As Al Jazeera English reported
this morning, today marks the opening of the Shard tower. For those who either
live under a rock or refuse to believe that anything newsworthy happens beyond
the boundaries of the United State, this is an 87-story elongated glass
pyramid, designed by Renzo Piano, which is now the tallest building in the
European Union (EU). Lest one wonder how such a monument to economic excess
could be built when most of the EU, not to mention a good chunk of the rest of
the world (including the United States), is trying to keep its economic head
above water, it is important to note that this entire project was financed by
the Qatari royal family. In other words, for practical purposes, this may turn
out to be the most expensive pied-à-terre in the world.
That last assertion is not a
mere matter of hyperbole for the sake of frivolity. According to the Al Jazeera
English report, the building currently has only one tenant. There is a 195-room
Shangri-La hotel on floors 34 through 52. 26 of the remaining floors have been
allocated for office space, none of which have been filled. Nevertheless, this
may not be a simple case of the rich and mighty not “getting the message,” as I
put it in one of my economic flames last
year. The fact is that Qatar has done an excellent job of keeping a low
profile in the face of both the Arab Spring and Occupy movements. Now the rich
and mighty of Qatar have a place to camp out in London where they will be “above
it all” literally, as well as figuratively!
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