The Most Absurd Proposed Structures that Were Never Built

[@Sideprojects]

Use my link ridge.com/sideprojects to get up to 30% off through December 20th and enter free to win a Ridge bundle worth $4,000. Video Sponsored by Ridge.

[@BIGJATPSU]

Fun fact about The Palace of The Soviets! It's foundations, after being stripped of most materials as you mentioned, was repurposed as the Moskva Pool beginning in 1958 through 1993. It was for a time The World's Largest Pool at 130 meters in diameter containing 25,000 cubic meters of water. The pool was even heated year round for it's users. After it's closure, The Cathedral of Christ the Saviour was rebuilt right where it once was and opened again fully in 2000.

[@adamazingballs]

Don't fund the corporats

[@jwenting]

ridge wallets, some metal that could have been better used on other projects

[@solomonotobo3438]

​@@BIGJATPSUa

[@OnlySubhumansWorkAtYouTube]

Fun fact: This is garbage!

[@joecorsaro1381]

Looking forward to the sequel to this video in 20 years talking about the Line

[@Zebra_Cakes]

Hanging a building from an asteroid has to be the most absurd thing I’ve ever heard 😂

[@xiphos1917]

For many reasons, but consider: geosynchronous orbits only stay at the same longitude. The only latitude that wouldn't change is the equator. For that building to be hanging over New York City, it would be migrating over a spot of the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Chile and back, once a day, every day.

[@QBCPerdition]

​@xiphosfuhr1917 not only that, but how would it withstand any sort of wind gusts considering its hanging and not veryvwell secured? They could design it to rock with the wind, but I'd imagine that would not be pleasant for the people living within.

[@bertram-raven]

@@xiphos1917 Great for commuting between Chile and New York.

[@agcons]

He definitely saved the best for last. Oh, and there's a pretty loathesome reason why Dubai can build far cheaper than NYC, which the architects of this demented project appear to have glossed over.

[@Kaltagstar96]

If someone suggested to me that they wanted to hang a skyscraper from an asteroid, my only response would be "What kind of paint thinner have you been sniffing?"

[@livinginvancouverbc2247]

No mention of the original, most outrageous never-built structure ever, the Tower of Babel, with a projected height of Heaven.

[@charlietheunicorn5383]

A video about "Space Elevators" would fit perfectly within the theme of this video. First proposed in 1895, NASA is still interested in the concept for use either on Earth and/or Mars. The concept was made famous to the masses by the 1979 Arthur C. Clarke's novel, The Fountains of Paradise.

[@sydhenderson6753]

And if you want to know what happens if one comes down, see Kim Stanley Robinson's "Red Mars."

[@gauravkhanna2622]

my only question is, what happens when the orbits are not in sync?

[@UpperDarbyDetailing]

@@sydhenderson6753what happens is a massive pain in the ass reattaching the tether. That’s about it.

[@UpperDarbyDetailing]

@@gauravkhanna2622 then you’d be talking about a space tower. A space elevator has the “top floor” in geosynchronous orbit. Which is one hell of a long tether.

[@PanzerKitsune-]

The Kingdom of Erusea would like to know your location.

[@MotherBiscuitLover]

I seem to remember a high school lecture about Frank Lloyd Wright, it was mentioned that he had designed a mile high sky scraper that would be a city onto itself. There was a brief photo of a blue print and a glimpse of a artist's rendering before moving along to his other more famous buildings that actually got built. That might be worth looking into.

[@sydhenderson6753]

And here it is: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Illinois

[@MrRoboskippy]

It was to have a nuclear powered elevator 😂

[@mho...]

i think he did some videos touching Arcologys, but never a "deep dive"

[@Ivarevich]

If this sky scraper had been built, al-queda would have attacked Chicago instead of NYC

[@blinard1]

Cant see the irony of Ridge wallet sponsoring a video about massivley overpriced, impractical things?!?

[@felonious_c]

Hahahaha 😂

[@SkunkApe407]

Have you noticed the running trend of KZbinrs losing touch with what things cost? Pokimane is out here trying to sell $5 cookies for $16, like we won't know she's fleecing people. Simon shilling a useless chunk of plastic isn't all that weird, by comparison.

[@coathang3r43]

By comparison the ridge wallet is a bargain, you should buy one.

[@thepastmaster5643]

@@SkunkApe407 Who would buy A cookie for 5 bucks?! I could buy a whole box for that price.

[@SkunkApe407]

@@thepastmaster5643 the box of cookies, goof. Take two seconds to Google Pokimane cookies. It's literally one of the biggest stories online right now. How are you not aware of this? I'm a 40 year old dude, and I've heard about it.

[@Bubbaist]

How about the black Taj? It’s almost certainly a legend, but the story is that Shah Jahan was planning to build a second Taj Mahal across the river from the first, but made of black marble, with other colors being the opposite of the white Taj. Again, probably a legend, but incredible to imagine.

[@jedaaa]

I was thinking of as the video started! I always thought it actually got built though ...

[@dsxa918]

I don't know, but if you think that it may well have been and has been kept quiet, perhaps started and kept quiet when it wasn't finished or is a secret of sorts that has not been demonstrated......

[@desperadox7565]

Never heard of this. The Taj Mahal is the most beautiful building I've ever visited but a black one sounds cool too.

[@jstorlie73]

I wonder if it's less expensive to build in Dubai due to the sanctioned slavery.

[@ez_company9325]

was looking for this. Pretty bad when your idea is so expensive that you have to try to subtlety suggest using slavery.

[@Broodborn]

Build a skyscraper on a asteorid? What this is it? A real life Morrowind idea, filled with lots of skooma.

[@MrSomebodyStrange]

I can imagine a North Korean space program with a goal of hollowing out an asteroid to keep the political prisoners there (and to flex the juche ideals as always)

[@davidjernigan8161]

The foundation of the palace of the soviets was turned into a swimming pool until the church was rebuilt on its original site.

[@ChatterboxFM]

I thought for-sure Frank Lloyd Wright’s The Illinois would’ve made the list. A mile-high skyscraper in the 1950s

[@valerielhw]

Though it has never gotten out of the 'concept phase', the idea of building a land-bridge running from Alaska to Siberia has been proposed more than once.

[@chunkyMunky329]

I doubt that will happen anytime soon considering that America is currently engaged in a proxy war with Russia, using Ukraine as the proxy.

[@Carewolf]

Isn't it the same wierdo proposing it over and over? He has like a strange cult that worships him and his stupid idea.

[@austinhughes1924]

This construction project is my favorite!

[@511stunnaaa]

Mf only the Russians want it😂

[@valerielhw]

@@austinhughes1924 It would be mine, also.

[@AnotherPointOfView944]

Dont forget that unfinished Ryugyong Hotel in Pyongyang, North Korea. Another vanity project that ran out of money.

[@Cody-Coyote]

This is a really good idea. You should make this a series

[@evdweide]

No mention of the Netherlands, where for a number of years there were serious proposals for building an entire mountain? It would effectively be a huge building the shape and size of a mountain. It was cancelled because (among other reasons) the ground wouldn't be able to support it and it would push down the ground in a wide radius, taking the Netherlands even further down below sea level than it already is.

[@huwday1131]

The only counter I have to that is that the Dutch engineers are kinda used to thinking big, having walled off and evicted the sea more than once. It's still a daft idea :)

[@Speedy_dew]

With the upside down skyscrapper, I wonder how they planned to get people from the ground up to it every day

[@andymouse]

Upside down lift of course.

[@aaronaaronsen3360]

Catapult of course

[@bioLarzen]

Portal technology, of course.

[@ez_company9325]

by the time its done, we will have flying cars of course.

[@Speedy_dew]

this so far is the one I'd like to see most followed closely by the catapult @@ez_company9325

[@RogerPlankton1975]

Can’t we just have a GoFundMe to raise the money to build that asteroid tower, put all the billionaires in it, and then let it leave orbit?

[@swj719]

The Tokyo one makes me think "oh, fun, the Renraku Arcology."

[@jameslyddall]

I’m sure there’s a few warhammer fans but Leutin09 did a great video discussing hive cities which is an interesting follow up to massive structures.

[@ignitionfrn2223]

0:50 - Chapter 1 - Mega mansions 3:00 - Mid roll ads 4:15 - Back to the video 6:55 - Chapter 2 - Ultra skyscrapers 10:30 - Chapter 3 - Out of this world

[@3cc3ntric]

Don’t forget about the mountain statue proposed for Alexander the Great by the architect Dinocrates. It would’ve had such a large scale, a whole city would rest in the palm of his hand!

[@paulduffy9481]

Not forgetting that Fuji's great stability comes more from being made of 255 billion tonnes of solid rock. Just a tad more likely to survive an earthquake.

[@noodengr3three825]

The paper clip shaped tower on Billionaires Row shoukd be built. I think it is a fascinating concept

[@nubletten]

I loved the straight to business approach!

[@davidc573]

I'm disappointed that the Illinois wasn't mentioned

[@stribika0]

Geostationary orbit is above the equator, you can't just move the thing to New York. We could put it in geosynchronous orbit, but then it would fly north then south between two locations all the time. Otherwise good idea.

[@ap80shg]

Might as well add Neom to this list now. Future proof against the dumb idea

[@jamescook7796]

Re the last one, popping down the shops seems like it might be problematic, or at least getting back after

[@Fishrokk]

Has anyone told them if they wanna hang that space tower over New York, they're gonna have to move New York?

[@jon_j__]

I believe that there is a theoretical solution for this, for space elevators at least. You would need to have a space elevator that splits and is attached to the ground in 2+ places that are equidistant from the point directly under the geostationary asteroid. So, a space elevator that touches New York would need another attachment in S America (or 2 attachments in the S Atlantic and S Pacific oceans, etc). However, I don't think this workaround applies if the cable is NOT attached to the ground. So, yeah, they're going to have to move New York.

[@williamjones7163]

We had a branch of Shimizu in Phoenix, Arzona. This was about 1987. They did some type of construction but I don't remember exactly what they were building. I just remember my company sold them a lot of office products.

[@randyhusband8542]

Empire: let's build a DEATH STAR. Advisor: No, these mega-projects never work out...

[@amandaclemente7068]

I definitely wasn’t ready for the last one lol

[@livinginvancouverbc2247]

In the Control Room of Project Asteroid... "Sir! We've lost control of the asteroid! It's going to hit Earth!" "Oh no! Heaven help us! Do we know where it will hit?" "Checking now, Sir.... here it is... Canada." "Oh Thank God! Phew, that was close." .Control Room erupts in cheering, high-fiving and applause.

[@HolyHeartsMusic]

Love these videos

[@mechanicalcowboy3242]

I think you missed a couple of possible critiques of the Analemma Tower. It makes sense that the cost of capturing and moving an asteroid into geosynchronous orbit would be astronomical (no pun intended) Keep in mind that we do not currently have the equipment, perhaps even the technology, to accomplish this task. This means a great deal of R&D would have to be financed before actual 'construction' could be started. Perhaps the greatest difficulty is that geosynchronous orbit is about 22,250 mi. This means that you are then building a structure from an asteroid 22,250 mi away. (this is not even considering that the CG of the asterioid-structure needs to be at that orbital distance) Not even the Great Wall of China (at 13,171 mi) approaches that dimension. Next we must consider that the structure would be subject to variations in gravity, atmospheric effects and solar effects. The list of issues and difficulties is monumental. Power, water, waste, atmosphere, heating, cooling, transportation, shielding (radiation), emergency services, etc. etc. Of all the proposed projects discussed in this video, this one seem most like blue-sky thinking

[@jorgelotr3752]

Wouldn't that groundscraper need to have a way to adjust its orbital altitude to make up for the weight inside and climactic conditions? Not to mention that just the speed diffence between base and apex (it doesn't matter which is which) compounded with the shape would most likely cause it to break. Also, is it possible to set an asteroid in perfect geaostationary orbit above New York?

[@AeroGuy07]

I saw Magic Spoon in one of my local Kroger grocery stores.

[@jacksonstarky8288]

And the asteroid skyscraper fits right in with the entire founding principle of capitalism... the idea that infinite growth in a finite system is not only possible, but perfectly reasonable.

[@arnesahlen2704]

For the mega-tall pyramids: Burj Khalifa's "poop trucks" highlight the issue of sewerage! Piping in and out for water and waste would demand massive planning, material provision and cost.

[@ZAV1944]

Some of these remind me of the Arcologies in the Sim City series.

[@brodriguez11000]

Well Paolo Soleri did try, but...oh, well.

[@SpidermanandJeny]

What the heck? That last one is beyond absurd. What??? Until tech gets a lot massively better and gravity is somehow lessened that one is going to be forever impossible and ludicrous.

[@Octarinewolf]

Neither location mentioned is suitable. You need to put the asteroid in geostationary orbit, i.e. over the equator. While it is theoretically possible to hang an orbital tower there (It might be possible if you can manufacture sufficiently long carbon nanotubes etc) the extra tensile strength required to connect to somewhere that far from the equator puts it back in the not possible unless Alister Crowley is fidling with the laws of physics again.

[@tonyhawk123]

There's also the issue of atmospheric drag. It would be like a cruise ship trying to circumnavigate the planet with its anchor dragging along the sea floor. The asteroid would need some form of constant propulsion to counter the drag else it would quickly fall out of orbit.

[@sonicgoo1121]

Maybe not crazy enough for this list, but I've always liked Gaudi's proposal for a New York skyscraper, the Hotel Attraction. Makes you wonder how it'd have influenced skyscraper design if it'd happened.

[@marcbeebee6969]

I did not know this. Fact boy, you know this? Interessant

[@krisgonynor689]

It looks like something the Mon Calamari from Star Wars would build.

[@mikeokeeffe4692]

True story. That proposal was simply beautiful

[@thumpyloudfoot864]

Astrophysicist: Errrr Gravity? The Stoner that came up that last Idea: That's why you go get an asteroid and bring it here, stupid... Duh... yeah man...and then you like build the skyscraper down towards the Earth so we can still like you know live in Earth's atmosphere.... Astrophysicist: GRAVITY?!?!? Stoner: You're not listening man, you have to get an asteroid bring it here and put it in our orbit... THEN build it on the asteroid.... It would work man... trust me man... think about it...

[@jbeattie02]

Stoner is just a simile for architect in this theory

[@thumpyloudfoot864]

@@jbeattie02 ....ye...Yes... "Architect"....

[@jbeattie02]

@@thumpyloudfoot864 unfortunately I deal with architects almost every day

[@thumpyloudfoot864]

@@jbeattie02 yeah but my point is the dude that came up with that idea definitely lied on his resume, and fortunately I deal with stoners everyday... Thats an acid trip, might as well call the building "Blue Moon-tel"...

[@weedfreer]

If the proposed death-sentence fulfilling rollercoaster isnt mentioned here...I *WILL* be disappointed!! 😅

[@clifbradley]

Wait, Simon has only 4 keys for work? The man is on like 50 different channels, how does he only have 4 keys?! What!??

[@dbfzato-1327]

He seems to film them all in one place why he need multiple keys to run a channel where he talks at a camera in a room? Probably front door. Back door. Car, and missus car or key to parents house We know he dont bike no more so no bike lock key aga

[@Rydonattelo]

Side projects? I didn't know Simon had started a 2nd channel. Is it any good? How will he manage this and top 10s? Brave man. Good for him.

[@ErinPero-j4i]

Lol he's a ton of them! Biographical geographica warograpgics Astro graphics today I found out top tend into the shadows decoding the unknown casual criminalist highlight history brain blaze the Simon Whistler show and I'm probly missing 4-7 others. Love em all. Brain blaze is ma jam do lol. Whight I guess his demographics say is unusual for a female

[@I.am.Sarah.]

@@ErinPero-j4i In the time you took to type that he started 2 more channels 😉

[@jon_j__]

@@ErinPero-j4i You're forgetting MegaProjects, which was the direct precursor of this channel. (The original idea was something like "megaprojects" would do the truly massive projects and "sideprojects" would do the large projects that didn't quite make it into "megaprojects". But they quickly ran out of true megaprojects, so the channels now have a lot of overlap.) Back on topic, it's worth noting that Simon's level of involvement and ownership with each channel is quite variable. There are some where he simply reads a script that's handed to him, and has very little other involvement. In other words: he is still human... probably...

[@MAashChick]

Are we not going to talk about how Dubai is able to get the work done so cheaply?

[@Trag-zj2yo]

Has anyone considered turning the ocean garbage patch into a floating island.

[@jmanj3917]

12:38 ...groundscraper...lol

[@jasonjuneau2948]

That last one is a neat idea though. Something you'd expect to see on star trek.

[@MrRandomcommentguy]

the Ultima Tower is one of the coolest looking buildings ever

[@claywest9528]

Cold hard reality. Crushing the dreams of visionaries since, oh, the Dawn of time....

[@HaroldKuilman]

Compilation of the ones that were build next?

[@MaRodney07]

Simon..I've come across 4 of your channels..i think its time for an intervention and we need you to release your editors from your basement 😂

[@christinebenson518]

Only 4? You got more work.

[@MaRodney07]

@@christinebenson518 I was being generous..we all know he has like 20 channels 🤣

[@ricardosilva-xz1yt]

The last one ... might get done along side the Dyson sphere...

[@charlieangkor8649]

I propose a 3x3 m artificial island 2 m off the shore of a pond which houses a toolshed containing a shovel and a lawnmower.

[@Mysterios1989]

I love that the planers for the hanging skyscraper didn't even do the most basic physic research before making this idea. Even IF we would be able to get an asteroid into geostationary orbit, somehow find a way to have it stable there while having future tech construction materials to hang anything from there so that it would reach the earth - it still could never be build in or hang over either Dubai or NY. The GEO is an orbit directly over Earth's equator. Something "hanging" from there could always only position around the world's equator. So, never in a city so far away from it as Dubai or New York. Even if everything else was possible, this earthscraper could only exist in such locations as Brazil, Congo or Indonesia.

[@backupplan6058]

Better also not consider the effects the earths atmosphere and gravity would have on the asteroid due to having such an object dangling from it.

[@jeebuschristos8423]

13:38 I mean... the asteroid would be in orbit... which means it doesn't matter where you PLAN the building to be... it will not be there for long... plus... the weight of the building would eventually being to drag the asteroid out of orbit, no?

[@phunkydroid]

The analema tower could only exist over the equator, or it will be constantly moving. Unless that's why they named it analema, it's intended to move?

[@Deacon_Ix]

Yeah my first thought was that a Geosynchronous orbit has to be above the equator - which, checks google maps, neither Dubai or NY are.

[@alexmipego]

One thing I don't understand, is why they don't do the building but… big a hole first! At the right spots and depths, you may even be able to dig tunnels to extend it, although I understand this part would more challenging that it looks, but digging a skyscraper shaped hole should be easy. Because you've always walls on the 4 sides, there's always plenty of support, so you can extend it as far as you want… I expect at least 5-10x the normal height.

[@Lodrik18]

where did you get the idea that man made big holes are stable? Going down is always more complicated then going up...

[@bettyswallocks6411]

On the Analemma Tower, for a very brief moment, I thought Simon was about to say “…to make the building affordable, it had to be built in Duplo…” Dubai, of course, makes much more sense?

[@radonato]

"Cheaper in Dubai" Yeah, nearly slave labor and zero safety guidlines can get that for ya....

[@MotherShipMedia]

Re Analema Tower ... you might mention that geosynchronous orbit is 42,164 km from the earth's surface, so those are either gonna be some REALLY long cables are a REALLY "tall" building lol

[@seanmorgan2356]

I remember seeing That Japanese mega city structure in a documentary several years ago. I thought It was a cool idea.

[@dat_chip]

I thought I'd see the space elevator here, but I guess the Analemma Tower fills a similar role.

[@netook8]

The Analemma Tower could simply be attached to the ground and turned into a space elevator. Then it is more worth it

[@thegodofcycle216]

All of these buildings need to be built damn it.

[@AnotherPointOfView944]

Hmm. Who is paying?

[@brodriguez11000]

Like solarpunk.

[@JBTriple8]

if some of these were included in upcoming video games it would be cool

[@brodriguez11000]

@@JBTriple8 It's the ONLY place a lot is realizable, and even then it'll be a lot of work.

[@420nerdgirl]

when i worked in retail we made fun of people with metal wallets for being weirdos lmao. but honestly, if someone approached me like "hey you wanna move to japan and we'll provide affordable housing?" i wouldnt even hesitate lol

[@Pan-oy2ck]

the last one straight up sounds like something karl pilkington would come up with also, baar dau

[@LootFrankz6]

Brain blaze meets Side Projects

[@emperorarasaka]

4:55 The Bass Pro Shop Megachurch

[@JKC40]

the Tokyo project was typical of the late 80s/early 90s obsession with arcologies.

[@freddiemercury2075]

They tried to hang a building from space, something tells me the idea is still hanging around today. Lol

[@bertram-raven]

Dubai create buildings at one fifth the cost of the same construction in New York.... with one tenth the safety.

[@belterglj]

on the final project, a geosynchronous orbit, unless it is over the equator, is not geostationary. Geosynchronous orbits have a figure 8 ground path as they swing north and south of the equator to the limits of their inclination. Such a sky scraper over NYC would swing as far south as NYC is north moving at (i'm guessing) about a thousand miles an hour as it passes the equator.

[@MadScientist267]

Nothing you've said is... useful... but that's ok because nothing about the project is sane. Right. Carry on, then 🤷‍♂️

[@FNLNFNLN]

"Do it in Dubai because they specialize in building tall buildings at 1/5th the cost of New York" What he means is "use slaves and ignore safety precautions for both the work itself as well as living spaces". That'll bring the cost right down.

[@Concreteowl]

That sky tower would probably work better hovering in the atmosphere of Venus.

[@jwenting]

the main reasons construction in Dubai is cheaper than in New York is the subsidides land and the use of slave labour. Lower building standard and cheaper (to bribe) local officials probably have something to do with it as well.

[@Americanbadashh]

Oh good. You talk about Japan. You could do an entire video on crazy ideas for what to with with Tokyo bay

[@desperadox7565]

Another proposed structure that will never be build is my latest buy from IKEA.😎

[@omarbaba9892]

The like will be on here in a few years

[@lukemauerman3734]

Just a small question: I have an appointment in that hanging tower thingie; just how precisely do I get inside?

[@antiisocial]

Those are certainly something. Keep thinking big people!

[@kubin226]

13:13 thats a nice term for "using slaves"

[@TheBaldr]

I still want the Cenotaph for Newton to be built, but I'll settle with the Vegas Sphere.

[@adamcheklat7387]

5:21: That one guy from Escape Velocity called escalators on crack.

[@Volnas97]

Not that the asteroid building would be even remotly possible for many reasons, but what let's say they'd built it, how would they solve plumbing and waste disposal??

[@estraume]

The city hanging from an Asteroid would not work in other locations than Singapore since it would need to be close to the equator.

[@AaronWilliams-ir7mu]

🎉 another great video team Simon!

[@DavidLLambertmobile]

This video topic reminds me of a crazy plan to hide the entire Rebel fleet in a large sun ☀️ using high tech shields. The crazy scheme comes undone, not by the Empire. R2 C3PO save the ships! This was a Star Wars 1980s era comic.

[@bioLarzen]

Beyond the gazillion points why the Analemma Tower would be utterly impossible, impractical and pointless to build, just one aspect: plumbing - where would all the shit go? ;)

[@memofromessex]

I remember there being several proposed mega sized ship* that then millionaires, now likely billionaires could live on to avoid taxes and crime. There was one proposition that looked almost like it was to be constructed, but it never got anywhere - sadly, I truly feel for them, billionaires are going to have to continue paying taxes for educated people to work for them, roads/trains so they can get to work, police and fireman to protect their workers lives, etc. Poor billionaires I truly grieve for their situation. *I initially wrote sheep!

[@Kiwibirdman1701]

Freedom Ship

[@dcvariousvids8082]

City planners are frankly quite quite bonkers.

[@samuelmeasa9283]

I have to wonder at what point a skyscraper turns into a starscraper.

[@shinerdrinker9249]

Why the hell do these designers constantly want to build on ridiculously active earthquake zones?

[@dereinzigwahreRichi]

If we COULD build the last one, if we had the technical means for that, we would better be building a space elevator, massively cutting costs, build space habitats and large ships to head to the other planets, moons and finally to the stars instead of building some useless hanging building for super rich people. This should even be more profitable and therefore will hopefully been done instead.

[@ClutchMyPrimus1]

I don't know why somebody isn't already talking about bringing an asteroid to earth. There would be so much money in it.

[@aaronmills4238]

Do a second video on this topic

[@MePeterNicholls]

Neom will end up being on an incomplete list!