Burj Khalifa

The Burj Khalifa (previously known as Burj Dubai before it opened) is a megatall skyscraper in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It is the world's tallest structure, standing at 829.8 meters, which is about half a mile high. Since it was completed in 2009, it has been the tallest building in the world, even taller than Taipei 101.

Construction began in 2004 and took five years to finish the outside. The building is made mostly of reinforced concrete, with some structural steel that came from a building in Berlin. It opened in 2010 in an area called Downtown Dubai, meant to be the center of a large area where people live, work, and play.

The building is named after Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the former president of the United Arab Emirates. During a difficult time for the developer, Emaar Properties, the government helped with money, and the building’s name was changed to honor this help. The design of the Burj Khalifa is inspired by the Islamic architecture of the region, like the Great Mosque of Samarra, and it includes special features to handle Dubai’s hot weather. Inside, there are 57 elevators and 8 escalators to help people move around easily.

Development

Construction of the Burj Khalifa began on January 12, 2004. The exterior was finished on October 1, 2009. The building opened on January 4, 2010. It is in the 2 km² Downtown Dubai area near Sheikh Zayed Road.

The tower was designed by the firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. Adrian Smith was the chief architect and Bill Baker was a chief structural engineer. They had designed the Sears Tower in Chicago before. The main contractor was Samsung C&T from South Korea. They worked with BESIX from Belgium and the local company Arabtec.

Conception

Burj Khalifa was designed to be the center of a big development with many homes, hotels, parks, and skyscrapers, including the Dubai Mall. Dubai wanted to grow beyond its oil-based economy and attract more visitors and investment when they decided to build it.

The tower was first called Burj Dubai until it opened in January 2010. Then it was renamed to honor the ruler of Abu Dhabi, Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Even with challenges from the 2008 financial crisis, the project continued and became an important symbol for Dubai.

Records

The Burj Khalifa has set many world records. It is the tallest building in the world, measuring 829.8 meters (2,722 feet). It is also the tallest skyscraper, with its spire reaching 828 meters (2,717 feet). It has the most floors of any building, with 163 floors.

Some of its other records include the world's highest elevator, the longest travel distance for elevators, and the highest restaurant on the 122nd floor at 442 meters (1,450 feet). The building also holds records for the highest vertical concrete pumping, the highest aluminium and glass façade, and it has the world's largest light and sound show.

Architecture and design

The tower was designed by Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill (SOM). They also designed the Willis Tower in Chicago and the One World Trade Center in New York City. Burj Khalifa uses a special design called the bundled tube. This design saves steel and makes the building stronger. The shape of the tower is inspired by Islamic architecture. It has a spiral pattern that helps reduce wind. At the top, there is a tall spire made of steel. Inside, the building has homes, offices, hotels, and observation decks. It also has very fast elevators and systems to manage water and air conditioning.

Features

Fountain

Main article: The Dubai Fountain

Outside the Burj Khalifa, WET Enterprises made a big fountain. It shoots water high into the air and has colorful lights. The fountain plays music and is the largest in the world. It was named the Dubai Fountain after a contest.

Observation deck

Main article: At the Top (Burj Khalifa)

The Burj Khalifa has an observation deck on the 124th floor. Visitors can look out over the city from there. Later, an even higher area opened on the 148th floor. The building also has a very high lounge, the tallest in the world. The deck has a special device that shows different views of the area.

Park

Main article: Burj Park

The Burj Khalifa is surrounded by a nice park. The park looks like a desert flower called the Hymenocallis. There are pools, fountains, and benches. The plants get water from the building’s cooling system.

Floor plan

The Burj Khalifa has many floors in its tall shape. Each floor has a different use, like offices or special rooms. This makes the building a busy place. The way it is built helps it grow very tall while staying safe and comfortable for people inside.

Ramadan observance

On the higher floors of the Burj Khalifa, the sun can be seen a little later than on the ground. People living above the 80th floor wait two extra minutes to break their Ramadan fast. Those above the 150th floor wait three extra minutes. This helps everyone enjoy the tradition based on where they live in the building.

Construction

The Burj Khalifa was built by a team from Samsung C&T in South Korea, together with companies from Belgium and the UAE. They used strong concrete and steel for the tower’s structure. Special pumps were made to pour concrete high up in the building, and they planned carefully to keep the concrete strong even in very hot weather.

Important moments during building include starting excavation in January 2004, reaching higher floors over the years, and finishing the tower in 2010. It became the tallest building in the world when it was done.

Controversies

The building of the Burj Khalifa caused worries about how workers were treated. Many workers were from South Asia and East Asia because local UAE citizens often chose government jobs instead. Reports said these workers had bad living conditions and low wages.

There were also some serious incidents where people fell from very high floors of the building. These events showed that safety measures needed to be very careful at such tall buildings.

Main articles: Human rights in the United Arab Emirates

New Year's Eve

Emaar New Year's Eve is a special celebration held every year on December 31st at the Burj Khalifa, organized by Emaar Properties. The event includes exciting fireworks, colorful lights and lasers on the building, and a beautiful fountain show at The Dubai Fountain that matches the music.

This tradition started in 2010 when the Burj Khalifa opened as the world's tallest building. The show is watched by millions of people around the world. Over the years, it has earned two Guinness World Records, including for having the "Largest LED-Illuminated Facade" in 2015 and 2019.

BASE jumping

The Burj Khalifa has been used for very high BASE jumps. In January 2010, two men jumped from a platform on the 160th floor, breaking a world record. In April 2014, two experienced French BASE jumpers jumped from the very top, breaking another record. These jumps were done with permission.

Climbing

On March 28, 2011, Alain "Spiderman" Robert climbed the outside of the Burj Khalifa. He reached the top in six hours. He used a rope and harness to stay safe during the climb.

Awards

In June 2010, Burj Khalifa won the "Best Tall Building Middle East & Africa" award from the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat. Later that year, on September 28, it also won the award for the best project of the year at the Middle East Architect Awards 2010. Awards Chair Gordon Gill praised the building for changing architectural possibilities and called it an international icon even before it was finished. Burj Khalifa has received several other awards for its design and construction.