartments, and various floors dedicated to the kitchen, laundry and other services. Reliance Corporate offices will be in the bottom floors and the private Ambani family residence will make up the topmost several floors. A helipad is designed on top, but there is mixed reports on whether this feature has been actually approved by the authorities.

Construction is well underway, can can be seen in the skyline. With nearly two floors being added every day, construction is expected to be completed by November, 2008.

Cheers,
Jai

I am sorry but that is just a horrible tower. so ugly

it may not be the most beautiful of towers, but it's still very interesting. if I had the money I'd build myself a skyscraper too.

Very impressive indeed.

very feral looking building,for a man to show his ego in the land of poverty and slum!keep it up mr.mukesh
if thats all you think mumbai and india is then im really very sorry

Pretty big house if you ask me

very feral looking building,for a man to show his ego in the land of poverty and slum!keep it up mr.mukesh

....in the land of poverty, disease, and lets throw in terrorism, Gandhi, cows, and the Green Goblin while we are at it! Sounds like a plan!

^^ don't forget elephants, fakirs and curry!

^^ don't forget elephants, fakirs and curry!

Completely forgot...and of course sweatshops, crazy many armed gods that I saw on the Simpsons, Apu and sitars...and the Dalai Lama (pronounced Dolly Lama, of course.)

Its a fine building, but... it really disgusts me what this man is doing. Theres nothing wrong with being a billionaire, but in this day and age, look at truly inspiring people like Richard Branson, and Warren Buffet. Men who use there money to make a change in the world, to fight for human kind as a whole... not this ... this building is selfish, and really benefits no one other than Mukesh Ambani's ego.

man..... he must have a really tiny penis.

Its a fine building, but... it really disgusts me what this man is doing. Theres nothing wrong with being a billionaire, but in this day and age, look at truly inspiring people like Richard Branson, and Warren Buffet. Men who use there money to make a change in the world, to fight for human kind as a whole... not this ... this building is selfish, and really benefits no one other than Mukesh Ambani's ego.

man..... he must have a really tiny penis.

Well there's an argument to be made that the De Medecis were just as crazy and egotistical, yet they funded some of the greatest art and architecture in the history of man. I have to say that I'm shocked at the reaction to this building. Leaving aside the issue of his ego and greed, can anyone not see that this is an awesome tower with amazing implications for the future of skyscraper architecture? No one has attempted a green tower on this scale before. At least it's not some vulgar piece of shit like Donald Trump's house. Besides, in Indai it's normal to have all your family live with you if they can. He probably has an absolutely MASSIVE extended family.

The Trump Mansion... mmmm, tacky
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k102/MaevenTCA/images793832_DonaldTrump_estate10.jpg

^^ don't forget elephants, fakirs and curry!

lol,u guys also forgot their tacky movie stars.

Yeah. Those bastards

if thats all you think mumbai and india is then im really very sorry

I don't think that was the point cyborg was trying to make; it's just that no one with a social conscience would build a private residence of this scale for only 6 people.

Its a fine building, but... it really disgusts me what this man is doing. Theres nothing wrong with being a billionaire, but in this day and age, look at truly inspiring people like Richard Branson, and Warren Buffet. Men who use there money to make a change in the world, to fight for human kind as a whole... not this ... this building is selfish, and really benefits no one other than Mukesh Ambani's ego.

man..... he must have a really tiny penis.

Okay, I'll give you Warren Buffet, but Richard Branson has spent lord knows how much money trying to go around the world in a hot air balloon - for the sake of doing it. Who wastes their money setting speed records for going around the world in a balloon when they OWN AN AIRLINE? Also, he has a private island or two, or three, or archipelago....i don't remember. But still, not completely selfless is he?

As for Ambani's penis size - he has about 20+ billion reasons why your thoughts on his penis don't matter to him. Nevertheless, you're probably right.

Well there's an argument to be made that the De Medecis were just as crazy and egotistical, yet they funded some of the greatest art and architecture in the history of man. I have to say that I'm shocked at the reaction to this building. Leaving aside the issue of his ego and greed, can anyone not see that this is an awesome tower with amazing implications for the future of skyscraper architecture? No one has attempted a green tower on this scale before. At least it's not some vulgar piece of shit like Donald Trump's house. Besides, in Indai it's normal to have all your family live with you if they can. He probably has an absolutely MASSIVE extended family.

Show me the interview where Ambani says he had his extended family in mind when building this tower, and I'll show you a liar. That's his dream palace, his modern hanging gardens - pure and simple. And you're right: putting his ego and the many different more worthy causes his money could go toward aside, Ambani's tower could be the most promising green skyscraper conceived. The idea of remaking the hanging gardens of babylon is simply awesome.

But if you're being honest with yourself, you can't really be all that surprised by the negative reaction to this tower. The whole reason skyscrapers were conceived were to serve a number of functions for a number of people - a practical solution when space is a factor. Aesthetics aside, the whole project is better off on paper, 'cuz it's a huge waste of time/resources/money for so very few people to benefit from.

My advice? Buy an island in Dubai; they'll make'em in any shape he wants.

Another u/c photo, from Hindustan Times, 21 Jun 07
http://img118.imageshack.us/img118/9711/21062007006007009c1429kj2.jpg

xP-ASxlu1eE

its his personal choice. he worked hard for his money, so let him do what ever he wants.

That is way too much floor height for residentials. I think you should write some 103,... Maximum!!! :ohno:

This is a strange building, I don't like the desgin

Hanging gardens of Mumbai
Source: Mumbai Mirror
1 June 2007
The Globe and Mail

Residence Antilia, which one architecture website is calling “a 21st century version of the hanging gardens of Babylon,” will rise to a height of 173 metres, equivalent to that of a regular 60-storey residential building. However, it will have only 27 storeys.

Residents India's richest man, Mukesh Ambani, his wife Neeta, their three children, Mr. Ambani's mother Kokilaben and 600 full-time staff.

Helipad The plan states that three helipads are to be built on the complex.

Maintenance and air-space floors Two floors will be set aside as maintenance areas. And at the very top will be an “air-space floor,” which will house a control room for helicopters.

Family floor The four floors at the top, which will provide a view of the Arabian Sea and the city's skyline, will be for the Ambani family.

Guest floors A two-storey, glass-fronted apartment will house family guests. One more refuge floor and one floor for mechanical works will be built on top of these apartments.

Health floors The 10th and 11th floors will be home to a health club and a swimming pool.

Refuge floor The ninth floor will a “refuge” floor for rescue in emergencies.

Entertainment floor The eighth floor will have an entertainment centre, featuring a 50-seat theatre.

Balconies with gardens The theatre's roof will serve as a garden. Three other balconies with terrace gardens will be independent floors.

Car maintenance Family cars will be serviced and maintained on the seventh floor.

Parking The first six floors will serve as a 168-space parking garage for the Ambani family.

Living wall One side of the building's outer skin has been designed to accommodate vines running up to the 40th floor.

Ha, I wanted to aks whether anyone had a render of the building of that crazy billionaire who wanted to build a 27st. building for himself!!! ;)

An update on this project from Architectural Record. Thanks to spyguy for finding it

Perkins + Will Debunks Antilia Myths (http://archrecord.construction.com/news/daily/archives/071018perkinswill.asp)
October 18, 2007

http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/9739/071018perkinswill1qj3.jpg

by Neelam Mathews with additional reporting by James Murdock

Construction is underway, albeit with some delays, on one of India’s highest profile and most opulent projects—the Antilia, a 490-foot-tall corporate meeting facility and private residence in Mumbai. Chicago-based Perkins + Will designed the 24-story tower for business tycoon Mukesh Ambani, whose family will occupy roughly 35,000 square feet in its top floors.

http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/2643/071018perkinswill2mh9.jpg
^ The tower features several garden levels and a trellis, which supports panels of hydroponically grown plans, that act like a green band weaving in and out of the building to demarcate different program elements

It seems fitting that for a building named after a mythical island, rumors have swirled about the exact program of Antilia since a local newspaper first published renderings of it earlier this year. Ambani, who is chairman of the petro-giant Reliance Industries, has a net worth estimated at more than $21 billion. Some accounts falsely reported that the tower will rise 60 stories and that the Ambani family would occupy all of it.

“There’s been a lot of crazy things floating around,” says Ralph Johnson, Perkins + Will firm-wide design principal, “but there’s actually a lot of positive things to talk about because it’s an interesting building.”

Among its interesting elements, Antilia will feature a band of vertical and horizontal gardens that demarcates the tower’s different program elements. A garden level will separate the ground-floor parking and conference center from residential space above, for instance, and the outer walls on certain levels will be sheltered by trellises supporting panels that contain hydroponically grown plants.

http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/8980/071018perkinswill3tc0.jpg
^ A large garden occupying a floor near the tower’s mid-section will separate the corporate meeting facility and parking levels from residential space above.

In addition to signaling different space uses and providing privacy, these “vertical gardens” will help shade the building and reduce the urban heat island effect. “You can use the whole wall almost like a tree and increase the green area of the site by five or 10 times over what it would be if you just did a green roof,” Johnson observers. “It’s a prototype for buildings of the future.”

Antilia’s roots also draw on the traditional Indian concept of Vaastu. Similar to Feng Shui, the practice orients a building in harmony with energy flows. At Antilia, the overall plan is based on the square, which is Vaastu’s basic geometric unit, and a garden level occupies the tower’s midsection, the point where all energies converge according to the Vaastu Purusha Mandala.

Perkins + Will won the commission for Antilia in 2004, besting Foster + Partners, SITE, Wilkinson & Eye, and Ken Yang. The building occupies a one-acre site on Altamount Road, where real estate prices top $1,000 per-square-foot. Construction had reached Antilia’s mid-section garden, but was halted this summer after a land dispute. Although the delay is expected to be temporary, many Indians nevertheless feel that the residence flaunts the country’s socialist sensitivities—and that it is excessive and ostentatious given that more than 65 percent of Mumbai’s 18 million residents live in tenements.

Others, though, find aspects of the skyscraper to admire. Mumbai-based architect Hafeez Contractor praises Antilia’s efficient use of land. “Occupying less space on the ground decongests the area at the ground level so more trees can be planted,” he explains. “Ambani’s choice will make high-rises more acceptable.”


Note that the tower's design has changed somewhat. The helipad is gone and in lieu of that, a couple more floors have been added:
http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/9784/01sp3.jpg

^^ :puke::puke::puke:

well when the revolution comes, i guess this is the first place the plebians will attack

Ha, I wanted to aks whether anyone had a render of the building of that crazy billionaire who wanted to build a 27st. building for himself!!! ;)

yeah right? He just became the richest man in the world!

Am I the only one who thinks the first design is better.. I refer to the 4th picture of the 1st post on this thread...

well when the revolution comes, i guess this is the first place the plebians will attack

lol

[QUOTE=kronik;16199521]yeah right? He just became the richest man in the world![/QUOTNo. It is still Bill Gates and a Mexican, don't remember his name...
And what is the deal? Being so rich in a city where millions of people together don't even come close to the incomeof that one man? :ohno: I wonder why some peoplethink it is something to be proud of!

Ugly building, real ugly

:puke:

I could puke. What a shameful project. A single family builds a 175m Skyscraper while the majority of the city lives in slums. :ohno:

^You should read the latest article before commenting.

490-foot-tall corporate meeting facility and private residence in Mumbai. Chicago-based Perkins + Will designed the 24-story tower for business tycoon Mukesh Ambani, whose family will occupy roughly 35,000 square feet in its top floors.

This building is weird:weird: Oh well, nice one for Mumbai

Its a different but interesting building... would be interesting to see how it turns outs when its finish.

Not my kind of taste. Looks not elegant.

in a way its ugly lol
who would want to live in a 'house' which is so tall?

Am I the only one who thinks the first design is better.. I refer to the 4th picture of the 1st post on this thread...
I like the original design as well, ...but on the other hand the newer design is more innovative

it's highly austentatious (spelling ??) to build such a palace in a city where the vast majority live in slums. yet, maybe it will inspire people to strive harder.
also the designs of most of the new skyscrapers in mumbai have been pretty conservative and disappointing...atleast this is unusual and somewhat exciting.

interesting

Some construction pics from 2007:
http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/9656/antila20sleep20053si3.jpg

http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/1615/antila20sleep20051ie5.jpg

looks tiny from this angle

amazing building

Here's a much clearer construction update - found on youtube by Suncity:

video by akshayjawanjal
2ASNE1eZiYw

The video is dated earlier this month. The pictures posted in my last post were taken from the topmost-constructed floor of the tower.

From it we can get a rough estimate as to how far along the tower is:
http://img186.imageshack.us/img186/4513/image5xi5.jpg

it looks weird but i actually like this tower its very different but in a good way thats for sure and incredible with mumbai transformation it'd be great to see more and more indian cities catching up fast with skyscraper fest

Forbes magazine has a series of articles on this building

Salient points:
- Will be completed by next January
- Will be 550 feet tall
- Uses Vaastu design.
- Design is still ongoing even during construction, hence some discrepancies in renderings. No two floors are designed alike.
- Design and architecture is to be Indian, and Indian materials, designers and firms are used for construction.

Inside The World's First Billion-Dollar Home (http://www.forbes.com/2008/04/30/home-india-billion-forbeslife-cx_mw_0430realestate.html)
Matt Woolsey, 04.30.08, 6:00 PM ET

http://img186.imageshack.us/img186/3346/exphomes2clkwd6.jpg

While visiting New York in 2005, Nita Ambani was in the spa at the Mandarin Oriental New York, overlooking Central Park. The contemporary Asian interiors struck her just so, and prompted her to inquire about the designer.

Nita Ambani was no ordinary tourist. She is married to Mukesh Ambani, head of Mumbai-based petrochemical giant Reliance Industries, and the fifth richest man in the world. ( Lakshmi Mittal, ranked fourth, is an Indian citizen, but a resident of the U.K.)

Forbes estimated Ambani's net worth at $43 billion in March. Reliance Industries was founded by Mukesh's father, Dhirubhai Ambani, in 1966, and is India's most valuable firm by market capitalization. The couple, who have three children, currently live in a 22-story Mumbai tower that the family has spent years remodeling to meet its needs.

Like many families with the means to do so, the Ambanis wanted to build a custom home. They consulted with architecture firms Perkins + Will and Hirsch Bedner Associates, the designers behind the Mandarin Oriental, based in Dallas and Los Angeles, respectively. Plans were then drawn up for what will be the world's largest and most expensive home: a 27-story skyscraper in downtown Mumbai with a cost nearing $2 billion. The architects and designers are creating as they go, altering floor plans, design elements and concepts as the building is constructed.

The only remotely comparable high-rise property currently on the market is the $70 million triplex penthouse at the Pierre Hotel in New York, designed to resemble a French chateau, and climbing 525 feet in the air. When the Ambani residence is finished in January, completing a four-year process, it will be 550 feet high with 400,000 square feet of interior space.

The home will cost more than a hotel or high-rise of similar size because of its custom measurements and fittings: A hotel or condominium has a common layout, replicated on every floor, and uses the same materials throughout the building (such as door handles, floors, lamps and window treatments).

The Ambani home, called Antilla, differs in that no two floors are alike in either plans or materials used. At the request of Nita Ambani, say the designers, if a metal, wood or crystal is part of the ninth-floor design, it shouldn't be used on the eleventh floor, for example. The idea is to blend styles and architectural elements so spaces give the feel of consistency, but without repetition.

Antilla's shape is based on Vaastu, an Indian tradition much like Feng Shui that is said to move energy beneficially through the building by strategically placing materials, rooms and objects.


Pricey Pad

Atop six stories of parking lots, Antilla's living quarters begin at a lobby with nine elevators, as well as several storage rooms and lounges. Down dual stairways with silver-covered railings is a large ballroom with 80% of its ceiling covered in crystal chandeliers. It features a retractable showcase for pieces of art, a mount of LCD monitors and embedded speakers, as well as stages for entertainment. The hall opens to an indoor/outdoor bar, green rooms, powder rooms and allows access to a nearby "entourage room" for security guards and assistants to relax.

Ambani plans to occasionally use the residence for corporate entertainment, and the family wants the look and feel of the home's interior to be distinctly Indian; 85% of the materials and labor will come from outside the U.S., most of it from India.

Where possible, the designers say, whether it's for the silver railings, crystal chandeliers, woven area rugs or steel support beams, the Ambanis are using Indian companies, contractors, craftsmen and materials firms. Elements of Indian culture juxtapose newer designs. For example, the sinks in a lounge extending off the entertainment level, which features a movie theater and wine room, are shaped like ginkgo leaves (native to India) with the stem extending to the faucet to guide the water into the basin.

On the health level, local plants decorate the outdoor patio near the swimming pool and yoga studio. The floor also features an ice room where residents and guests can escape the Mumbai heat to a small, cooled chamber dusted by man-made snow flurries.

For more temperate days, the family will enjoy a four-story open garden. In profile, the rebar-enforced beams form a "W" shape that supports the upper two-thirds of the building while creating an open-air atrium of gardens, flowers and lawns. Gardens, whether hanging hydroponic plants, or fixed trees, are a critical part of the building's exterior adornment but also serve a purpose: The plants act as an energy-saving device by absorbing sunlight, thus deflecting it from the living spaces and making it easier to keep the interior cool in summer and warm in winter. An internal core space on the garden level contains entertaining rooms and balconies that clear the tree line and offer views of downtown Mumbai.

The top floors of entertaining space, where Ambani plans to host business guests (or just relax) offer panoramic views of the Arabian Sea.

And some new renderings from the slideshow (http://www.forbes.com/2008/04/30/home-india-billion-forbeslife-cx_mw_0430realestate_slide_2.html?thisSpeed=20000&boxes=custom):
http://img81.imageshack.us/img81/3846/exphome1rc3.jpg
Exterior

Antilla, the partially completed home of Mumbai-based petrochemicals giant Reliance Industries head Mukesh Ambani, will stand 27 stories high and is expected to cost $2 billion. Ambani, the fifth richest man in the world, his wife and three children currently live in a 22-story Mumbai tower the family has spent years remodeling and refashioning to meet its needs.

http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/1728/exphome2rm5.jpg
^ Lobby

Nine elevators dot the lobby floor: Two are designated for parking areas, three for guest quarters, two for the Ambani family residences and two for service. The lobby opens to numerous lounges, reception areas and powder rooms. Dual stairways lead from the lobby floor down to the ballroom, which is designed in an open layout with a two-story roof.


http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/1994/exphome3zk5.jpg
^ Ballroom

The most striking features of the Antilla ballroom are the crystal chandeliers that will take up approximately 80% of the ceiling. The silver stairways lead to a central landing, behind which two retractable doors can open to display works of art. There is also a stage for entertainment or speeches, with a projection screen behind it. A kitchen, about the same size as the ballroom itself, can service hundreds of guests.


http://img404.imageshack.us/img404/5060/exphome4ml1.jpg
^ Bathroom

One of Antilla's key design themes is the mix of lavish features seen in worldwide homes and elements that are distinctly Indian. The Gingko-leaf sink designs are a good example. Native to India, the leaves in the sinks are shaped in such a way that their stems guide water into the bowl created by the basket of the leaf.


http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/1842/exphome5ep0.jpg
^ Traditional Lounge

Ambani's home features countless lounges, offering Reliance Industries guests a quiet escape. Chandeliers and mirrors are a common feature of these rooms, as are finely woven Indian area rugs.


http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/3146/exphome6oo2.jpg
^ Modern Lounge

Each space and floor uses materials not seen anywhere else. The idea is that spaces will blend into one another, giving the impression of consistency and flow, while at the same time displaying different influences and traditions. This furniture, floors, lines and dark woods of this lounge have a more minimalistic approach than the home's other lounges

http://img186.imageshack.us/img186/6140/exphome7lc9.jpg
^ Entertainment Level

It's very common in large homes to have a theater or screening room, but usually they're just large projection screens with a few nice seats. The Ambani's theater is more like those seen in George Lucas' Skywalker Ranch or Frank Pritt's Portabello Estate--a full-fledged theater, indistinguishable from a cinema. A wine room, snack bar and entertaining space, including couches and tables, fill out the room.


http://img186.imageshack.us/img186/2756/exphome8ug6.jpg
^ Health Level

The indoor/outdoor health level features a lap pool and Jacuzzi that take in views of the city skyline, as well as lounge chairs shaded by trees. Yoga and dance studios, changing rooms for men and women, gyms and a solarium with a juice bar fill out the interior space. There are plans to include an ice room in the center space, where the Ambanis could sit on a hot Mumbai day to cool off in a man-made snow flurry.


http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/181/exphome9mu5.jpg
^ Garage

The first six floors of the residence will be dedicated to parking for the Ambani family, guests and employees. Hanging vertical gardens dot the exterior. While they make for good decoration, their key function has to do with energy efficiency: The hydroponic plants, grown in liquid nutrient solutions instead of soil, lower the energy footprint of the home by absorbing heat and sunlight and providing shade that helps keep it cool.


http://img186.imageshack.us/img186/9475/exphome10al5.jpg
^ Roof

The top floor features a covered, outdoor entertaining space with panoramic views of the Mumbai skyline as well as the Arabian Sea. On those days when it's too hot, or cold, an interior space with floor-to-ceiling windows provides the same luxury.


Thanks to IndiansUnite for finding the article

Grt update Jai!

wow, looks very impressive! India is just powering along .. and people getting into real estate now may make $$$

Here's a rendering of it at night
http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/6045/ambanihome426wrm3.jpg

Hello everyone!
Just wondering, are there any more u/c photos? The last one posted here was from june 07. Its been a year already. Shouldnt the building be topped-out by now?

If anyone from this forum lives in Mumbai and is in the area, PLEASE, get some photos!!!

Just being curious

Unique design.. wonder what it will look like when completed.

Hello everyone!
Just wondering, are there any more u/c photos? The last one posted here was from june 07. Its been a year already. Shouldnt the building be topped-out by now?

If anyone from this forum lives in Mumbai and is in the area, PLEASE, get some photos!!!

Just being curious


Posted by Indiansunite in the SSC india section.

gs6JD2VLAGo

Screenshots from the video
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http://img329.imageshack.us/img329/9539/59119451pu3.jpg

This is one of the craziest buildings ever.The idea itself on doing a vertical residence for the whole family is crazy :nuts:
Anyway,this building is a must see!

nice :D

Nice.. its several stories taller than it was in Feb

From this week's India Today magazine -

http://img254.imageshack.us/img254/1792/antiliaqe7.jpg

Current status...

http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/7053/25923025oc5.jpg


http://img443.imageshack.us/img443/4411/10428024ek2.jpg

That's a nice building, but an enormous home for three people.
I mean so enormous that it's ridiculous.
Why for three people?
The most expensive house in the world is built in a country that houses 400 million people living below the poverty line. That population is about 60 million more than that of the whole US.
At least make it like a residential tower or rent out couple spaces to other people.
I'm sure that Mukesh is somewhat philanthropic, but why build such a huge house for three people, and spend that much money while you could spend the same for some other causes.
Was this ambani the Bidder for the proposed sea link connecting mumbai and navi mumbai?

Once this building is complete, someone should fly a 747 into it!

^^^^

:wtf:

That building isn't ugly!!!

as on May 2
pic copyright fotocorp
http://img258.imageshack.us/img258/5615/43489710ol2.jpg

____

taken in the first week of July-
pic copyright David
http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/8361/ambanitowersdavidsy6.jpg

____

as on July 26th
Pics copyright Jesse Michael Nix
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http://img368.imageshack.us/img368/5690/27632752936062d79c1ebfq1.jpg

mr. ambani must have a very small d1ck.
none the less, to each his own. why should we be hypocritical. when i get a little extra cash i go out and buy a new shirt or blow it on a night out, not give it to charity. so who am i to judge what a billionaire does with his extra cash. build on, mr. ambani, build on.

Grt updates all.


:cheers:


mr. ambani must have a very small d1ck.
none the less, to each his own. why should we be hypocritical. when i get a little extra cash i go out and buy a new shirt or blow it on a night out, not give it to charity. so who am i to judge what a billionaire does with his extra cash. build on, mr. ambani, build on.

:weirdo:

The cladding of the bulding is already underway...im not sure what level the concreting has reached ..but hte cladding is already on the 10th level

'Obscene' is the word that springs to mind

Impressive tower! The best modern building design i've ever seen in India.

It looks a little bit like the Dutch Pavillon on the Expo in Hannover (Germany, 2000)
http://www.hebsacker.net/oldpics/DSC02330.jpg

From 20 Jul. You can see the tower in the left center background of this image (the one with a crane to the right of the thin, white tower.)
http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/5207/2715034404cb497efe6ebdi4.jpg
Photo copyright ganuullu

I can really understand him. Even people with a normal income often live in freestanding homes without any other families living under the same roof. I am not rich, but I lived in a freestanding house all my life. So why should a billionaire not do the same, just in a much larger scale? In fact he spends a much smaller percentage of his money on his house than most people. Most people spend 250% or more on a house and then pay for it for decades. So why shouldn´t a billionaire spend $500 million or so on a house? Have you never had the same dreams? If I had the money, I would build something like a private Space Needle or so.

There are more than 1,000 billionaires in the world. I would love to see 1,000 single home skyscrapers.

Wow this threads hasnt been updatd for a while!

photo copyright Samir

http://img78.imageshack.us/img78/3743/ambaniandimperialsamirex1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

copyright Reuters
http://img223.imageshack.us/img223/4707/ambani4tk1.jpg


cropped and maximized:
http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/9690/ambani5im1.jpg



http://img508.imageshack.us/img508/792/ambani3od7.jpg

More updates

copyright mihir
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3529/3176713062_8831425e9e_b.jpg

copyright firoz bharmal
December 5
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photo copyright nameilus

http://img443.imageshack.us/img443/2151/mumbaiviewnamieluste1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Do you know how recent is this update? The tower is rising really fast!!

Have no idea. Sun posted it in the cityscapes thread.

My heart goes out to billionaires at a time like this. It's got to be hard to build a 26 floor skyscraper in the current economic climate. Hang in there Mr. Ambani.

A complete skyscraper for just one family... :nuts:

But the design is nice. It reminds me a bit of the Dutch pavillion on the Expo in Hannover.

Copyright Mihir

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3441/3224287729_a1e61ae80d_b.jpg

January 9
Copyright RJ77
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http://img91.imageshack.us/img91/751/a3vb4.jpg

The rate this is going up is amazing, by any standards.

Hell ya man... that's rising very quickly..

Wow...rising quick. Grt updates there man!

I love it, hope to see it one day.

Photos Copyright: KB335ci2

http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/9296/p1010023lh4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/p1010023lh4.jpg/1/w768.png (http://g.imageshack.us/img156/p1010023lh4.jpg/1/)
http://img124.imageshack.us/img124/2401/p1010024nb2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img124.imageshack.us/img124/p1010024nb2.jpg/1/w1024.png (http://g.imageshack.us/img124/p1010024nb2.jpg/1/)

pic by MFitch
http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/6706/mfitchjpg3zd8.jpg

http://img230.imageshack.us/img230/6532/mfitchjpg4dh5.jpg

Awesome!

It is really good to see such wonderful design of the Residence Antilia,in Mumbai,India.

For comprehensive and customized range Steel Entry Doors, Exterior Steel Doors, Metal Doors, Stanley Steel Exterior Doors Commercial Steel Doors, Steel Doors Frames, Residential Steel Entry Doors, all type of Steel Door Manufacturers.

http://www.sfpl.co.in (http://www.sfpl.co.in)
http://dorplus.com

I love the concept and the design. What's up with the haters out there? I am sure if this was built some place else, it would not create that much negativity. :(

Posted by IndiansUnite in the Mumbai forum

February 17
Copyright Teresa
http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/8504/feb17teresa.jpg

March 1st

Copyright: KB335ci2

http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/9954/p1010048.jpg (http://img231.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1010048.jpg)

http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/4431/p1010051k.jpg (http://img5.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1010051k.jpg)

http://img264.imageshack.us/img264/2703/p1010056r.jpg (http://img264.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1010056r.jpg)

Posted by IndiansUnite in the Mumbai forum.

April 12

http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/937/yash.jpg
(C) Yash/SummerMoon'91

Once this building is complete, someone should fly a 747 into it!

Uhhhhh yeah.... okay...... :nuts:

Ya, seriously. That's a pretty effed up thing to say

He is jealous because he can't afford a skyscraper for himself, poor hed_kandi:ohno:

Oh wait, nobody here can't afford one:lol:

me gusta.:) se ve diferente. ademas que usa mucho el verde y eso es muy necesario para contrarrestar el calentamiento global.

Once this building is complete, someone should fly a 747 into it!

Were you involved in 9/11?

Press Release

Gulf Extrusions signs USD 3.5 million deal to supply aluminium profiles for world’s most expensive home

Company to supply total of 460 MT of unitized system for ‘Antilia Residence’ owned by Reliance Industries Chairman in Mumbai

May 07, 2009
Gulf Extrusions, one of the largest aluminium extrusion plants in the Gulf, has announced the signing of a USD 3.5 million contract with India’s Reliance Engineering Associates for the supply of 460 MT (metric tons) of unitized system, which will be used in the USD 1 billion plus ‘Antilia Residence’ project in Mumbai. Expected to be the world’s most expensive home, the 27-storied residence with six floors of parking, belongs to the Chairman of Reliance Industries, Mukesh Ambani.

The ‘Antilia Residence’ is designed as the largest and tallest ‘living wall’ in the world – a seamless, vertical garden that encompasses all walls of the building. The residence – which upon completion mid next year will scale a height of 173 meters – will feature an entertainment floor; a health floor with a swimming pool and health club; a helipad; six floors of apartments for the Ambani family and their guests; and terrace gardens.

Robert Holtkamp, Director of Sales and Marketing, Gulf Extrusions, said, “Being chosen to supply aluminium profiles for such a prestigious project in India is a reflection of the excellent reputation Gulf Extrusions has built over the years. Moreover, this project will also strategically complement our plans to expand our presence in the high potential Indian markets.”

Gulf Extrusions, which is part of the Al Ghurair Group of Companies, produces profiles ranging from architectural sections to components for household items, AC grills and customised products. The company also extrudes products of several European suppliers and companies under agreement. Nearly 70 per cent of Gulf Extrusions' production is supplied to the domestic market to support the enormous construction projects in the UAE. The rest are exported to South East Asia, other GCC countries, Europe and Canada.

About Gulf Extrusions:
Gulf Extrusions is the largest extrusion plants in the Gulf with a 30 year history of top quality production. Located at Jebel Ali, it is minutes away from one of the busiest sea ports in the Gulf. The plant is designed to produce aluminum sections in mill finish, silver, bronze, gold and color anodized, and powder coated finishes. The modem processing equipment and techniques permit the company to produce a range of over 7,000 profiles. These vary from architectural sections to components for household items, AC grills and customized products. Nearly 60% of the output generated by Gulf Extrusions is used in the local market to support the building and construction projects. Gulf Extrusions also exports to various markets in GCC and Middle East countries, as well as markets in Europe, West Africa, Asia and Canada.

http://img365.imageshack.us/img365/5058/residenceantiliaindia.jpg (http://img365.imageshack.us/my.php?image=residenceantiliaindia.jpg)

Chévere... muy chévere... saludos

Some more updates...

From DNA India:
http://img257.imageshack.us/img257/4103/epaperimages23042009230.jpg

older pic but worth it.
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa176/indrajal/Cities/TallBldgs2_AntiliaTower.jpg
Source:http://www.ctbuh.org/LinkClick.aspx?link=819&tabid=53
please visit the above site for more pics and a foreign students bid to understand and improve mumbai infrastructure.

May 29
Copyright Neeta
http://img503.imageshack.us/img503/9570/neetatrip1006.jpg

June 7
Copyright Navin
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copyright Livemint.com
http://item.slide.com/r/1/126/i/097sSYnr4D__85RsbhGK1U-kqN1TV7IG/

Update from here (http://www.pranavinfra.com/web/project/Residential/relianceantilia-residential.aspx).
July 13
http://img39.imageshack.us/img39/2297/antilla.jpg

copyright magestom
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http://i31.tinypic.com/29l1x5x.jpg

Source (http://www.flickr.com/photos/carminarinker/)

Hi guys. What's the deal with this building now? Any new pics? It's been a month since the last update.

regardless of how ridiculous this whole project is, I just want to say to everyone that's been saying how he could do something better with his money - think of it this way


He's creating THOUSANDS of jobs in it's construction, not to mention another 600 permanent jobs. He's spending millions upon millions, primarily to Indian companies, which will go straight into the Indian economy. He is doing a ton of good for the Indian economy by spending spending spending. If he kept the estimated $2billion in the bank nobody would complain that he's not looking out for the poor or that he's showing off. Spending this $2billion is in a sense similar to charity - he's creating jobs and shoving huge amounts of money into the economy.

The rich spending money like this in a recession is a great thing - don't look at it as showing off. Them spending money gives a boost to the economy and creates or saves jobs.


Man this thing is ridiculous though! Can't wait to see it finished. I'm not sure if it can really be considered a single family residence though if it's also a corporate meeting center for his company... seems more like a business investment than a home.

Copyright 16.09.0B.
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa176/indrajal/Cities/4207624197_95ce32131a_o.png

http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa176/indrajal/Cities/4221676830_7fa174e2cb_o.png

January 3
Copyright IndiansUnite

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http://img21.yfrog.com/img21/7038/img1127p.jpg

http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/710/img1129m.jpg

Forgot to post these

Jan 10
Copyright IndiansUnite
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January 31st,
Copyright KB335ci2
http://img233.imageshack.us/img233/9802/img0277k.

http://img40.imageshack.us/img40/1106/img0278dx.jpg

Never been a fan of this rectangular cube. Only an awesome state-of-the-art cladding will save this eye sore. the onus is on ambanis.

X-posts

photo copyright ken.littleton

http://img245.imageshack.us/img245/593/ambttowerkenlittleton.jpg (http://img245.imageshack.us/i/ambttowerkenlittleton.jpg/)

February 28
Copyright Bryan
http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/9475/bryanfeb28.jpg

March 15 - view from the Imperials
Copyright Silencium07
http://img192.imageshack.us/img192/2297/antilla.jpg

March 14
Copyright danschleifer23
http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/9812/4488436880b13fdeb2c0b.jpg

April 19
Copyright Sbaliga
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http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/7144/dpp91.jpg


http://img202.imageshack.us/img202/4766/dpp95.jpg

For a magazine, someone is looking for highres pictures of the Antilia project. Can anybody help? Please reply at... http://www.urbika.com/projects/view/1486-residence-antilia

For a magazine, someone is looking for highres pictures of the Antilia project. Can anybody help? Please reply at... http://www.urbika.com/projects/view/1486-residence-antilia
Same here guys, I need HQ photo's for my design.
Please PM me if anyone can get me one. It's rather urgent.
Thanks!

I love this chaotic tower. Only downside: the flat back of the tower. :)

what a nice looking tower! :D but its ridiculous that only three people live there :/

^^
May be if you apply for a servant job up there, you might end up living there. :)

Interesting design. It reminds me of what 56 Leonard in NYC might look like when it is completed.

Having seen babies laying next to dog turds and sheep head on the side walk not too far from this, my guess would be that there is more satisfaction in helping out some of your fellow countryman than it is to build something like that for yourself if you have that kind of money. To be honest I think this building is a disgrace to humanity. I don't know why Indian culture seems to tolerate these kind of extremes. Maybe its about time to toss that caste system out of the window.

^^absolutely agree. On one hand you have a genius self made Billionaire Bill Gates who has changed the very fabric and facet of how the world works for good - giving his entire wealth away to philanthropy and fighting diseases in 3rd world countries like India........then you have this freeloading feuding retard who inherited almost everything from his hardworking frugal father - reveling in ostentatious and disgusting display of wealth for the world to look and laugh at.

Having seen babies laying next to dog turds and sheep head on the side walk not too far from this, my guess would be that there is more satisfaction in helping out some of your fellow countryman than it is to build something like that for yourself if you have that kind of money. To be honest I think this building is a disgrace to humanity. I don't know why Indian culture seems to tolerate these kind of extremes. Maybe its about time to toss that caste system out of the window.


:applause::applause::applause:

What an amazing building! I love it. Great addition to Mumbai.

Jan, I am dissapointed to hear this from YOU....CYBORG/SIMFAN are trolls and waste of time to talk about however...you are the boss....humnnn


Why is this world living in a thought that INdia hasn't changed in last few years at all...its all stereotypes about INDIA>...caste system is fast diminishing......however, If you still wanna live in this ....you all are welcome to..enjoy...

I think India is a fascinating country which has a lot going for it, but don't expect me to be uncritically of the obscene social imbalance that this building represents just because it happens to be a tall building. To some this building might represent an Indian success story, but from my point of view Antilia is very much not what skyscrapers should be about.

There are a lot of buildings being built around the world (and posted on this forum), tall or not, which people find offensive depending on their religion/political ideology/worldview etc. etc. So perhaps we should discuss the building and reserve the philosophical discussion and outsiders' views snap judgments about Indian culture for places like the skybar.

This is not about Indian culture, it's most of all about the way this building represents an obscene part of it. This matters as Mumbai considers tall buildings to be a solution to a population issue. It seems to me that you are happy to ignore that and rather expect us to glorify it as in individual success or a structural marvel and as such also shines as an Indian success. But off course we also can pretend that to be snap judgment and discuss the sustainable merits of the building if you want.

Jan , My only point is ...It's his money...and moreover, this guy and his family have donated millions of Rs for social work....helps poor people ....have opened orphanages & Schools for under privileged ...He donates heavily in educational and medical research .....what else do we want from a guy....His company RELAINCE employes more than million .....there are other million of investors who have benefitted from reliance industries....

Even then I don't understand why do we want him to put his all money for people of the city or country....Govt too is there....It's his money...HE IS TAKING CARE OF HIS SOCIAL COMMITMENTS WELL......

Whats the matter if he spends his money for his living.....????? He has taken care of all his responsibility ....This CAN"T be termed as a VULGAR show of his WEALTH.......anyways...ehhhhh

I strongly believe that tall buildings can contribute to a more sustainable way of living based on the proximity of needs, not on wants. It's the excessive wants and vanity possessions that cause us to use far more resources than this planet can sustain in the long run. The fact that the bloke seems to be involved in social programs doesn't make his life style less obscene in this regard. The poverty which surrounds this projects just makes you more aware of that.

Is it really much different than entire countries in the developed world that wall themselves off from "immigrants" and consume far, far more resources than they need? Does it matter if the poverty is a few hundred meters away or a few thousand kilometers?

Atleast Mumbai doesn't wall itself off from the poorest corners of India, which is why you have people from those parts coming into the city in their thousands every single day, building shanties and earning a living. Funny how such an open heart ends up giving the city a bad name.

Charity is not a magic wand to cure poverty. People need to work hard to earn a living and generate wealth. This building is a symbol of the success that a poor family from rural India can achieve within a couple of generations and the strength of that message is worth much more than anything that socialist ideologues have to say.

^ as I see it, this family went from economically poor to sensibility poor. I can see one rather chooses to be poor of the latter, but that doesn't necessarily make the transition an overall success story.

Better to be the latter than the former.

There's nothing new about what's happening in India - the same thing went on in USA over a century ago. But then it's easy to be a socialist country when you've got plenty of wealth lying around to distribute evenly and there's no other country whose people live better lives than yours. Much more difficult for poor countries whose middle classes look up to Europe and USA as examples of how to live their lives.

Imagine if there was a country "X" whose citizens lived for an average of 150 years, never suffered from diseases and didn't have to work a single day of their lives. :lol: Would the people of Denmark (for example) be satisfied with their lives? I don't think so.

haha how tasteless.

It's hilarious... if the guy were to spend the same amount of cash building a huge mansion on a 400 acre plantation in the countryside -- the same thing ALL people of his wealth do EVERYWERE in the world -- no one would've batted an eyelash.

The fact he chose to encourage the needed verticalization of Mumbai and follow through on his commitment to urbanization is..... somehow bad?


I thought this was skyscrapercity, not Chateaucity.
What a bunch of hypocrites.


Anyway:
for all those who say i never put up any pics :tongue3:

cc - myself

scroll --->

http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/3793/panosmall.jpg

http://img248.imageshack.us/img248/7416/dsc9828k.jpg

BTW, a lot of people are forgetting that the building structure itself has just been completed. The currently-bare sides of the building will be covered in a 'vertical wall' of plant growth:

http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/2342/15717938iu4.jpg

Should look a lot better once the vines or whatever take root

It's hilarious... if the guy were to spend the same amount of cash building a huge mansion on a 400 acre plantation in the countryside -- the same thing ALL people of his wealth do EVERYWERE in the world -- no one would've batted an eyelash.

The fact he chose to encourage the needed verticalization of Mumbai and follow through on his commitment to urbanization is..... somehow bad?


I thought this was skyscrapercity, not Chateaucity.
What a bunch of hypocrites.

Completely agree, the absolute height of hypocrisy. :lol:

Is it really much different than entire countries in the developed world that wall themselves off from "immigrants" and consume far, far more resources than they need? Does it matter if the poverty is a few hundred meters away or a few thousand kilometers?

At least Mumbai doesn't wall itself off from the poorest corners of India, which is why you have people from those parts coming into the city in their thousands every single day, building shanties and earning a living. Funny how such an open heart ends up giving the city a bad name.

Charity is not a magic wand to cure poverty. People need to work hard to earn a living and generate wealth. This building is a symbol of the success that a poor family from rural India can achieve within a couple of generations and the strength of that message is worth much more than anything that socialist ideologues have to say.

Brilliant ratiocination MM - Some critics consider their "holier than thou" sensibility as a gold standard or ultimate prescription for the developing world. If the "first world citizens" care so much for the poor why do they throw Mexicans out by the droves? After all their 1000+ acre Ranches, Oil wells and haciendas can support hundreds of thousands. And why on earth do they sue generic drug makers from Asia who supply life saving drugs for HIV in Africa.

One of the coolest skyscraper.

I think there are many myths about this building, but part of the blame goes to the Ambanis who have been secretive about the project probably because of security concerns and privacy.

Is the building really 173 m or is it 150 m?

Who will actually stay in this building? Just 5 people? Or hundreds more?

Will this be a residential building with facilities for private entertainment or will it have semi commercial usage and guest house facilities?

There is a lot of unknowns. Hence all kinds of speculation.

Not a green expert although now a days everybody is green (I like green shirts too). So cannot comment on sustainibility of the skyscraper based on several unknown facts. 99.9% of the journalists who are writing about the project may not know the details. A huge chunk may not know where Mumbai is on the map and Malabar Hills is as good as next to Dharavi for them (thank god for wikimapia for coming to our rescue) - no wonder many an aspiring journalist can confidently spy massive slum views as far as the eye goes from this skyscraper even without setting foot in the building.

Coming to the caste system (Is the UN an example of caste system with its five Brahmins?), and Indian culture (it's too diverse) - there is very little link to those things in this skyscraper. Indian culture has Gopurams and Minarets - but skyscrapers in their modern form are a western cultural import (and not necessarily a bad one). It's just like jeans. In India we just add a Kurta on top to make it look ethnic and not necessarily a polo. So the architects added some vastu - feng shui mumbo jumbo (sorry not wanting to insult anyone) to add the ethnic / mysterious value. Don't many of us love "gated" communities or pricey police force or "secured" high tech homes that keep out "unwanted" folks? So why this rolling of eyes about the "system".

Mr Mukesh Ambani is no angel. But that doesn't necessarily mean that he is the devil incarnate just because he built a luxury pad for himself. Why does he have to feel guilty for the poor folks? When I buy a car on a loan (because I cannot afford to buy in one shot) do I have to feel guilty about the world's hungry? Maybe it is selfishness. But it is nobody's business what car I drive (as long as I make my monthly payments) and nobody has the right to question my charity instincts.

It's not like Mr M Ambani is unfamiliar with skyscrapers. He already lives in one (surprise for those who didn't know this). He is just moving to this new one and his younger brother can keep the older one all to himself. Maybe the Ambanis are secret admirers of this website (you never know). So should we put them in the gaol for dreaming to build a skyscraper instead of us mortals who only dream of skyscrapers we can never build or own? I don't think as fans of skyscrapers (sustainabilty apart) we should be that critical.

At least for a change, Mr Ambani, unlike many other billionaires, is building a nice home for himself in India and not in some far away island or stashing it all in Swiss banks. So critics should be happy that at least some money has been invested here rather than in foreign shores.

Does this building represent a vulgar display of wealth? Just 16 hours away on a non stop flight is a city whose display of wealth is a symbol of global disparity. And why 16? Just fly for 4 hours and you will have another example. So should they start feeling guilty about global disparity and stop building skyscrapers? Should Mr Ambani start feeling guilty about Indian disparity and not buy a couple of planes? Should many of the foreign players in the cricket team owned by him stop playing as they earn thousands of times more than the average Indian? Should people stop staying in luxury hotels in India because most people cannot afford them? It's not an easy question. We should leave that to a person's conscience and not preach about it.

Does this building represent a growing disparity between rich and poor in India. That's what many "experts" have been claiming. As the only non expert in this world, I would say that is BS. Before they stashed away the cash in mattresses, in basements, within double walls and lockers or in Zurich (if you could manage to wear a suit). Now the rich are spending more openly in India. It's a good thing. They are also slowly opening up their purses for charitable work ("Indians spent about $7.5 billion on charity in 2009, according to a March report by Boston, Massachusetts-based business consulting firm Bain & Co. That compares with $300 billion contributed by the U.S. in the period".)

Will this tower make poor people jealous and revolt against this tower? Nobody revolted against the Taj Mahal (quite an expensive masoleum). Not sure if the Pyramids evoked awe or revolt. Nobody will revolt against this tower either. There will be the desi chatterati class and the media snobs (desi or videshi) and the variety of "experts" who will dissect a thousand mutinies in their articles. But then they will move on to something else. And we here will move on too - to the next skyscraper built by the next billionaire (It could be any one of us in this forum. Right?)

It's hilarious... if the guy were to spend the same amount of cash building a huge mansion on a 400 acre plantation in the countryside -- the same thing ALL people of his wealth do EVERYWERE in the world -- no one would've batted an eyelash.


Amen.

I think there are many myths about this building, but part of the blame goes to the Ambanis who have been secretive about the project probably because of security concerns and privacy.

Is the building really 173 m or is it 150 m?

Who will actually stay in this building? Just 5 people? Or hundreds more?

Will this be a residential building with facilities for private entertainment or will it have semi commercial usage and guest house facilities?

There is a lot of unknowns. Hence all kinds of speculation.

Not a green expert although now a days everybody is green (I like green shirts too). So cannot comment on sustainibility of the skyscraper based on several unknown facts. 99.9% of the journalists who are writing about the project may not know the details. A huge chunk may not know where Mumbai is on the map and Malabar Hills is as good as next to Dharavi for them (thank god for wikimapia for coming to our rescue) - no wonder many an aspiring journalist can confidently spy massive slum views as far as the eye goes from this skyscraper even without setting foot in the building..................
Too good. What a rationale!

Having seen babies laying next to dog turds and sheep head on the side walk not too far from this, my guess would be that there is more satisfaction in helping out some of your fellow countryman than it is to build something like that for yourself if you have that kind of money. To be honest I think this building is a disgrace to humanity. I don't know why Indian culture seems to tolerate these kind of extremes. Maybe its about time to toss that caste system out of the window.

+1, what i would like to know was how badly the construction workers were payed.
also what is this obsession with secrecy? terrible looking building btw

for the record

Mukesh Ambani did not just inherit his fathers wealth. He started to run big chunks of the company from when they were Vimal textiles. Right out of UDICITY (chemical college). He along with Dhirubhai made Reliance what it is today.



and as far as the caste system goes. The Ambani's are OBCs. Or other backward class. His accent to the top represents the decline of the caste system as the time has flown by. The the global Indian elite were dominated by Marwadis and Parsi people, this OBC man's father broke every barrier and monopoly to ensure india had a free climate.

So i recommend to Jan that he read in detail on

(a) What Ambani's are

(b) what the caste system is.



The bottomline is that Ambani has earnt his money in a legit way. So he is free to do what he pleases with that.


the reason Ambani's wealth has been soaring is cause western mutual funds and foreign funds keep pouring funds into his companies and buying his stocks at inflated prices.

Not the fault of the indian government that people chose to invest in the Indian stock markets. The west cares so much about poverty, maybe they should stop subsidising their farmers and open the agricultural sector up.

Now that would really lift millions out of poverty.

I highly doubt that there are babies lying next to dog turds and sheep heads on Altamount Road and its vicinity. Especially the sheep heads.
+1, what i would like to know was how badly the construction workers were payed.
also what is this obsession with secrecy? terrible looking building btw
What secrecy? :rofl:

I think you're on the wrong thread. :lol:

Oh, and for those referring to the caste system, Mukesh Amabani isn't even from a high caste (if I recall correctly).

Get_Smart, Thanks. Appreciate your feedback. Just visit the Detroit downtown to see some people standing on each and every traffic light holding cardboards that read "Homeless and Hungry. Please Help" (even in cold) besides some good looking buildings or how about a guy "getting excited" in public in Chicago downtown on Michigan Avenue. At least you won't be afraid to be robbed at a gunpoint at night in Mumbai nor you would come across the above scenario.

^^
That's true. Mumbai is overall a pretty safe city. Even in the poorest areas I wouldn't feel uncomfortable venturing there at night.

I highly doubt that there are babies lying next to dog turds and sheep heads on Altamount Road and its vicinity. Especially the sheep heads.

What secrecy? :rofl:

I think you're on the wrong thread. :lol:

Oh, and for those referring to the caste system, Mukesh Amabani isn't even from a high caste (if I recall correctly).

dude he is an OBC from what i just said in my post above.

Its become like a mantra of people who dont know jack in detail about indian to use some half based truths to come out with balony.

The fact of the matter is that most of the chief ministers from Narendra Modi to Mayawati to Shivraj Chauhan are from the lower castes.

the west simply overlooks those facts or just cant be bothered to research about them.



Let Ambani build what he wants. Cause the bottomline is that its the people in the west who are lining up to fund his company. Dont think he cares one bit what the "socially conscious" in the west think, cause those with the power and money in the west sure as hell dont care what he does.

^^
Exactly.

Yes, it's true the caste system is a problem in India but people are bringing it in to pretty much every subject related to India whether it has any relevance to that topic or not.

^^
Exactly.

Yes, it's true the caste system is a problem in India but people are bringing it in to pretty much every subject related to India whether it has any relevance to that topic or not.

Let them dude....these guys need something to fillin their useless life...We as indians know how well we are progressing ..if these guys still believe that India is land of snake charmers or caste system still prevails ..let them...I bloody care about it

Having seen babies laying next to dog turds and sheep head on the side walk not too far from this, my guess would be that there is more satisfaction in helping out some of your fellow countryman than it is to build something like that for yourself if you have that kind of money. To be honest I think this building is a disgrace to humanity. I don't know why Indian culture seems to tolerate these kind of extremes. Maybe its about time to toss that caste system out of the window.

When I see Westerners talking about the caste system based on their "knowledge" from a few documentaries, it smacks of ignorance and arrogance. This man Mukesh Ambani, is in fact from a so-called 'backward caste'. Instead of just treating the problem like a gap between rich and poor that needs to be fixed, just like in several other developing countries, why bring in nonsense about 'caste system' and all that? And when I hear this patronizing tone of 'its time to toss it out of the window', I wonder if these people even know about India's 'affirmative action' program and the anti-discrimination laws.

And to all those who are questioning this man for building this, I'll repost something I posted a few weeks back:

Again: this guy's industries provide employment to tens of thousands of Indians, and indirect employment to millions. Why don't the keyboard warriors who are sooo concerned about slum-dwellers, do something like this: next time, instead of buying a sedan buy a small car,and donate the difference to some good cause. Instead of buying that 32 inch LCD, make do with a TV tuner card in your PC and give the difference to some good cause. Any good cause anywhere in the world.

But no, you won't do that. You will continue to live your selfish lives and satisfy your desires to the maximum possible limit that your resources allow you to. Yet you will continue pontificating about a man who has done more for humanity that you ever will be able to.

But what has caste system got to do with this building???

God knows...

its for the lulz

Having seen babies laying next to dog turds and sheep head on the side walk not too far from this, my guess would be that there is more satisfaction in helping out some of your fellow countryman than it is to build something like that for yourself if you have that kind of money. To be honest I think this building is a disgrace to humanity. I don't know why Indian culture seems to tolerate these kind of extremes. Maybe its about time to toss that caste system out of the window.


First of all, how do you know that he has not done anything to help the poor in India? his company has done a lot of charity work in India. He has contributed to nation building and directly employs 25,000 people. Also, it his his money and he can build whatever he wants unless he is not hurting anyone.

And please don't give us a lecture on extremes. India has lesser income disparity than China and USA. ever heard of gini coefficient? educate yourself a little bit about this before you preach us about income disparity. go have a look at this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gini_coefficient

And what do you know about the caste system sir? Do you know that India has the highest percentage of seats reserved in govt institutions and house of parliament under affirmative action for so called lower caste and poorer sections? but you will not know these because you have very limited knowledge of our culture and political system.

So don't come here and preach us about your Utopian system and society. I'm pretty sure your society is not perfect either.

Stunning.

^^
That's true. Mumbai is overall a pretty safe city. Even in the poorest areas I wouldn't feel uncomfortable venturing there at night.

I find this very hard to believe, for several reasons.

I find this very hard to believe, for several reasons.

You don't need. to.

We know this because we live here? Guess thats credible enough.

You don't need. to.

We know this because we live here? Guess thats credible enough.

I highly doubt that Mumbai is safer than Boston... either that, or you guys are just stupid enough to walk through those "certain" parts.

leaving all the indian society criticism aside: that's one sexy tower (imo).

I find this very hard to believe, for several reasons.

Believe it or not, it's true. The poorest slums are quite safe, and generally not gun-crime ridden.

I highly doubt that Mumbai is safer than Boston... either that, or you guys are just stupid enough to walk through those "certain" parts.

dude the city is soo densely populated that there are people wherever you look.


how the hell for eg are you gonna rape somebody when there are people really close by?

Its not cause mumbaikars are somehow really virtuous people thats far from it. But the sheer density of the city means that there are always people on the street etc.

I myself have walked through the poor parts at 4am in the night and nothing happened. Thats cause the road was still populated with a lot of people. It was not deserted like many cities at night.


Now there might be pickpockets and other stuff of theft. Like car jacking etc. But physical violence is limited.

another reason being that the cost of a gun compared to income is very high. So lol most people dont carry guns. :lol:

First of all, how do you know that he has not done anything to help the poor in India? his company has done a lot of charity work in India. He has contributed to nation building and directly employs 25,000 people. Also, it his his money and he can build whatever he wants unless he is not hurting anyone.

???????? you missed 1 zero dude and then forgot to multiply the result with 2 :cheers:

I highly doubt that Mumbai is safer than Boston... either that, or you guys are just stupid enough to walk through those "certain" parts.

You find it so hard to believe because you have pre-conceived stereotypes. You ought to visit Mumbai and find out the ground reality for yourself. Mumbai is certainly much safer than most American cities in terms of violent crime. There are other cities in India which are not that safe, such as Delhi, but for its size and population, Mumbai is among the safest cities in that category as far as violent crime is concerned.

I actually lost all respect for Jan after that comment.

You find it so hard to believe because you have pre-conceived stereotypes. You ought to visit Mumbai and find out the ground reality for yourself. Mumbai is certainly much safer than most American cities in terms of violent crime. There are other cities in India which are not that safe, such as Delhi, but for its size and population, Mumbai is among the safest cities in that category as far as violent crime is concerned.

Delhi is unsafe wow.....really?????

Delhi is unsafe wow.....really?????

depends on the time and area..

depends on the time and area..

Humnn......

Delhi is unsafe wow.....really?????

On a comparative basis among comparable Indian cities, of similar size, significance, population, etc. - yes. The crime statistics do point to that. That doesn't take away Delhi's many other positives, but this crime rate thing is among Delhi's weak points.

On a comparative basis among comparable Indian cities, of similar size, significance, population, etc. - yes. The crime statistics do point to that. That doesn't take away Delhi's many other positives, but this crime rate thing is among Delhi's weak points.

No seriously....Its crime in Noida & Ghaziabad which somehow puts delhi in bad picture as it comes under NCR...Main Delhi city is not unsafe even late nights....I see 100's of girls partying hard @ 2am ....and for that matter anybody....It's just media who takes blows issue out of proportions ....Well anyways outsiders coming to delhi find it safe and themselves say what they here in media is soo untrue....ehhh...anyways back on the topic...

I have few pics of this scraper which I took when I last visited Mumbai will post soon...

Now there might be pickpockets and other stuff of theft. Like car jacking etc. But physical violence is limited.

another reason being that the cost of a gun compared to income is very high. So lol most people dont carry guns. :lol:

Pickpocketing and robbery are pretty damn close in my book. I'd consider it more of a robbery than a larceny, mainly because there is contact. The income effect on something used to carry out a crime, ie, a gun, have little to do with the frequency of the crime. The amount of murder, for an example, won't change at all given a good economy versus a bad one.


You find it so hard to believe because you have pre-conceived stereotypes. You ought to visit Mumbai and find out the ground reality for yourself. Mumbai is certainly much safer than most American cities in terms of violent crime. There are other cities in India which are not that safe, such as Delhi, but for its size and population, Mumbai is among the safest cities in that category as far as violent crime is concerned.

Most US cities are pretty damn safe. Boston is one of the top, for an example, and yet I wouldn't walk around Roxbury late at night. It's not that there is a high chance of me getting robbed, but the sheer value of what could potentially be lost in a robbery. Like you said before, people have less money over there, thus less potential losses/gains from a robbery. On a contrast, if I was simply running through in my pocketless running shorts, I wouldn't care as much, as a robbery would result in nothing for both parties.

Another thing that you have to factor in over there is the crime rate versus the actual amount of crimes committed. If people lose something of lesser value or something that they can't track (like a bike or iPod that can't versus a cellphone or credit card that can), people are FAR less likely to steal it. I'm not sure about how it is over there, but if I remember it correctly more than half of all larcenies and robberies go unreported because it simply isn't worth the time to do so. If what you said is true about incomes over there, people are more likely to have lesser valued goods that get stolen and simply aren't worth reporting because there is little to no chance in getting them back.

Having people on the street 24/7 is also a marginal reason to cite less crime, but going into detail over that would take far too long.

You find it so hard to believe because you have pre-conceived stereotypes. You ought to visit Mumbai and find out the ground reality for yourself. Mumbai is certainly much safer than most American cities in terms of violent crime. There are other cities in India which are not that safe, such as Delhi, but for its size and population, Mumbai is among the safest cities in that category as far as violent crime is concerned.

+1000. Mumbai is safer than ALL American cities.

it`s even safer than german cities :cheers:

I'm from Detroit.

Trust me, Mumbai is one of the safest big cities I've ever been to. And I've been to a many

I'm from Detroit.



Really? So am I.

I'm from Detroit.

Trust me, Mumbai is one of the safest big cities I've ever been to. And I've been to a many

I'm well aware of Detriot. We actually make fun of it in my criminology classes for being such a bad city crime wise.

wow! who knew a criminology class would make fun of its subject matter?

I wonder if in your university they make fun of blacks in African American History class?

wow! who knew a criminology class would make fun of its subject matter?

I wonder if in your university they make fun of blacks in African American History class?

Not at all. During one class when we were talking about crime demographics and crime variations by region. The mid-west just happens to have the highest crime rate in the country (with the north-east having the lowest). Our professor asked why that might be and one of the students screamed out "Detroit!". It was pretty humorous, and we have used Detroit as the model slum city since.

I've lived in India for 20 years. I was never attacked or had to face any kind of criminals. But in less than 7 years of my stay in Germany I've been attacked many times. Once even with a knife. All of these attacks were unprovoked and in unexpected places, like at a bus station in the centre of the city where there are a lot of people and during the day.

maybe because you are an indian in a mostly white country, maybe the same happens to white people in mumbai?
this building prove exactly that mr mabani fears so much for his life in mumbai that he had to build this fortress to protects himself and his family.
in milan you can see wives and daughters of billionaires (in euro) strolling around in bicycles all by themselves with no bodyguard.
guess you can not tell the same about mumbai, statistics or not.
anyway this single family skyscraper it's not my cup of tea.
this is not a "home", it's a subsidiary seat of the reliance business conglomerate. just to say "hey can you see how much I am rich?"
the last floor only probably is the home.

maybe because you are an indian in a mostly white country, maybe the same happens to white people in mumbai?
this building prove exactly that mr mabani fears so much for his life in mumbai that he had to build this fortress to protects himself and his family.
in milan you can see wives and daughters of billionaires (in euro) strolling around in bicycles all by themselves with no bodyguard.
guess you can not tell the same about mumbai, statistics or not.
anyway this single family skyscraper it's not my cup of tea.
this is not a "home", it's a subsidiary seat of the reliance business conglomerate. just to say "hey can you see how much I am rich?"
the last floor only probably is the home.

and if I tell you they do you can verify this how? Infact how can i verify your claim that billionaires wives and daughters roaming around in cycles with no bodyguard? Maybe the bodyguards are in plain clothes and just hidden.?


If you bother to go through this thread, you will realise that he needed a big car park and an office for himself and his staff.

Reliance Industries is india's largest company. This is not only his home but a huge office space where he meets with his executives and rest of his staff.He only occupies a few floors.

So its dual use in reality. Not fully residential.


PS his brother is building one which is said to be even better....

maybe because you are an indian in a mostly white country, maybe the same happens to white people in mumbai?
this building prove exactly that mr mabani fears so much for his life in mumbai that he had to build this fortress to protects himself and his family.
in milan you can see wives and daughters of billionaires (in euro) strolling around in bicycles all by themselves with no bodyguard.
guess you can not tell the same about mumbai, statistics or not.
anyway this single family skyscraper it's not my cup of tea.
this is not a "home", it's a subsidiary seat of the reliance business conglomerate. just to say "hey can you see how much I am rich?"
the last floor only probably is the home.

Hmmm. First of all his name is not Mabani. Its Ambani. Anyways, let me tell you one thing that Mr. Ambani doesn't have to show to the world that how reach he is. Whole world knows how reach he is so just relax. I think what ever you said is out of seer jealousy. You can't digest that an Indian can built most expensive house (building) in the world. Just accept the reality pal.

thanks guys, you both confirmed exactly what I said (although correcting me for ambani seems a bit childish its a typo, can't u see?).

plus, dear ssusa, why do you read any bitterness in my post. I am relaxed way more than you ever might be!
bitterness is in the eye of the beholder and, let me say, its typical of (former) third world contry members to have the need to say "hey look what we have reached".
in any case wait until the welfare in india will reach the european standards and then, my friend, see where all your accumulated wealth will go.
I am just so happy that a big democracy like india is growing. really and also hope that it will outrun china, for what is worth. I still think that this is a fortress for a man that feel secluded in it and put a big distance from the people.
yet as a skyscraper i like its form.

thanks guys, you both confirmed exactly what I said (although correcting me for ambani seems a bit childish its a typo, can't u see?).

plus, dear ssusa, why do you read any bitterness in my post. I am relaxed way more than you ever might be!
bitterness is in the eye of the beholder and, let me say, its typical of (former) third world contry members to have the need to say "hey look what we have reached".
in any case wait until the welfare in india will reach the european standards and then, my friend, see where all your accumulated wealth will go.
I am just so happy that a big democracy like india is growing. really and also hope that it will outrun china, for what is worth. I still think that this is a fortress for a man that feel secluded in it and put a big distance from the people.
yet as a skyscraper i like its form.

^^

Well said.

I absolutely agree that often developing country ppl. go on the defensive w/o reason often. Comes across quite rude, however, India is quite young, bombastic and rip-&-roar kinda place. :banana:

I've let this monster bldg. grow on me, yet technically speaking, it showcases merit. Mumbani's wealth is a factor of the stock exchange, the Indian eco. boom, his personal hard work and inheritance. I personally admire Mukesh bhai for his project execution acumen. I believe his real genius is in his lazer focus on how to concentrate mega politics, economics, finance, pr ... everything, to operationalise his chemical engg. projects be it the refineries, pipeline or retail biz.

In Mumbai, achievers are allowed their just rewards, so be it with Antilla. Ambition is universal in India; slums & poverty in India do not equate to despair and hopelessness, mostly seen as a passing phase, just a matter of time, the place was under the Iron Curtain for most of it's modern post-colonial era.

Things changing, often top-down.

Peace out y'all!

its typical of (former) third world contry members to have the need to say "hey look what we have reached".
More like countries, which have been under poverty and ignorance for millenia got rich for like one and a half centuries now feeling threatened by the reemergence of the former rich countries.

its gourges

Real big, hi-res pic

Dec 5
Copyright Siddarth Bhandary
http://img64.imageshack.us/img64/6366/52488862728bd426c7aao.jpg
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photograhs by Yv from Holland forum .

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SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE has ruined the city's image...Mumbai is safest even in the slums ...there is not such thing like bonded beggary or eye popping of children....neither the city is crime ridden...last time when some1 was raped here or killed on street is unknown by me!
While Delhi is like the crime capital...

oh my god, why did you bump this thread. Now new wave of people say the building is ugly, Indians shouldn't spend money on themselves but instead give it to the poor, the tower was built in a slum :|