At least it’s public, not like some chateau built very deep into a landscape by some Princes to “get as far away from dirty peasants”. And oh have you seen the palace of the Sultan of Brunei?!

Also, it’s a good example of collaboration. Have you seen the National Gallery in Berlin? It’s an art museum in which all the art is stored in the basement because the architect thought that his architecture was the real masterpiece! Now that’s ego for you.

And also, it’s got an interesting dynamism about it. All those overlapping sections. It’s not as bland as the many “International Style” Seagram copycats littering commercial districts.

It’s a showcase of wealth and power, alright, but so were Villa Barbaro, the Venetian Grand Palazzi, Seagram Building, Chartres, etc.

The usage of money and resources does influence our judgement I think. A beautiful painting would’ve been seen differently, because all the “resources” it takes are just some paint, some brushes, a canvas, probably some models, and the painter himself. Same with a good novel perhaps. Hostility, yes, but a different sort.

I see astonishing amount of jelousy here. Yes, I've seen prettier tall buildings and yes, location of city and place is odd and yes, wievs could always be better. Workers are paid poor and it smells money. But – here it comes —
so what.

Building is brightly the highest ever made and structurally very demanding. I see it as a new Eiffel tower, not pretty but great address of engineering skills. Concrete works with ice on it, heavy wind loads etc. are unique stuff I admire as young architect. Building is first of a kind and will not be the last, no doubt. It looks as a stuff made in arab world, why make it look "New York" or "Swiss"? It looks like it should in very hot and moist summer climate, around the Gulf buildings live introvert. And the inside looks arabesque-glorious, temperate and nice dry climate. Like Sheikh building must look.

I think most critics against it comes of jelousy – "why I did'n make it" or idealistic attitude "I wouldn't have agreed to do it". Yes you would have done it IF you were capable and no, you couldn't have done it prettier cause of it's place in front pioneer engineering. Just keep working and study to do things better.