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Burj Khalifa

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The Burj Khalifa is a megatall skyscraper located in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Burj Khalifa (worlds tallest building) and the Dubai skyline (25781049892)
Burj Khalifa (worlds tallest building) and the Dubai skyline (25781049892)

It currently holds the title of the world's tallest structure. The total height of the building reaches 829.8 meters, which is just over half a mile. The roof height, including a 242.6 meter spire, is 828 meters. This massive tower surpassed Taipei 101 to take the record in 2009. It serves as the centerpiece for a large mixed-use development called Downtown Dubai.

Comparisonfinal001fx7
Comparisonfinal001fx7

To support such extreme height, engineers used a specific structural design. The building features a Y-shaped tripartite floor geometry. This shape helps optimize the available space for hotels and residential areas. A buttressed central core provides the primary strength for the tower. Three wings extend from this core to provide extra support. As the tower rises, it features 27 setbacks in a spiral pattern. These setbacks decrease the cross-section of the building as it goes up. This specific shape helps minimize wind loading from vortices and eddy currents.

The exterior of the building is protected by a complex cladding system. This system consists of more than 26,000 reflective glass panels. It also includes aluminum and textured stainless steel spandrel panels. These materials help the building withstand the intense heat of the Dubai desert. The glass provides solar and thermal performance to keep the interior comfortable. It also acts as an anti-glare shield against the strong sun. Because of the height, the temperature at the top can be 6 °C cooler than at the base.

Burj dubai aerial closeup
Burj dubai aerial closeup

Many specialized teams worked to complete this engineering marvel. The architecture and engineering were performed by the firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. Adrian Smith served as the chief architect for the project. Bill Baker acted as the chief structural engineer. The primary construction contractor was Samsung C&T from South Korea. They worked alongside the Belgian group BESIX and the local company Arabtec. Construction began on January 12, 2004. The exterior was finished five years later, and the building officially opened on January 4, 2010.

Burj Khalifa floors
Burj Khalifa floors

Building the tower was a major economic decision for the region. Dubai wanted to diversify its economy away from oil. The goal was to build a service and tourism-based economy. Officials believed large projects would attract international investment and recognition. During construction, Dubai faced financial challenges due to the 2008 Great Recession. The developer, Emaar Properties, experienced financial problems during this time. The United Arab Emirates government provided necessary financial support. Because of this help, the name was changed from Burj Dubai to Burj Khalifa. This honored Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the former president of the UAE.

The Burj Khalifa holds many impressive world records. It is the tallest existing structure and the tallest freestanding structure ever built. It also holds the record for the building with the most floors, totaling 163. The tower features the world's highest elevator installation and the longest travel distance elevators. Inside, the building contains 57 elevators and 8 escalators. Some elevators are double-deck models that can rise at 10 meters per second. The tower also hosts the world's highest restaurant, At.mosphere, on the 122nd floor.

View from burj khalifa6934713247 db12c311cb o
View from burj khalifa6934713247 db12c311cb o

There are many unique details within the tower's design. The architecture draws inspiration from regional Islamic architecture. For example, the spiral patterns are reminiscent of the Great Mosque of Samarra.

Samara spiralovity minaret rijen1973
Samara spiralovity minaret rijen1973

The building contains the 304-room Armani Hotel within its lower floors. Residential apartments occupy floors 20 through 108. The tower also uses a smart water system. It supplies an average of 950,000 liters of water every day. This system uses a condensate collection method to collect water for irrigating nearby parks. The building is a massive system of engineering, architecture, and urban planning.

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🖼️ Images & Media (12)
File:Burj Khalifa (worlds tallest building) and the Dubai skyline (25781049892).jpg
Burj Khalifa (worlds tallest building)...
File:Comparisonfinal001fx7.png
Comparisonfinal001fx7.png
File:Samara spiralovity minaret rijen1973.jpg
Samara spiralovity minaret rijen1973.jpg
File:Dubai Fountain 7.JPG
Dubai Fountain 7.JPG
File:Dubai Fountain from At The Top of Burj Khalifa.JPG
Dubai Fountain from At The Top of Burj Khalifa.JPG
File:View from burj khalifa6934713247 db12c311cb o.jpg
View from burj khalifa6934713247 db12c311cb o.jpg
File:Burj Khalifa floors.svg
Burj Khalifa floors.svg
Burj Dubai Evolution.ogv
File:Burj dubai aerial closeup.jpg
Burj dubai aerial closeup.jpg
File:Burj Dubai 001.jpg
Burj Dubai 001.jpg
File:Burj khalifa fireworks (cropped).jpg
Burj khalifa fireworks (cropped).jpg
File:P1040471 (14230484239).jpg
P1040471 (14230484239).jpg
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