| Burj Khalifa | |
|---|---|
![]() Burj Khalifa on 28 December 2009 |
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Burj Khalifa has been the world's tallest building since 2010.[I] |
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| Former/other names | Burj Dubai |
| Record height | |
| Preceded by | Taipei 101 |
| General information | |
| Location | Dubai, United Arab Emirates |
| Status | Complete |
| Groundbreaking | January 2004 |
| Constructed | 2004-2010 |
| Opening | 4 January 2010[1] |
| Use | Mixed-use |
| Height | |
| Roof | 828 m (2,717 ft)[2] |
| Top floor | 621.3 m (2,038 ft)[2] |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 160 habitable floors[3] plus 46 maintenance levels in the spire[4] and 2 parking levels in the basement |
| Floor area | 464,511 m2 (5,000,000 sq ft)[2] |
| Cost | $1.5 billion[5] |
| Companies involved | |
| Architect(s) | Adrian Smith at SOM |
| Structural engineer | Bill Baker at SOM[7] |
| Contractor | Samsung C&T,Besix and Arabtec Supervision Consultant Engineer & Architect of Record Hyder Consulting Construction Project Manager Turner Construction Grocon[6] Planning Bauer AG and Middle East Foundations[6] Lift contractor Otis[6] VT consultant Lerch Bates[6] |
| Developer | Emaar Properties |
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^ Fully habitable, self-supported, from main entrance to highest structural or architectural top; see the list of tallest buildings in the world for other listings. |
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Burj Khalifa (Arabic: برج خليفة "Khalifa Tower"),[8] known as Burj Dubai prior to its inauguration, is a skyscraper in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and the tallest man-made structure ever built, at 828 m (2,717 ft).[8] Construction began on 21 September 2004, with the exterior of the structure completed on 1 October 2009. The building officially opened on 4 January 2010.[1][9] The building is part of the 2 km2 (490-acre) flagship development called Downtown Burj Khalifa at the "First Interchange" along Sheikh Zayed Road, near Dubai's main business district.
The tower's architecture and engineering were performed by Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill of Chicago. Adrian Smith, who started his own firm in 2006, was the chief architect, and Bill Baker was the chief structural engineer for the project.[10][11] The primary contractor was Samsung C&T of South Korea, who also built the Taipei 101 and Petronas Twin Towers.[12] Major subcontractors included Belgian group Besix and Arabtec from the UAE. Turner Construction Company was chosen as the construction project manager.[13] Under UAE law, the Contractor and the Engineer of Record, Hyder Consulting, is jointly and severally liable for the performance of Burj Khalifa.
The total cost for the Burj Khalifa project was about US$1.5 billion; and for the entire new "Downtown Dubai", US$20 billion.[14] Mohamed Ali Alabbar, the Chairman of Emaar Properties, speaking at the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat 8th World Congress, said in March 2009 that the price of office space at Burj Khalifa had reached US$4,000 per sq ft (over US$43,000 per m2) and that the Armani Residences, also in Burj Khalifa, were selling for US$3,500 per sq ft (over US$37,500 per m2).[15]
The project's completion coincided with a worldwide economic slump and overbuilding, and it has been described as "the latest ... in [a] string of monuments to architectural vacancy."[16] With Dubai itself mired in a deep financial crisis that forced it to seek repeated billion-dollar bailouts from its oil-rich neighbor Abu Dhabi, the opening ceremony and surprise renaming of the tower to Burj Khalifa, after UAE President Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, has been viewed by observers as an "attempt to boost confidence in Dubai by showing who is backing Dubai".[17]
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There are unconfirmed reports of several planned height increases since its inception. Originally proposed as a virtual clone of the 560 m (1,837 ft) Grollo Tower proposal for Melbourne, Australia's Docklands waterfront development, the tower was redesigned with an original design by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (SOM) discussed below.[30] Marshall Strabala, an SOM architect who worked on the project until 2006, late 2008 said that Burj Khalifa was designed to be 808 m (2,651 ft) tall.[31]
The design architect, Adrian Smith, felt that the uppermost section of the building did not culminate elegantly with the rest of the structure, so he sought and received approval to increase it to the current height.[citation needed] It has been explicitly stated that this change did not include any added floors, which is fitting with Smith's attempts to make the crown more slender.[32]
Emaar Properties announced on 9 June 2008 that construction of Burj Khalifa was delayed by upgraded finishes and would be completed only in September 2009.[33] An Emaar spokesperson said "The luxury finishes that were decided on in 2004, when the tower was initially conceptualized, is now being replaced by upgraded finishes. The design of the apartments has also been enhanced to make them more aesthetically attractive and functionally superior."[34] A revised completion date of 2 December 2009 was then announced.[35] However, Burj Khalifa was opened on 4 January 2010.[1][9]
The tower is designed by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, which also designed the Willis Tower (formerly the Sears Tower) in Chicago, Illinois and 1 World Trade Center in New York City, among numerous other famous high-rises. The building resembles the bundled tube form of the Willis Tower, but is not a bundle tube structure. Its design is reminiscent of Frank Lloyd Wright's vision for The Illinois, a mile-high skyscraper designed for Chicago. According to Marshall Strabala, an SOM architect who worked on the building's design team, Burj Khalifa was designed based on the 73-floor Tower Palace Three, an all-residential building in Seoul, South Korea. In its early planning, Burj Khalifa was intended to be entirely residential.[31]
Subsequent to the original design by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, Emaar Properties chose Hyder Consulting to be the supervising engineer.[36] Hyder was selected for its expertise in structural and MEP (mechanical, electrical and plumbing) engineering.[37] Hyder Consulting's role was to supervise construction, certify SOM's design, and be the engineer and architect of record to the UAE authorities.[36] Emaar Properties also engaged GHD,[38] an international multidisciplinary consulting firm, to act as an independent verification and testing authority for concrete and steelwork.
The design of Burj Khalifa is derived from patterning systems embodied in Islamic architecture.[19] According to the structural engineer Bill Baker of Burj Khalifa, the building's design incorporates cultural and historical elements particular to the region. The Y-shaped plan is ideal for residential and hotel usage, with the wings allowing maximum outward views and inward natural light.[19] The design architect Adrian Smith has said the triple-lobed footprint of the building was inspired by the flower Hymenocallis.[39] The tower is composed of three elements arranged around a central core. As the tower rises from the flat desert base, setbacks occur at each element in an upward spiralling pattern, decreasing the cross section of the tower as it reaches toward the sky. There are 27 terraces in Burj Khalifa. At the top, the central core emerges and is sculpted to form a finishing spire. A Y-shaped floor plan maximizes views of the Persian Gulf. Viewed from above or from the base, the form also evokes the onion domes of Islamic architecture. During the design process, engineers rotated the building 120 degrees from its original layout to reduce stress from prevailing winds. At its tallest point, the tower sways a total of 1.5 m (4.9 ft).[40]
To support the unprecedented height of the building, the engineers developed a new structural system called the buttressed core, which consists of a hexagonal core reinforced by three buttresses that form the ‘Y' shape. This structural system enables the building to support itself laterally and keeps it from twisting.[19]
The spire of Burj Khalifa is composed of more than 4,000 tonnes (4,400 ST; 3,900 LT) of structural steel. The central pinnacle pipe weighing 350 tonnes (390 ST; 340 LT) was constructed from inside the building and jacked to its full height of over 200 m (660 ft) using a strand jack system. The spire also houses communications equipment.[41]
More than 1,000 pieces of art will adorn the interiors of Burj Khalifa, while the residential lobby of Burj Khalifa will have the artwork of 196 bronze and brass alloy cymbals representing the 196 countries of the world. The visitors in this lobby will be able to hear a distinct timbre as the cymbals, plated with 18-carat gold, are struck by dripping water, intended to mimic the sound of water falling on leaves.[42]
The exterior cladding of Burj Khalifa consists of 142,000 m2 (1,528,000 sq ft) of reflective glazing, and aluminium and textured stainless steel spandrel panels with vertical tubular fins. The cladding system is designed to withstand Dubai's extreme summer temperatures. Additionally, the exterior temperature at the top of the building is thought to be 6°C (11°F) cooler than at its base.[43] Over 26,000 glass panels were used in the exterior cladding of Burj Khalifa. Over 300 cladding specialists from China were brought in for the cladding work on the tower.[41]
The hotel interior will be decorated by Giorgio Armani. An Armani Hotel, the first of four by Armani, will occupy 15 of the lower 39 floors.[44] The hotel will be opened on 18 March 2010.[45][46] whereas the Corporate Suites and offices, will be opened from March onwards.[47] The sky lobbies on the 43rd and 76th floors will house swimming pools.[48] Floors through to 108 will have 900 private residential apartments (which, according to the developer, sold out within eight hours of being on the market). An outdoor zero-entry swimming pool will be located on the 76th floor of the tower. Corporate offices and suites fill most of the remaining floors, except for a 122nd, 123rd and 124th floor where the At.mosphere restaurant, sky lobby and an indoor and outdoor observation deck is located respectively. Burj Khalifa will receive its first residents from February 2010. They will be among the first of 25,000 people who will live there.[48][49]
Burj Khalifa is expected to hold up to 35,000 people at any one time.[19][50] A total of 57 elevators and 8 escalators are installed.[41] The elevators have a capacity of 12 to 14 people per cabin, the fastest rising and descending at up to 18 m/s (59 ft/s).[19][51] Engineers had considered installing the world's first triple-deck elevators, but the final design calls for double-deck elevators.[23] Double-deck elevators, are with built in light and entertainment features including LCD displays, which serves the visitors throughout their travel to the observation deck.[52] The building has 2,909 stairs from the ground floor to the 160th floor.[53]
The graphic design identity work for Burj Khalifa is the responsibility of Brash Brands, who are based in Dubai. Design of the global launch events, communications, and visitors centers[54] for Burj Khalifa have also been created by Brash Brands as well as the roadshow exhibition for the Armani Residences, which are part of the Armani Hotel within Burj Khalifa, which toured Milan, London, Jeddah, Moscow and Delhi.[55]
The Burj Khalifa's water system supplies an average of 946,000 l (250,000 USgal) of water per day.[19]
At the peak cooling times, the tower requires cooling equivalent to that provided by 10,000 t (22,000,000 lb) of melting ice in one day. The building has a condensate collection system, which uses the hot and humid outside air, combined with the cooling requirements of the building and results in a significant amount of condensation of moisture from the air. The condensed water is collected and drained into a holding tank located in the basement car park, this water is then pumped into the site irrigation system for use on the Burj Khalifa park.[19]
To wash the 24,348 windows, a horizontal track has been installed on the exterior of Burj Khalifa at levels 40, 73 and 109. Each track holds a 1,500 kg (3,300 lb) bucket machine which moves horizontally and then vertically using heavy cables. Above level 109, up to tier 27 traditional cradles from davits are used. The top of the spire, however, is reserved for specialist window cleaners, who brave the heights and high winds dangling by ropes to clean and inspect the top of the pinnacle.[56] Under normal conditions, when all building maintenance units will be operational, it will take 36 workers three to four months to clean the entire exterior facade.[41][57]
Unmanned machines will clean the top 27 additional tiers and the glass spire. The cleaning system was developed in Australia at a cost of A$8 million.[57]
Outside, and at a cost of Dh 800 million (US$217 million), a record-setting fountain system was designed by WET Design, the California-based company responsible for the fountains at the Bellagio Hotel Lake in Las Vegas. Illuminated by 6,600 lights and 50 coloured projectors, it is 275 m (902 ft) long and shoots water 150 m (490 ft) into the air, accompanied by a range of classical to contemporary Arabic and world music.[58] On 26 October 2008 Emaar announced that based on results of a naming contest the fountain would be called the Dubai Fountain.[59]
An outdoor observation deck, named At the Top, opened on 5 January 2010 on the 124th floor.[60] It is the third highest observation deck in the world and the highest outdoor observation deck in the world, at 442 m (1,450 ft)[citation needed]. To manage the daily rush of sightseers, Emaar Properties offers advance purchase tickets for a specific date and time at a 75% discount over tickets purchased on the spot[61]
On 8 February 2010, the observation deck was closed to the public after power supply problems caused an elevator to become stuck between floors, trapping a group of tourists for 45 minutes.[62][63] Despite rumours of the observation deck reopening on 14 February,[64] it remains closed.
Burj Khalifa is surrounded by an 11 ha (27-acre) park. The design of the park is also inspired by the core design concepts of Burj Khalifa which is based on the symmetries of the desert flower, Hymenocallis.[65] The park has six water features, gardens, palm lined walkways, and flowering trees.[66] At the centre of the park and the base of Burj Khalifa is the water room, which is a series of pools and water jet fountains. In addition the railing, benches and signs incorporate images of Burj Khalifa and the Hymenocallis flower.
The plants and the shrubbery will be watered by the buildings's condensation collection system,that uses water from the cooling system. The system will provide 68,000,000 L (15,000,000 imp gal) annually.[66] WET designers, who also developed the Dubai Fountain, developed the park's six water features.[67]

The tower was constructed by a South Korean company, Samsung Engineering & Construction, which also did work on the Petronas Twin Towers and Taipei 101.[68] Samsung Engineering & Construction is building the tower in a joint venture with Besix from Belgium and Arabtec from UAE. Turner is the Project Manager on the main construction contract.
The primary structural system of Burj Khalifa is reinforced concrete. Over 45,000 m3 (58,900 cu yd) of concrete, weighing more than 110,000 tonnes (120,000 ST; 110,000 LT) were used to construct the concrete and steel foundation, which features 192 piles, with each pile is 1.5 metre diameter x 43 metre long buried more than 50 m (164 ft) deep.[23] Burj Khalifa's construction used 330,000 m3 (431,600 cu yd) of concrete and 55,000 tonnes of steel rebar, and construction took 22 million man-hours.[10] A high density, low permeability concrete was used in the foundations of Burj Khalifa. A cathodic protection system under the mat is used to minimize any detrimental effects from corrosive chemicals in local ground water.[41]
The previous record for pumping concrete on any project was set during the extension of the Riva del Garda Hydroelectric Power Plant in Italy in 1994, when concrete was pumped to a height of 532 m (1,745 ft). Burj Khalifa exceeded this height on 19 August 2007, and as of May 2008 concrete was pumped to a delivery height of 606 m (1,988 ft),[21] the 156th floor. The remaining structure above is built of lighter steel.
Burj Khalifa is highly compartmentalised. Pressurized, air-conditioned refuge floors are located approximately every 35 floors where people can shelter on their long walk down to safety in case of an emergency or fire.[41][69]
Special mixes of concrete are made to withstand the extreme pressures of the massive building weight; as is typical with reinforced concrete construction, each batch of concrete used was tested to ensure it could withstand certain pressures.
The consistency of the concrete used in the project was essential. It was difficult to create a concrete that could withstand both the thousands of tonnes bearing down on it and Persian Gulf temperatures that can reach 50 °C (122 °F). To combat this problem, the concrete was not poured during the day. Instead, during the summer months ice was added to the mixture and it was poured at night when the air is cooler and the humidity is higher. A cooler concrete mixture cures evenly throughout and is therefore less likely to set too quickly and crack. Any significant cracks could have put the entire project in jeopardy.
The unique design and engineering challenges of building Burj Khalifa have been featured in a number of television documentaries, including the Big, Bigger, Biggest series on the National Geographic and Five channels, and the Mega Builders series on the Discovery Channel.
Burj Khalifa was built primarily by workers from South Asia.[70][71] Press reports indicated in 2006 that skilled carpenters at the site earned UK£4.34 a day, and labourers earned UK£2.84.[70] According to a BBC investigation and a Human Rights Watch report, the workers were housed in abysmal conditions, their pay was often withheld, their passports were confiscated by their employers, and they were working in hazardous conditions that resulted in an apparently high number of deaths and injuries on site.[72]
On 21 March 2006, about 2,500 workers, who were upset over buses that were delayed for the end of their shifts, protested, damaging cars, offices, computers, and construction equipment.[70] A Dubai Interior Ministry official said the rioters caused almost UK£500,000 in damage.[70] Most of the workers involved in the riot returned the following day but refused to work.[70]
On 17 June 2008, there were 7,500 skilled workers employed in the construction of Burj Khalifa.[33]
The following is a breakdown of floors.[41][81]
| Floors | Use |
|---|---|
| 160 and above | Mechanical |
| 156-159 | Communication and broadcast |
| 155 | Mechanical |
| 139–154 | Corporate suites |
| 136–138 | Mechanical |
| 125–135 | Corporate suites |
| 124 | At the Top observatory |
| 123 | Sky lobby |
| 122 | At.mosphere restaurant |
| 111–121 | Corporate suites |
| 109–110 | Mechanical |
| 77–108 | Residential |
| 76 | Sky lobby |
| 73–75 | Mechanical |
| 44–72 | Residential |
| 43 | Sky lobby |
| 40–42 | Mechanical |
| 38–39 | Armani Hotel suites |
| 19–37 | Armani Residences |
| 17–18 | Mechanical |
| 9–16 | Armani Residences |
| 1–8 | Armani Hotel |
| Ground | Armani Hotel |
| Concourse | Armani Hotel |
| B1–B2 | Parking, mechanical |
The opening ceremony of Burj Khalifa was held on 4 January 2010.[82] The ceremony featured a display of 10,000 fireworks, light beams projected on and around the tower, and further sound, light and water effects.[83] Using the 868 powerful stroboscope lights that are integrated into the facade and spire of the tower, different lighting sequences were choreographed, together with more than 50 different combinations of the other effects.
The event began with a short film which depicted the story of Dubai and the evolution of Burj Khalifa. The displays of sound, light, water and fireworks followed.[83] The portion of the show consisting of the various pyrotechnic, lighting, water and sound effects was divided into three. The first part was primarily a light and sound show, which took as its theme the link between desert flowers and the new tower, and was co-ordinated with the Dubai Fountain and pyrotechnics. The second portion, called 'Heart Beat', represented the construction of the tower in a dynamic light show with the help of 300 projectors which generated a shadow-like image of the tower. In the third act, sky tracers and space cannons enveloped the tower in a halo of white light, which expanded as the lighting rig on the spire activated.[83]
The ceremony was relayed live on a giant screen on Burj Park Island, as well as several television screens placed across the Downtown Burj Khalifa development. Hundreds of media outlets from around the world reported live from the scene.[83] In addition to the media presence, 6,000 guests were expected.[84]
Burj Khalifa has been designed to be the centrepiece of a large-scale, mixed-use development that will include 30,000 homes, nine hotels such as The Address Downtown Burj Khalifa, 3 hectares (7.4 acres) of parkland, at least 19 residential towers, the Dubai Mall, and the 12-hectare (30-acre) man-made Burj Khalifa Lake.
The building has returned the location of Earth's tallest free-standing structure to the Middle East — where the Great Pyramid of Giza claimed this achievement for almost four millennia before being surpassed in 1311 by Lincoln Cathedral in England.
The decision to build Burj Khalifa is reportedly based on the government's decision to diversify from an oil-based economy to one that is service- and tourism-oriented. According to officials, it is necessary for projects like Burj Khalifa to be built in the city to garner more international recognition, and hence investment. "He (Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum) wanted to put Dubai on the map with something really sensational," said Jacqui Josephson, a tourism and VIP delegations executive at Nakheel Properties.[85]
The building has been used by several experienced BASE jumpers for both authorized and unauthorized BASE jumping:
![]() 1 February 2006 |
![]() 29 August 2006 |
![]() 21 March 2007 |
![]() 4 December 2007 |
![]() 11 March 2008 |
![]() 19 October 2008 |
26 October 2008 |
![]() 4 January 2009 |
![]() 28 December 2009 |
![]() 29 December 2009,Burj Khalifa and Downtown Burj Dubai |
4 January 2010, Burj Khalifa and skyline of Dubai |
| Records | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Warsaw Radio Mast 646.38 m (2,120.67 ft) |
World's tallest structure ever built 2008 – present |
Incumbent |
| Preceded by KVLY-TV mast 628.8 m (2,063 ft) |
World's tallest structure 2008 – present |
|
| Preceded by CN Tower 553.33 m (1,815.39 ft) |
World's tallest free-standing structure 2007 – present |
|
| Preceded by Taipei 101 509.2 m (1,670.6 ft) |
World's tallest building 2009 – present |
|
| Preceded by Willis Tower 108 floors |
Building with the most floors 2007 – present |
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Coordinates: 25°11′49.7″N 55°16′26.8″E / 25.197139°N 55.274111°E
| Burj Dubai | |
|---|---|
| [[File:|180px]] | |
| Burj Dubai on 20 March 2009 | |
| Preceded by | Taipei 101 |
| Information | |
| Status | Topped-Out |
| Groundbreaking | 21 September 2004 |
| Estimated completion | 2009[1] |
| Opening | September 2009 (est.)[2] |
| Use | Mixed Use |
| Height | |
| Antenna/Spire | 818 m (2,684 ft)[1] |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 160 habitable floors[3] |
| Floor area | 334,000 m2 (3,595,100 sq ft) |
| Companies | |
| Architect | Skidmore, Owings and Merrill |
| Structural Engineer | Bill Baker at SOM[5] |
| Contractor | Turner Samsung Besix Arabtec Grocon[4] Bauer AG[4] Middle East Foundations[4] Otis[4] Lerch Bates[4] Schmidlin[4] Al Naboodah[4] Laing O'Rourke[4] |
| Developer | Emaar |
Burj Dubai (Arabic: برج دبي "Dubai Tower"), a supertall skyscraper under construction in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, is the tallest man-made structure ever built. Construction began on 21 September 2004, and the tower is expected to be completed and ready for occupancy by late September 2009.[1][2]
The building is part of the 2 km2 (0.8 sq mi) development called "Downtown Burj Dubai" at the "First Interchange" along Sheikh Zayed Road at Financial Centre Road (previously known as Doha Street). The tower's architect is Adrian Smith, who worked with Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (SOM) until 2006.[6][7] The Chicago-based architecture and engineering firm SOM is in charge of the project.[6] The primary builders are Samsung Engineering & Construction and Besix along with Arabtec.[8] Turner Construction Company was chosen as the construction manager.[9]
The total budget for the Burj Dubai project is about US$4.1 billion, and for the entire new "Downtown Dubai", US$20 billion.[10] Mohamed Ali Alabbar, the CEO of Emaar Properties, speaking at the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat 8th World Congress, said that the price of office space at Burj Dubai had reached US$4,000 per sq ft (over US$43,000 per m2) and that the Armani Residences, also in Burj Dubai, were selling for US$3,500 per sq ft (over US$37,500 per m2).[11]
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Note: Additional records for tallest skyscraper are considered unofficial. On 20 July 2007, the head of the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH), Antony Wood, said "We will not classify it as a building until it is complete, clad and at least partially open for business to avoid things like the Ryungyong [sic] project. Taipei 101 is thus officially the world's tallest until that happens."[22]
[[File:|right|thumb|Burj Dubai compared to some other well-known tall structures.]] [[File:|thumb|right|A visual comparison of Burj Dubai's (far right) height with that of surrounding buildings at dusk.]] Though unconfirmed, Burj Dubai has been rumoured to have undergone several planned height increases since its inception. Originally proposed as a virtual clone of the 560 m (1,837 ft) Grollo Tower proposal for Melbourne, Australia's Docklands waterfront development, the tower was redesigned with an original design by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill discussed below. Marshall Strabala, an SOM architect who worked on the project until 2006, recently said that Burj Dubai was designed to be 808 m (2,650 ft) tall.[23] However, contradictory information abounds regarding the official height of the building, and it will only acquire the title of world's tallest building upon completion in 2009.
The design architect, Adrian Smith, felt that the uppermost section of the building did not culminate elegantly with the rest of the structure, so he sought and received approval to increase it to the currently planned height. It has been explicitly stated that this change did not include any added floors, which is fitting with Smith's attempts to make the crown more slender.[24] However, the top of the tower has a steel frame structure, unlike the lower portion's reinforced concrete. The developer, Emaar, has stated this steel section may be extended to beat any other tower to the title of tallest.Template:Fact
Emaar Properties announced on 9 June 2008 that construction of Burj Dubai was delayed by upgraded finishes and will be completed only in September 2009.[2] An Emaar spokesperson said "The luxury finishes that were decided on in 2004, when the tower was initially conceptualized, is now being replaced by upgraded finishes. The design of the apartments has also been enhanced to make them more aesthetically attractive and functionally superior."[25]
[[File:|thumb|right|Supertall cross-section comparisons.]] The tower is designed by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, which also designed the Sears Tower in Chicago and 1 World Trade Center in New York City, among numerous other famous high-rises. The building resembles the bundled tube form of the Sears Tower, but is not a tube structure. Its design is reminiscent of Frank Lloyd Wright's vision for The Illinois, a mile high skyscraper designed for Chicago, Illinois.
According to Marshall Strabala, an SOM architect who worked on the building's design team, Burj Dubai was designed based on the 73-floor "Tower Palace Three", an all-residential building in Seoul, South Korea. In its early planning, Burj Dubai was intended to be entirely residential.[23]
Emaar Properties has also engaged GHD,[26] an international multidisciplinary consulting firm, to assist with the design, review and assessment involved in the construction process.
The design of Burj Dubai is derived from patterning systemsTemplate:Clarify me embodied in Islamic architecture, with the triple-lobed footprint of the building based on an abstracted version of the flower Hymenocallis.[3] The tower is composed of three elements arranged around a central core. As the tower rises from the flat desert base, setbacks occur at each element in an upward spiralling pattern, decreasing the cross section of the tower as it reaches toward the sky. There are 26 terraces in Burj Dubai. At the top, the central core emerges and is sculpted to form a finishing spire. A Y-shaped floor plan maximizes views of the Persian Gulf. Viewed from above or from the base, the form also evokes the onion domes of Islamic architecture. During the design process, engineers rotated the building 120 degrees from its original layout to reduce stress from prevailing winds. At its tallest point, the tower sways a total of 1.2 m (3.9 ft).[3]
The exterior cladding of Burj Dubai will consist of 142,000 m2 (1,528,000 sq ft) of reflective glazing, and aluminium and textured stainless steel spandrel panels with vertical tubular fins. The cladding system is designed to withstand Dubai's extreme summer temperatures. Additionally, at its projected height the exterior temperature at the top of the building will be 6 °C (11 °F) cooler than at its base.[27]
The interior will be decorated by Giorgio Armani. An Armani Hotel, the first of four by Armani, will occupy the lower 37 floors.[28] Floors 45 through 108 will have 700 private apartments on 64 floors (which, according to the developer, sold out within eight hours of being on the market). An outdoor zero-entry swimming pool will be located on the 78th floor of the tower. Corporate offices and suites will fill most of the remaining floors, except for a 123rd floor lobby and 124th floor (about 440 m (1,444 ft)) indoor/outdoor observation deck. The spire, itself over 200 m (700 ft) tall, will hold communications equipment.Template:Fact. Burj Dubai is expected to hold up to 35,000 people at any one time.[29] A total of 56 elevators will be installed, the fastest rising and descending at up to 10 m/s (33 ft/s).[30] Engineers had considered installing the world's first triple-deck elevators, but the final design calls for double-deck elevators.[1]
The graphic design identity work for the Burj Dubai is the responsibility of Brash Brands, who are based in Dubai. Design of the global launch events, communications, and visitors centers[31] for the Burj Dubai have also been created by Brash Brands as well as the roadshow exhibition for the Armani Residences, which are part of the Armani Hotel within the Burj Dubai, which toured Milan, London, Jeddah, Moscow and Delhi.[32]
Outside, and at a cost of Dh 800 million (US$217 million), a record-setting fountain system is to be designed by WET Design, the California-based company responsible for the fountains at the Bellagio Hotel Lake in Las Vegas. Illuminated by 6,600 lights and 50 colored projectors, it will be 275 m (900 ft) long and will shoot water 150 m (490 ft) into the air, accompanied by a range of classical to contemporary Arabic and world music.[33] On 26 October 2008 Emaar announced that based on results of a naming contest the fountain would be called the Dubai Fountain.[34]
The tower is being constructed by a South Korean company, Samsung Engineering & Construction, which also built the Petronas Twin Towers and the Taipei 101.[35] Samsung Engineering & Construction is building the tower in a joint venture with Besix from Belgium and Arabtec from UAE. Turner is the Project Manager on the main construction contract.
The primary structural system of Burj Dubai is reinforced concrete. Over 45,000 m3 (58,900 cu yd) of concrete, weighing more than 110,000 tonnes (120,000 ST; 110,000 LT) were used to construct the concrete and steel foundation, which features 192 piles buried more than 50 m (164 ft) deep.[1] When completed, Burj Dubai's construction will have used 330,000 m3 (431,600 cu yd) of concrete and 39,000 tonnes (43,000 ST; 38,000 LT) of steel rebar, and construction will have taken 22 million man-hours.[6]
As construction of the tower progresses, it becomes increasingly difficult to vertically pump the thousands of cubic metres of concrete that are required. The previous record for pumping concrete on any project was set during the extension of the Riva del Garda Hydroelectric Power Plant in Italy in 1994, when concrete was pumped to a height of 532 m (1,745 ft). Burj Dubai exceeded this height on 19 August 2007, and as of 8 November 2007 concrete was pumped to a delivery height of 601 m (1,972 ft).[20]
Special mixes of concrete are made to withstand the extreme pressures of the massive weight of the tower; as is typical with reinforced concrete construction, each batch of concrete is tested and checked to see whether it can withstand certain pressures. The concrete pumps, pipelines and booms are provided by Putzmeister, of Aichtal, Germany.
The consistency of the concrete used in the project is essential. It was difficult to create a concrete that could withstand both the thousands of tonnes bearing down on it and Persian Gulf temperatures that can reach Template:Convert/C. To combat this problem, the concrete is not poured during the day. Instead, ice is added to the mixture and it is poured at night when it is cooler and the humidity is higher. A cooler concrete mixture cures evenly throughout and therefore is less likely to set too quickly and crack. Any significant cracks could put the whole project in jeopardy.
The unique design and engineering challenges of building Burj Dubai have been featured in a number of TV documentaries, including the Big, Bigger, Biggest series on the National Geographic and Five channels, and the Mega Builders series on the Discovery Channel.
Burj Dubai is being built primarily by immigrant engineers and workers from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, China and the Philippines.[36] Press reports indicated in 2006 that skilled carpenters at the site earned UK£4.34 a day, and labourers earned UK£2.84.[36]
On 21 March 2006, about 2,500 workers upset over buses that were delayed for the end of their shifts rioted, damaging cars, offices, computers, and construction equipment.[36] A Dubai Interior Ministry official said the rioters caused almost UK£500,000 in damage.[36] Most of the workers involved in the riot returned the following day but refused to work.[36]
As of 17 June 2008 there are 7,500 skilled workers employed in the construction of Burj Dubai.[2]
Burj Dubai has been designed to be the centerpiece of a large-scale, mixed-use development that will include 30,000 homes, nine hotels such as the Burj Dubai Lake Hotel & Serviced Apartments, 3 hectares (Template:Convert/LonAonSoffNa) of parkland, at least 19 residential towers, the Dubai Mall, and the 12-hectare (Template:Convert/LoffAonSonNa) man-made Burj Dubai Lake.
The building will return the title of Earth's tallest free-standing structure to the Middle East—a title not held by the region since 1311 when Lincoln Cathedral in England surpassed the height of the Great Pyramid of Giza, which had held the title for almost four millennia.
The decision to build Burj Dubai is reportedly based on the government's decision to diversify from a trade-based economy to one that is service- and tourism-oriented. According to officials, it is necessary for projects like Burj Dubai to be built in the city to garner more international recognition, and hence investment. "He [Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum] wanted to put Dubai on the map with something really sensational," said Jacqui Josephson, a tourism and VIP delegations executive at Nakheel Properties.[37]
Burj Dubai
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Burj Dubai in Skyline on 24 December
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Burj dubai 3.11.
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Burj Dubai
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2008-10-26
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Burj Dubai
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Burj Dubai
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Burj Dubai |
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! colspan="3" style="background: #FFF179;" |Records
|- style="text-align: center;"
|- style="text-align:center;"
|width="30%" align="center" rowspan="1"|Preceded by
Warsaw Radio Mast
646.38 m (2,120.67 ft)
|width="40%" style="text-align: center;" rowspan="1"|World's tallest structure ever built
2008 – present
|width="30%" align="center" rowspan="1"| Succeeded by
Incumbent
|-
|- style="text-align: center;"
|- style="text-align:center;"
|width="30%" align="center" rowspan="1"|Preceded by
KVLY-TV mast
628.8 m (2,063 ft)
|width="40%" style="text-align: center;" rowspan="1"|World's tallest structure
2008 – present
|width="30%" align="center" rowspan="1"| Succeeded by
Incumbent
|-
|- style="text-align: center;"
|- style="text-align:center;"
|width="30%" align="center" rowspan="1"|Preceded by
CN Tower
553.33 m (1,815.39 ft)
|width="40%" style="text-align: center;" rowspan="1"|World's tallest free-standing structure
2007 – present
|width="30%" align="center" rowspan="1"| Succeeded by
Incumbent
|-
|- style="text-align: center;"
|- style="text-align:center;"
|width="30%" align="center" rowspan="1"|Preceded by
Taipei 101
509.2 m (1,670.6 ft)
|width="40%" style="text-align: center;" rowspan="1"|World's tallest building architectural element
2007 – present
|width="30%" align="center" rowspan="1"| Succeeded by
Incumbent
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Coordinates: 25°11′49.7″N 55°16′26.8″E / 25.197139°N 55.274111°E
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