These builders were crazy expensive! Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’ll be looking at the most interesting and exciting buildings that broke the bank.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00 Even Vegas has never seen anything like it.
00:03 Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we'll be looking at the most interesting and exciting buildings that broke the bank.
00:08 Big or small, these structures could be towers or multi-purpose buildings of any kind.
00:13 The faces are 35 times larger than Big Ben.
00:16 Number 10. Apple Park, Cupertino, California, USA.
00:21 In 2017, Apple Inc. opened their monolithic headquarters, Apple Park, in Cupertino, California.
00:28 The massive, ring-shaped building is now an iconic symbol of the Apple brand,
00:32 and is a fantastic testament to the company's dedication to effortless design, sustainability, and the future of technology.
00:38 At $5 billion, the price tag covers research space, a huge auditorium, a wellness center, and a natural courtyard.
00:45 For all intents and purposes, this office is so fully loaded that an employee could do everything here except stay the night.
00:51 Despite its nickname, "The Spaceship," this massive ring won't blast off anytime soon.
00:55 The main ring is one of the few buildings in the U.S. and the world to make use of base isolation,
01:00 which protects the ring from even the worst of Californian earthquakes.
01:04 Forgoing the usual stuffy office complex, Apple Park functions as part workspace, part nature reserve.
01:09 The company devotes the hollowed-out interior space to orchards, gardens, and a variety of plant life.
01:15 Originally proposed by Steve Jobs before his death, Apple Park represents the next evolution of modern office buildings.
01:21 - Thank you very much. - Let's give a big round of applause for Mr. Steve Jobs.
01:24 Number 9, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore.
01:27 Designed by Moshe Safdie, this elegant Singapore resort features a prominent sky park that connects three towers.
01:33 We always worked with models.
01:35 There was this big chunk of balsa wood, just the right size, and I placed it on the roof and said, "Why don't we try doing it up there?"
01:42 Owned by the Las Vegas Sands Corporation, the company dropped a whopping $6.88 billion on the resort.
01:48 With over 2,500 rooms, the resort's luxury hotel makes a regular hotel look like a dollhouse.
01:54 Opened in 2010, the integrated resort contains a huge casino and numerous celebrity chef restaurants.
01:59 From the infinity swimming pool to a shopping mall, Marina Bay Sands delivers an endless treasure trove of attractions that boost the already incomprehensible budget.
02:07 Right behind our hotel, right here, is a place called Gardens by the Bay.
02:12 And every single night, they have this miraculous light show.
02:16 If that doesn't sound exhausting, there's also a museum and an indoor skating rink.
02:20 To top it all off, there's potential plans for Marina Bay Sands to build yet another tower.
02:25 To experience this hotel at least once in my life and swim in that pool was an experience of a lifetime.
02:32 Number 8, Sophie Stadium, Inglewood, California, USA.
02:36 Home to both Los Angeles football teams, Sophie Stadium symbolizes a whole new era for sports and entertainment facilities in America.
02:43 The stadium itself will act as the centerpiece of a huge entertainment, retail, commercial, and residential development that sprawls across nearly 300 acres of pristine landscape.
02:52 It's only fair that billions of dollars be spent on state-of-the-art technology, but the most essential of public services, football.
02:59 Both the Chargers and the Rams call this $5 billion field their home, which has a seating capacity of over 100,000, depending on the event size.
03:07 The Sophie Stadium has set a new standard for the world of sports stadiums.
03:11 Instead of a typical jumbotron, Sophie Stadium fitted a Samsung-designed infinity screen over the field in a unique ovular design.
03:19 If you can't stand football, the greater Sophie complex also houses the YouTube Theater concert venue.
03:24 A sleek and intimate new venue capable of hosting anything from concerts and award shows to e-sports competitions and special events.
03:32 Opening in 2020, it is considered the most expensive stadium of its kind.
03:36 Number 7, Zeljava Air Base, Zeljava, Croatia.
03:40 At $6 billion, this underground air base rests on the border between Bosnia and Herzegovina in Croatia.
03:46 This photo shows the massive underground airport, which held Air Force hangars and military barracks.
03:51 Built underneath a mountain with special reinforcements, this Cold War artifact was designed to withstand a nuclear blast.
03:57 Its two-decade-long construction ended in 1968, at which point the area base was under Yugoslavian military control.
04:03 With a total cost of around $6 billion, it was one of the most extensive and expensive military structures the world had seen at the time.
04:09 Before its demolition in 1992, this secret base made even Bond villains jealous.
04:14 During its heyday, Zeljava Air Base housed fighter aircraft squadrons and used five runways.
04:19 It contained tunnels stretching for a combined 3.5 kilometers, which were not used for elaborate hide-and-seek games.
04:25 These tunnels could house up to two complete fighter squadrons, including one for reconnaissance missions and full maintenance and mechanical upkeep facilities.
04:32 Needless to say, it remains the highest-priced military installation of its era.
04:36 Number 6 - Mohovce Nuclear Power Plant, Slovakia
04:40 As you might have guessed, nuclear power costs a lot of money.
04:43 It's facilities such as Mohovce that prove that notion, and then some, with a price tag in the neighborhood of $7.6 billion.
04:50 "Mohovce is one of the most stunning nuclear plants because of the eight giant cooling towers as you approach it."
04:58 This Slovakian powerhouse functions with two reactors, and has two more on the way.
05:03 In a plan dating back to the 1970s, then-Czechoslovakian officials began initial construction on two reactors in the 1980s.
05:10 After the country split in two, the project was finished by the end of the 1990s.
05:14 "I am sure that the nuclear power station in Mohovce is a good investment for Slovakia."
05:22 "And everybody in Slovakia knows that the government spent a lot of money for this power station."
05:28 Mohovce powers 20% of Slovakia, or 6,922 gigawatts an hour, if you can even fathom that.
05:35 While there are safety concerns for nuclear power plants, the plant's enormously priced reactors shift the focus away from traditional carbon emissions.
05:42 Number 5 - Okiliuoto 3, Okiliuoto Island, Finland
05:46 Named for the Finnish island it was built upon, Okiliuoto 3 is a nuclear power plant with three reactors.
05:51 "Reactor Okiliuoto 3, known as OL3 for short, will generate around 1600 megawatts of energy."
05:58 Sitting on the beautiful shores of the Gulf of Bothnia, this is an unlikely but essential part of the western Finnish skyline.
06:04 While the plant wouldn't be considered a vacation spot, at the very least, it has a beautiful view of the coast.
06:10 Due to the delays with the third reactor's operation status and a fourth reactor on the docket,
06:14 this power plant's extended budget of 12.4 billion dollars might be only a temporary estimate.
06:19 Currently, the reactors encompass 22% of Finland's energy supplies.
06:23 If all goes well with the additional reactors, a nuclear power plant will somehow make the happiest nation on Earth even happier.
06:30 Finland looks set to play a leading role in the widespread adoption of nuclear technology as the world continues to transition away from fossil fuels.
06:38 Number 4 - Abraj Albeit, Mecca, Saudi Arabia
06:41 Located near the Great Mosque, this hotel complex cost a whopping 16 billion dollars.
06:46 Along with highly rated hotels, the complex features a central clock tower which functions as the tallest building in Saudi Arabia.
06:53 The clock tower, built in the center of the sacred site, was designed by a team of leading German and Swiss engineers, and breaks over 30 world records.
07:01 One hotel might sound like enough, but Abraj Albeit goes the extra mile with a total of 7.
07:07 Considering its location, this serves as a main site for Muslim pilgrims to stay during their journey to Mecca.
07:12 The prayer room of Makka Clock Royal Tower, a Fairmont hotel, provides unique views for your spiritual experience.
07:20 If you find yourself lost in the gargantuan building, the complex also houses a 5-story shopping mall for your entertainment.
07:25 As an essential part of Mecca tourism, Abraj Albeit's practicalities far outweigh its extravagance.
07:31 Number 3 - Flamanville 3, Flamanville, France
07:34 At 21.9 billion dollars, Flamanville 3 exists as one of the costliest nuclear power plants in the world.
07:41 So we're starting off here in France where a long-delayed nuclear project in the west of the country may finally see the light of day.
07:47 Due to considerable delays, the project far exceeded its initial estimates.
07:51 If there's one tradition Flamanville carries on about power plants, it's that they never come in under budget.
07:57 On the northern coast of France, this facility hopes to achieve a completely operational status by 2024.
08:03 After mishaps such as a 2017 explosion, further investigations continue to hinder the project.
08:08 Five people were apparently treated for smoke inhalation, but nobody was seriously injured in the incident.
08:14 Barbara Pompili, France's energy minister, expressed her own concerns about Flamanville's over-budgeted and underestimated end goals.
08:21 With any luck, the plant's vast expenses will deliver huge dividends before the sun burns out.
08:26 Number 2 - ITER, Saint-Paul-l'Estaurance, France
08:37 ITER stems from the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor, so be thankful that humanity crafted acronyms.
08:44 ITER, the world's largest tokamak, will demonstrate the scientific and technical feasibility of fusion power.
08:51 As the culmination of decades-long talks, the ITER represents the cutting edge of fusion energy research facilities.
08:58 In an attempt to replicate the sun's energy, the ITER functions on a whole other level from a power plant or another scientific building.
09:04 The time has come to put the world's largest puzzle together.
09:08 Naturally, this kind of project involves loads of super complicated science stuff that elevates the price to $25 billion.
09:15 However, they'll have to wait until 2025 to determine the true viability of the building.
09:19 It might not be as extravagant as a resort, but the ITER facility might revolutionize the future of energy usage forever.
09:26 The world will be watching as decades of planning come to fruition,
09:30 and the ITER tokamak is assembled from components shipped from all around the world by the seven ITER members.
09:37 Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
09:40 The Shard, London, England.
09:42 A pyramidal tower in Neo-Futurist style that towers over London at $3.9 billion.
09:48 Towering above London Bridge Station, it's the tallest building in Western Europe.
09:52 [choir singing]
09:54 We're going up the Shard.
09:55 Antilia, Mumbai, India.
09:57 Located in Mumbai, this is the costliest private residence on Earth at $2.6 billion.
10:03 It also has a 168-vehicle multi-level car parking lot, three helipads, a 50-person movie theater,
10:10 and a ballroom complete with crystal chandeliers.
10:13 Resorts World Sentosa, Singapore.
10:16 A seven-hotel resort and casino estimated at $4 to $5 billion.
10:21 Housing four amazing attractions, hotels, and dining options all under one roof, this does sound like a dream.
10:27 One World Trade Center, New York City, USA.
10:30 At $3.8 billion, this NYC tower is the tallest building in the United States.
10:35 As that building opens its doors this morning, the first tenants are moving into the tallest and most expensive building in the Western Hemisphere.
10:43 Lot World Tower, Seoul, South Korea.
10:45 The tallest skyscraper in South Korea tops out at just over $3 billion.
10:50 The tower became one of the most visited tourist destinations and a symbol of the country's economic growth.
10:58 Before we continue, be sure to subscribe to our channel and ring the bell to get notified about our latest videos.
11:04 You have the option to be notified for occasional videos or all of them.
11:07 If you're on your phone, make sure you go into your settings and switch on notifications.
11:12 Number 1. Masjid Al-Haram, Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
11:17 Not only is Masjid Al-Haram astronomically expensive, it's home to the holiest site in the Muslim world.
11:23 Located in Mecca, the building's $100 billion plus price tag puts any power plant or hotel resort to shame.
11:30 The Masjid Al-Haram is a sprawling complex that encompasses 356,000 square meters, that's 3.8 million square feet,
11:37 making it half the size of the enormous Forbidden City in Beijing.
11:41 Also known as the Great Mosque, the site welcomes millions of Muslim visitors making their pilgrimage.
11:46 While the many expansions and renovations raise the budget, the building also continues a priceless history that dates back to the 7th century.
11:53 However, the first structure on the site was a wall built around the Qala in 638 AD.
11:58 After all, there's a reason that the name Mecca inspired the noun for a revered and essential location.
12:04 Considering its age and religious precedence, it's easy to see why Masjid Al-Haram racks up the highest building appraisal on the planet.
12:11 And yet it's one of those places that, even just through images and video, you can see why it pulls millions of people to it every single year.
12:18 Did we forget one of your favorite buildings? Let us know in the comments below.
12:22 A lot of our overhead is tied up in the fact that we are on the top floor of a very expensive building.
12:26 Did you enjoy this video? Check out these other clips from WatchMojo.
12:30 And be sure to subscribe and ring the bell to be notified about our latest videos.
12:34 [Music - Board Game Boogie by Ryan Henson Creighton]