# EXTREME ENGINEERING - Which do you want built?



## TallBox (Sep 21, 2002)

Perhaps you've been following the 'Extreme Engineering' and 'Engineering The Impossible' TV series on Discovery Channel.

They research and present the engineering projects of the future... from skyscrapers to massive bridges.

Which do you want built?



*Tokyo's Sky City*

It would house 35,000 residents and host 100,000 daily workers, students and visitors. This space-age 1000m tall city in the sky might seem like science fiction, but it answers some questions about where humans might live as our most crowded cities become even more densely populated. 



*Bridge over the Bering Strait*

For the first time since the ice age, there could be a bridge across the Bering Strait linking Asia and North America. First, engineers must learn to deal with 55 miles of violent seas and crushing ice over the Arctic Ocean.












*Transatlantic Tunnel*

So, if you could take the train from New York and in less than an hour reach London, would you do it? What if you had to make the journey through a tunnel 150 feet under the Atlantic? And on a magnetically levitated train traveling at 5,000 mph in a vacuum chamber? 



*City in a Pyramid*

Imagine a self-sustaining pyramid-shaped city 12 times taller than the Pyramids in the air. And imagine that it is built on water by robots and with little help from human workers with 750000 inhabitants. 



*Millenium Tower*

Imagine a skyscraper almost twice the size of the Empire State Building. This colossus would be a city within a city, hosting its own hospitals, schools, and a range of entertainment and retail options large enough to attract and keep the traffic necessary for the financial success of such an endeavor. 

Stats:
Height: 2,755 feet, 170 stories
Resident Population: 52,000
Elevator Traffic: 100,000 people per day
Location: Hong Kong Harbor
Closest Living Relative: Petronas Towers, Kuala Lampur (1,483 feet, 88 stories)
Construction Duration: Approximately 10 years
Cost: $10 billion 












*Gibraltar Bridge*

A bridge spanning 9 miles over the Straits of Gibraltar at the entryway to the Mediterranean would be the longest and tallest ever built. It would connect cultures of Christianity and Islam and potentially increase ties between the economies of Europe and Africa. 

Stats:
Location: Strait of Gibraltar. Links Spain and Morocco.
Length: 9 miles, Two spans of 4 1/2 miles each
Height: Each tower is 3,000 feet tall. Twice as high as the world's tallest skyscraper.
Width: 5 traffic lanes, 2 breakdown lanes in each direction
Road Deck Material: Fiberglass
Length of Wire Cables: 1,000,000 miles (Enough to circle the Earth almost 30 times)
Closest living relative: Akashi bridge in Japan, world's longest suspension bridge at 12,828 feet.
Cost: $15 billion
Dangers: Wind speeds of 80 mph at tops of towers, ship collision, ocean currents, traffic, Sahara Desert dust storms 










Gibraltar Bridge if placed on New York City..










*Freedom Ship*

Freedom Ship's designers originally planned to create an island community to provide Hong Kong-based businesses a place to relocate if the handover of that city to China were to make life difficult for them. When they applied the same model to a moving sea platform, they ended up with what would be the largest ocean-going vessel ever constructed — the minimum requirement for a city at sea. 

Stats:
Length: Approximately 1 mile
Width: 3 city blocks (4,320 feet) Height: 25 stories
Weight: 3 million tons
Volume: Titanic, Queen Mary, USS Nimitz and super-tanker Jahre Viking would all fit comfortably inside. Population: 50,000 residents, 15,000 workers, 20,000 visitors/day
Construction: Hull composed of 600 120'x100' steel cells bolted together.
Location: Circles globe every two years
Closest Living Relative: Japan's Megafloat Airport, Tokyo Bay (1km long, 70 meters wide, 20 meters depth) (Series of interlocking pressurized steel boxes)
Power: 100 electric podded propulsers at 3500 horsepower each.
Cost: $9 billion


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## Homer J. Simpson (Dec 2, 2003)

Trans-Atlantic Tunnel!

Anything that could help me get from N. America to Europe faster is best IMO.


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## edsg25 (Jul 30, 2004)

has anyone ever thought of this one (if they have, i've never heard of it although i do remember robt. moses's plan for a lower manhattan expy):

an under water and under land tunnel

• starts in either Brooklyn or Queens at the edge of the East River as a tunnel

• goes under the East River, Manhattan (with no entrance/exit) 
and emerges on the New Jersey shore

forever ending the necessity of going through Manhattan to get to NJ.


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## edsg25 (Jul 30, 2004)

how about a very long wall across the northern portion of china?


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## AcesHigh (Feb 20, 2003)

That Freedom Ship is the size of an Imperial Star Destroyer (1600 meters!). But between Freedom Ship and an Imperial Star Destroyer, I would preffer the later.

The pyramid building talked above is the Try-2004 right? (2004 meters high!)


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## odegaard (Jul 27, 2004)

the transatlantic tunnel seems like a "pie in the sky" dream that's not going to happen within this century.

I voted for the bridge over the bering strait. At the rate China is going it will probably (assuming nothing catastrophic happens) become the world's second largest economy. If the Japan - Korea brdige can be built then the 3 largest economy's of the world can be linked together....so it makes practical sense.


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## odegaard (Jul 27, 2004)

edsg25 said:


> has anyone ever thought of this one (if they have, i've never heard of it although i do remember robt. moses's plan for a lower manhattan expy):
> 
> an under water and under land tunnel
> 
> ...


hmm a faster way to get to NJ? 

here's my question why would anyone want to go to NJ in the first place? :rofl:


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## NapHsu4922 (Jul 1, 2004)

I thought i heard that the Freedom Ship was planned to be built, isnt it?


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## TallBox (Sep 21, 2002)

As far as I know it's still on the drawing board.

I don't know if anyone is seriously considering building it..


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## stanford (Sep 14, 2002)

transatlantic tunnel.. that would be so cool


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## cicarra (May 29, 2004)

Yes! Pyramid, definitely the pyramid! It'll be SO cool to have a humongous structure in the middle of Atlantic Ocean or Pacific Ocean and it'll make a perfect summer resort. It's almost like something from Attack of the Clones, or Alien vs. Predator. Just imagine if that gets built(maybe by Hawaiian government?), I would die to just see it and take few pictures!


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## 1822 (Nov 9, 2002)

sky city would be most magnificent


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## Imperial (Aug 22, 2004)

Transatlantic Tunnel, oh my god this is crazy idea but very ambitious,
I will to look on this investment


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## hella good (Jun 17, 2004)

The Transatlantic Tunnel Would Be The Best!


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## TallBox (Sep 21, 2002)

hmm.... i didnt think so many people would favour that.... 

it would be pretty cool but no one could SEE it... unlike a mile-high scraper, or a 15 mile long bridge. i thought, as all with some interest in architecture, we'd all be interested in seeing it.

i choose freedom ship. it'd be amazing to see. a kilometer-long ship.... wow.


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## empersouf (Mar 19, 2004)

Can't choose, but the best one for my country is the bridge over the street of Gibraltar, so I pick the gibraltar bridge.


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## Ellatur (Apr 7, 2004)

transatlantic tunnel. so i can visit europe without ever having to take a plane


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## Matthieu (Mar 7, 2004)

I would feel better in a plane than the atlantic tunnel.

Not the gibraltar bridge, I think they are palning on a tunnel rather. The Bering bridge looks fun.

But not very usefull.


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## Imperfect Ending (Apr 7, 2003)

Freedom Ship


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## vid (May 29, 2004)

SKY CITY! After that, millenium tower, than Gibraltar.


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## Nick (Sep 13, 2002)

That would be awesome.


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## AcesHigh (Feb 20, 2003)

I would like that we could build a DEATH STAR!! Bush would fire it at Iraq not knowing it would destroy the whole Earth!!


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## 3tmk (Nov 23, 2002)

Bridge over the Bering Strait for me!
although the most avantageous to me would be the transatlantic tunnel, from NYC to europe, I would love to see a bridge over the Bering Strait. The Gibraltar seems awesome, but it's nothing when compared to driving over the Bering Strait. Imagine the road trip!
and they've started a new season of Extreme engineering, I haven't been able to watch it, but I've caught pieces of the Turning Torso episode


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## kiretoce (May 26, 2004)

The Gibraltar Bridge. It's the most attainable goal with today's technology. The others might just be somebody elses illusions of grandeur.


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## dcb11 (May 25, 2003)

I think the Millenium Tower is easily the most attainable of these projects. 

clive, I disagree that cities are not overcrowded. Maybe Tokyo isn't overcrowded to you, but cities like Dhaka and Lagos are severely overcrowded.


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## Monkey (Oct 1, 2002)

*Space Elevator*

How's _this_ for "extreme engineering" ... ?



*Space elevator*

A space elevator, also known as a space bridge, is in a class of spacecraft propulsion technology concepts that are aimed at improving access to space. A space elevator connects a planet's surface with space via a cable. It is also called a *geosynchronous orbital tether* or a *beanstalk* (in reference to the fairy tale Jack and the Beanstalk). It is one kind of skyhook.

A space elevator on Earth could permit sending objects and astronauts to space at costs only a fraction of those associated with current means. Constructing one would, however, be a vast project, and the elevator would have to be built of a material that could endure tremendous stress while also being light-weight, cost-effective, and manufactureable. A considerable number of other novel engineering problems would also have to be solved to make a space elevator practical. Today's technology does not meet these requirements. However, optimists say that we could develop the necessary technology by 2008 [1] (http://liftport.com/research2.php) and finish building the first space elevator by 2018.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_elevator


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## TallBox (Sep 21, 2002)

excellent graphic wjfox!


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## zergcerebrates (Jan 23, 2004)

Building the Freedom ship is a waste of steel. What if that ship sinks, I don't think anybody would wanna raise it back up or retrieve the steels underwater.


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## bs_lover_boy (Apr 16, 2004)

I seriously want to see the Millenium Tower to be completed for a few reasons:

1. This project is very possible and it could start with the technology that we have today.

2. This project's cost is quite efficient because it provides a population of 10,000 people and with those people paying fees, the developer will be able to earn some profit.

3. This tower is hoped and visioned by many people, so building it would be a dream come true for many people.


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## Schroedinger's Cat (Oct 8, 2003)

Transatlantic Tunnel !


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## Dubai-Lover (Jul 4, 2004)

all of these projects seem to be reasonable, excpet this freedom ship! you gotta build a new harbor for this one and you can't go through thin straits!

the gibraltar bridge and the transatlantic tunnel would both make sense for our international infrastructure! it just needs dozens of years! am not sure though if a bridge between southern spain and africa will ever pay off???

sky city is a bit ahead of time and people living in the sky wouldn't solve any problems at all!

i'd say it's a difficult question, but the transatlantic tunnel would make much sense! no pollution and much faster than plane!


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## searching (Sep 10, 2004)

I don't think so. It will be disastrous if any terrorists take bombs into the transatlantic tunnel. Maybe anything above mentioned seems having the possibility to be the aims of terrorists. 
Oh, I am a little negative!
hope all the designs can come true !


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## Dubai-Lover (Jul 4, 2004)

but you can't live in fear only! there are so many places and things already built that could be attacked


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## mk61 (Aug 16, 2004)

Dubai-Lover said:


> the gibraltar bridge and the transatlantic tunnel would both make sense for our international infrastructure! it just needs dozens of years! am not sure though if a bridge between southern spain and africa will ever pay off???


It would, in spades. The benefits to tourism alone would be massive - its a bridge between two continents, not just spain and morocco, or wherever...


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## Dubai-Lover (Jul 4, 2004)

just wondering if there really will be many people using this bridge?
do you know which cities it will connect?


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## ShayPlan (Jun 17, 2004)

The transatlantic tunnel? Where is the plans for this monster?


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## Trances (May 19, 2003)

Dubai-Lover said:


> just wondering if there really will be many people using this bridge?
> do you know which cities it will connect?


 same question
i like the Space elevator as current means of space travel are so dated and limited check out http://www.liftport.com/


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## skyperu34 (May 25, 2003)

Gibraltar bridge is really huge, and the project i wanna see built is Tokyo Millenium tower; its altitude is easier to reach nowadays.......!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Machiavelli (Sep 23, 2004)

Guyz, I think there is an on going project for a Gibraltar Tunnel 
not a bridge.

After all tunnels of similar climax, have already been Constructed
My favorite: Hokkaido-Sapporo (Seikan) 
(This is extreme engineering!)

54Km
plus 90km emergency and auxiliary galleries
:eek2:


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## Fragmentor (Mar 9, 2004)

I think the trans-atlantic Tunnel would be pretty amazing


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## Puto (Jan 4, 2004)

I choose the Transatlantic channel.. it would a really extreme challenge..


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## Guest (Sep 26, 2004)

I picked the tunnel too. I dont particularly care for flying, so that sounds cool...but I think I'd probably dislike riding in there too...unless it was completely safe with absolutely NO chance of disaster.


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## Xeni-2 (Jan 20, 2004)

I voted Transatlantic Tunnel too. But I like the idea " a city in a pyramid "


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## 6fran (Sep 11, 2002)

City Pyramid!


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## Jue (Mar 28, 2003)

odegaard said:


> If the Japan - Korea brdige can be built then the 3 largest economy's of the world can be linked together....so it makes practical sense.


South Korea and China are separated by North Korea. 

The Millenium Tower, at least at the stated height of ~850m, is not "extreme". The Burj Dubai is around that tall.

How would they excavate the rubble from a transatlantic tunnel?


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## Trances (May 19, 2003)

As I understood that it would be anchored to base of the ocean not actualy be under the sea bed


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## Jue (Mar 28, 2003)

I see. That would be far safer anyway, because a separate structure would be more immune to seafloor spreading; building a tunnel underground through the Mid-Atlantic Ridge is not possible.


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## ReddAlert (Nov 4, 2004)

That space elevator is amazing. 2008, though?! No way, i dont believe they can possibly have technology to build something that huge in only 3 years. It would be cool though. It would also be cool if they built a floating space colony, like the Death Star-without the huge ass laser! I voted the Transatlantic tunnel, but cmon, its not going to happen. A tunnel across the whole Atlantic-image the danger. Who will go rescue these people if a train stops or a terroist bombs a train? They would have to travel thousands of miles to get these people help. Not to mention the lack of oxygen in the tunnel, and the amount of time and cost to build this thing. Ive also heard that the U.S.Navy is interested in a floating naval station-docks,landing strips, larger quarters-much larger than our current carriers -has anyone heard about this?

On a side note, did anyone see that special on the U.S.S. Ronald Reagan? Wow, what an amazing ship.........


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## Monkey (Oct 1, 2002)

This is the biggest space engineering project taking place right now, the International Space Station.


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## infsphinx (Feb 22, 2005)

i need a technical article about the city in a pyramid project.i am writing a research paper and i must have this kind of information which gonna help me while the writing proces...

could you plz help me forum citizens?

where can i find these kind of articles magazine pages etc. on the net...

if you have these plz contact me...

msn : [email protected]

thank you...


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## algonquin (Sep 24, 2004)

Bering Strait or the Gibraltar Bridge

because they are actually feasible... not the Transatlantic tunnel


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## MattSal (Dec 24, 2004)

The TransAtlantic Tunnel would certainly be the coolest project, but it isn't even plausible for another 50 years.  Also, the Sky City and Millennium Tower would be cool, but they're almost too easy compared to the others.

The Gibraltar Bridge, however, has been talked about for years. Last I heard, the Moroccan government was finally starting to cooperate and the bridge is now a real possibilty. Sure it would be tough, but it's nothing we couldn't handle. My vote goes to this one. The Bering Straight bridge is somewhat feasible, but would it ever be economical? The roads to that area of the country are closed half of the year anyways, not to mention how few people would actually drive across. Oh, and that Russian government, would they ever agree?

One question: Why did that photo show the space elevator constructed over the island of Celebes (no offense, Indonesia)?


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## Q-TIP (Feb 14, 2005)

Gibraltar Bridge is the most practical, linking 2 continents in a dense area, whereas Bering Strait Bridge just profits North America (oil)> all US seems to be thinking about... :bash: 
Transatlantic tunnel, yeah right...Millenium Tower bring it on, City in a pyramid, next please...


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## Alvar (Dec 26, 2004)

clive330 said:


> Who the hell will be driving across the Gibraltar bridge? Its not like Spain and Morocco are two giant nations, with mega cities clustered around the straits and doing tons of trade with eachother.
> 
> One ferry a day is probably all thats needed.
> 
> Grand projects can be fun, but entirely pointless and totally uneconomic projects (which each of these are) are a waste. But if some company is dumb enough to build it then I am ok with it - just dont want to see my tax dollars pissed away.


All these projects are unnessesary. It would be better if we would build a dam between africa and europe. We could produce 50% of the power Europe needs. And we could build new cities in the partially dry mediterranian. The mediterranian valley would have the best earth and it could feed whole africa.


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## Alvar (Dec 26, 2004)

The trns atlantic tunnel can't be build never. It would pass an earthquake area. In the middle of the atlantic the american and the eurasian plate are cathing up and causing massive earthquakes. Would you like to have an accident miles away from the next continent? I guess no.


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## RAPTOR X TYPE (Nov 1, 2004)

What"s cheaper GIBRALTAR BRIDGE or THE AFROTUNNEL same place just the Tunnel will be under water


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## Evil Bert (Feb 20, 2003)

that is true, building a tunnel over these plate boundaries where there is sea floor spreading, up to a meter a year is just not a clever idea, however imagine the reducation in flights and benefits to the environment if it were built. i would love to see the tunnel built


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## Nephasto (Feb 6, 2004)

Transatlantic tunnel, no doubt!

How can anyone compare a project like the Transatlantic tunnel with, for example, the gribraltar bridge?! 
These 2 projects are from completely diferent dimensions. The transatlantic tunnel would cost like 1000 times more than the gibraltar bridge.


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## chenlu (Dec 16, 2003)

i vote the pyramid thing 

It seems possible, just costs a lot of money.


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## easysurfer (Dec 12, 2004)

Would it be spain paying for the gibraltar bridge? It would never be approved if it was funded by Britain which has soverignty over gibraltar. It wouldn't benefit Britain in the slightist. I would like to hear where the funding would come from. I'd vote for the transatlantic tunnel. How ace would it be to go to the U.S. from Britain in practically no time.


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## MSPSCO3113 (Apr 28, 2005)

gibraltar bridge will cost 15bn? thats the same as the "BIG DIG" in Boston, what a bargain! but seriously 3000 ft towers? my god!! a little excessive for a 9 mile bridge don't you think?


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## Matthieu (Mar 7, 2004)

The transatlantic tunnel official website. Construction to start soon .

http://www.transatlantys.com/



Ok it's a joke, but the website is cool.


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## urbanspy (Dec 13, 2004)

A lot of this stuff creeps me out!!! 
It seems too surreal. Especailly the transatlantic. :runaway:


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## spotila (Oct 29, 2004)

That worldwide speed-train project would be very cool, and very useful. Good luck getting every country involved to oblige though :~.


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## Obelixx (Apr 14, 2005)

Why to build a transatlantic tunnel? I think a transatlantic hoovercraft service ( http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=4341541#post4341541 ) would make more sense!


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## Matthieu (Mar 7, 2004)

I suggest a suspension bridge over the atlantic.


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## TallBox (Sep 21, 2002)

i really am surprised only 5% of the forum want to see the freedom ship built! the others, with the exception of bridges/tunnels are just skyscrapers that will otherwise be built - and one that we have plenty of on this forum.

freedom ship is so unique - such an amazing idea!


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## Lindemann (Sep 11, 2002)

easysurfer said:


> Would it be spain paying for the gibraltar bridge? It would never be approved if it was funded by Britain which has soverignty over gibraltar. It wouldn't benefit Britain in the slightist. I would like to hear where the funding would come from. I'd vote for the transatlantic tunnel. How ace would it be to go to the U.S. from Britain in practically no time.


British Gibraltar is only that small cape in the right, not all the strait's coast:
















...so the bridge (or, probably, tunnel) is a project between Spain and Morocco, both countries have been talking about this for years. It will benefit the commerce (all the trucks who now must take ferrys to cross the strait) and of course the normal traffic of people (tourists mostly). The bad thing: illegal inmigration.


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## mumbojumbo (Dec 8, 2004)

Awesome thread.

My fav. has to be the transatlantic tunnel, though.


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## PotatoGuy (May 10, 2005)

I'd say the Gibraltar Bridge, it's the only one which seems somewhat realistic and which i like the idea of


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## Rachmaninov (Aug 5, 2004)

What about the Death Star??


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## Obelixx (Apr 14, 2005)

On http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_elevator there is an interesting article about space elevators!


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## CAESARS-PALACe (Jul 29, 2004)

Transatlantic Tunnel :colgate: 


http://media.dsc.discovery.com/conv...nsatlantictunnel/interactive/interactive.html





.


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## Gherkin (May 30, 2005)

I know how about a bridge to the moon! Stop day dreaming folks. These projects are a bit too ahead of their time. A decade or two we could see the gibralter bridge, i don't put money on anything else


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## @b1 (Feb 7, 2009)

How about borg cube or earth spacedock in star trek?


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## DinoVabec (Nov 12, 2007)

TallBox said:


> *Millenium Tower*
> 
> Imagine a skyscraper almost twice the size of the Empire State Building. This colossus would be a city within a city, hosting its own hospitals, schools, and a range of entertainment and retail options large enough to attract and keep the traffic necessary for the financial success of such an endeavor.
> 
> ...


 
:lol::lol::lol::lol: This made my day...


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