Part High-Rise, Part Wind Turbine Opens In Bahrain

"Taking architecture, and wind power, to new heights, developers of the Bahrain World Trade Center in Manama, Bahrain, flipped the switch to start three huge turbines set between two towers — a first glimpse of technology that they hope will power up to 15 percent of the center.

The blades, each about 100 feet in diameter, are the first to be integrated into a commercial structure, the developers said during their first demonstration Monday of the three in operation.

"We truly have pushed the boundaries of environmental architecture with this project," Ole Sangill, a partner in turbine specialists Norwin, said of the project. "It is a testament to Bahrain that private developers are investing in sustainability and pioneering design, which is certainly the future of architecture as it shapes the planet in years to come."

The trade center is a highly visible landmark in Bahrain, a Persian Gulf nation better know for its oil fields than alternative energy."