Dubai helicopter tour business travelers

Dubai helicopter tour business travelers

Dubai helicopter tour airport transfer

Dubai's skyline is a promise made in glass and steel: ambition, speed, possibility. Dubai helicopter tour executive travel . For business travelers, a helicopter tour of the city isn't just a thrill-it's a fast, efficient way to grasp the shape of a market, reward a team, or host a client in a way that reflects the scale of their ambitions. Dubai helicopter tour airport transfer In a destination built to impress, an aerial perspective turns the city's story into a single, unforgettable frame: the geometric precision of Palm Jumeirah, the blade of Dubai Marina, the desert giving way to towers, and the Burj Khalifa rising like an exclamation point.


Time is the first currency of business travel, and a helicopter makes the most of it. In 12 to 45 minutes you can compress what would take half a day in cars and meeting rooms. That overview helps you prioritize: which neighborhoods are densifying, how logistics corridors run, where coastal developments sit in relation to ports, free zones, or conference venues. For real estate, hospitality, retail, or infrastructure professionals, the vantage point transforms PowerPoint into reality. Even if you aren't in a built-environment field, the flight doubles as a concise orientation, sharpening your sense of the city before negotiations or site visits begin.


Then there's the hospitality value.

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For client entertainment, a helicopter tour telegraphs competence and care without feeling ostentatious; it's experiential, memorable, and mercifully short.

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A morning flight before a working lunch keeps energy high and schedules intact. For internal teams-especially those touching down from different time zones-a shared aerial experience breaks the ice better than another coffee in a lobby bar. It's a practical choice for MICE itineraries as well: a dynamic kick-off or a closing flourish around a conference.


Dubai's helicopter tours are operated by licensed companies overseen by the UAE's General Civil Aviation Authority. You'll fly pre-approved routes for safety and airspace management, often tracing the coastline to take in the Palm, the World Islands, Downtown, and the Marina, with the desert on the horizon. Most flights use modern, quiet helicopters with wide windows and headsets for narration. Pilots seat passengers by weight for balance, so expect to provide your weight at booking and at check-in. You'll need a government-issued ID or passport; arrive in advance for safety briefings, and plan for security-style checks and lockers for loose items.


For business travelers, a little planning goes a long way:



  • Timing: Early mornings typically offer the smoothest air and clearest visibility before haze builds. Winter months often have excellent light; occasional morning fog in cooler seasons can delay departures, so keep buffer time before critical meetings. Late afternoons can be dramatic for photos, but weather and traffic to the helipad may be less predictable.

  • Booking: Shared tours are the simplest option for one or two travelers; private charters allow control over timing, seating, and privacy. Dubai helicopter tour hotel transfer If confidentiality matters, chartering is worth the premium. Ask for a VAT-compliant invoice and confirm payment methods in advance; corporate travel teams usually appreciate an emailed itinerary and receipt with clear terms.

  • Duration and routes: Short loops focus on icons; longer flights stitch the city together and may extend along the coast. If you need to view specific sites, discuss this at the time of booking-operators must respect fixed routes and restricted zones, but can sometimes align windows or seat assignments to help.

  • Safety and comfort: Wear darker clothing to minimize window reflections in photos. Avoid loose accessories and high heels; rotor wash is stronger than you expect. If you're prone to motion sickness, choose a morning slot, eat light, and request a forward-facing seat if possible.

  • Photography and privacy: Professional camera gear and filming may require prior approval; drones are a separate regulatory domain and not permitted from helicopters. Be mindful of restricted sites and client confidentiality when shooting.

  • Weather and cancellations: Helicopter tours are weather-dependent. Reputable operators will reschedule or refund for weather-related cancellations-clarify policies beforehand to avoid surprises.

  • Accessibility: If anyone in your party has mobility needs, ask about boarding assistance, seating configurations, and weight or size limits. Not every aircraft or helipad can accommodate wheelchairs, but many operators will try to help.


Corporate considerations matter too.

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For groups, consider staggering departures to keep the workflow smooth; the lounge area at the helipad can double as a casual networking space. If your company has sustainability guidelines, ask about fuel-efficient aircraft, shared-flight options, or carbon-offset programs; while helicopters are energy-intensive, some operators partner with offset providers. For brand-sensitive outings, request discretion at check-in and cabin seating that places hosts next to key clients. If the purpose is due diligence-say, scoping a development-brief the operator in advance so the narration can prioritize relevant landmarks.


What about integrating a flight into a packed agenda? A practical arc looks like this: early-flight orientation; late morning site visits or meetings; working lunch nearby; afternoon focused sessions informed by the aerial overview; evening free for client engagement or rest. If you're hosting, keep logistics simple-choose a helipad within a short transfer of your meeting venue, avoid peak road traffic, and prearrange transport on both ends. Build in a 30-minute buffer; you'll thank yourself if weather or air traffic control imposes a delay.


Finally, let the experience work on more than one level.

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A helicopter tour is a powerful story: a team seeing the same horizon; a client glimpsing the city they're investing in; a traveler connecting a global strategy to a physical place. Dubai is designed to be read from above-the engineered palm fronds, the curving canal, the sudden edge where city stops and dunes begin. For business travelers, that bird's-eye view becomes a strategic tool and a shared memory. It's efficient, yes. But it also reminds you why you came: to understand, to decide, to build-and to be inspired by the scale of what's possible.

For other uses, see Burj (disambiguation).
This article is about Burj Al Arab Jumeirah. For other uses, see Borg El Arab (disambiguation).

 

Burj Al Arab
برج العرب
Jumeirah Burj Al Arab in 2007
Map
Interactive map of the Burj Al Arab
برج العرب area
General information
Status Completed
Type Luxury hotel
Architectural style Structural expressionism
Location Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Construction started 10 July 1994; 31 years ago (1994-07-10)
Completed 1999; 27 years ago (1999)
Opening 1 December 1999; 26 years ago (1999-12-01)[1]
Cost US$1 billion[2]
Management Jumeirah
Height
Architectural 321 m (1,053 ft)
Top floor 197.5 m (648 ft)
Technical details
Floor count 56 (3 below ground)[3]
Lifts/elevators 18[3]
Design and construction
Architect Tom Wright of WKA
Developer Jumeirah Group
Structural engineer Atkins
Main contractor Murray & Roberts / Concor
Other information
Number of rooms 202[3]
Website
www.jumeirah.com/en/stay/dubai/burj-al-arab-jumeirah Edit this at Wikidata
References
[3][4][5][6][7]

The Jumeirah Burj Al Arab (Arabic: برج العرب, lit. 'Arab Tower'), commonly known as Burj Al Arab, is a luxury hotel in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.[8] Developed and managed by Jumeirah, it is one of the tallest hotels in the world, although 39% of its total height is made up of non-occupiable space.[9][10][11] Burj Al Arab stands on an artificial island that is 280 m (920 ft) from Jumeirah Beach and is connected to the mainland by a private curving bridge. The shape of the structure is designed to resemble the sail of a dhow.[12] It has a helipad near the roof, at a height of 210 m (689 ft) above ground.

Site

[edit]

The beachfront area where Jumeirah Burj Al Arab and Jumeirah Beach Hotel are located was previously called Chicago Beach.[13] The hotel is located on an island of reclaimed land, 280 m (920 ft) offshore of the beach of the former Chicago Beach Hotel. The former hotel was demolished during the construction of the Burj Al Arab.[14] The locale's name had its origins in the Chicago Bridge & Iron Company, which at one time welded giant floating oil storage tanks, known locally as Kazzans, on the site.[13]

History

[edit]

The Burj Al Arab was designed by the British multidisciplinary consultancy Atkins, led by architect Tom Wright of WKA. He came up with the iconic design and signature translucent fiberglass facade that serves as a shield from the desert sun during the day and as a screen for illumination at night.[15] The design and construction were managed by Canadian engineer Rick Gregory, and construction managed by David Kirby also of WS Atkins. The Burj Al Arab's interior is by British-Chinese designer Khuan Chew. Construction of the island began in 1994 and involved up to 2,000 construction workers during peak construction. Two "wings" spread in a V to form a vast "mast", while the space between them is enclosed in a massive atrium. The setting of a high rise building on saturated soil and the novelty of the project required groundbreaking dynamic analysis and design to take into consideration soil-structure interaction, effect of water, high winds, and helipad among other loads, to help finalize the design and take the project into construction.[16][failed verification]

The hotel was built by South African construction contractor Murray & Roberts, now renamed Concor and Al Habtoor Engineering. The interior designs were led and created by Khuan Chew and John Carolan of KCA international and delivered by UAE based Depa Group.[17]

The building opened on 1 December 1999.[1] The New Year's Eve fireworks celebration originated in 2000 with the inauguration of the United Arab Emirates.

The hotel's helipad was designed by Irish architect Rebecca Gernon.[18] The helipad is at the building's 28th floor, and the helipad been used as a car race track, a boxing ring, has hosted a tennis match, and the jumping off point for the highest kite surfing jump in history.[19]

In 2017, the hotel hosted the wedding of Daniel Kinahan, head of the Kinahan Organized Crime Group.[20] The wedding was attended by several prominent drug traffickers, such as Ridouan Taghi, Edin Gačanin, 'Ricardo (El Rico) Riquelme Vega, and Raffaele Imperiale.[20]

Features

[edit]
An AgustaWestland A109E Power landing on the Burj Al Arab's helipad

Several features of the hotel required complex engineering feats to achieve. The hotel rests on an artificial island constructed 280 m (920 ft) offshore. To secure a foundation, the builders drove 230 40-metre-long (130 ft) concrete piles into the sand by drilling method.[21]

Engineers created a ground surface layer of large rocks, which is circled with a concrete honeycomb pattern, which serves to protect the foundation from erosion. It took three years to reclaim the land from the sea, while it took less than three years to construct the building itself. The building contains over 70,000 m3 (92,000 yd3) of concrete and 9,000 tons of steel.[21]

Inside the building, the atrium is 180 m (590 ft) tall.[22]

Given the height of the building, the Burj Al Arab is the world's fifth tallest hotel after Gevora Hotel, JW Marriott Marquis Dubai, Four Seasons Place Kuala Lumpur and Rose and Rayhaan by Rotana. But if buildings with mixed use were stripped off the list, the Burj Al Arab would be the world's third tallest hotel. The structure of the Rose Rayhaan, also in Dubai, is 333 metres (1,093 ft) tall,[23] 12 m (39 ft) taller than the Burj Al Arab, which is 321 metres (1,053 ft) tall.[23]The Burj Al Arab's helipad, located 210 meters above ground, has been the site of several high-profile events, including a tennis match between Roger Federer and Andre Agassi, and stunts by Red Bull athletes.[citation needed]

Rooms and suites

[edit]

The hotel is managed by the Jumeirah Group. The hotel has 199 exclusive suites each allocated eight dedicated staff members and a 24-hour butler service.[24] The smallest suite occupies an area of 169 m2 (1,820 sq ft), the largest covers 780 m2 (8,400 sq ft).[25]

The Royal Suite, billed at US$24,000 per night, is listed at number 12 on World's 15 most expensive hotel suites compiled by CNN Go in 2012.[26]

The Burj Al Arab is very popular with the Chinese market, which made up 25 percent of all bookings at the hotel in 2011 and 2012.[27]

Restaurants

[edit]
Al Muntaha
Al Mahara

There are six restaurants in the hotel, including:

Al Muntaha ("The Ultimate"), is located 200 m (660 ft) above the Persian Gulf, offering a view of Dubai. It is supported by a full cantilever that extends 27 m (89 ft) from either side of the mast, and is accessed by a panoramic elevator.[citation needed]

Al Mahara ("Oyster"), which is accessed via a simulated submarine voyage, features a large seawater aquarium, holding roughly 990,000 L (260,000 US gal) of water. The wall of the tank, made of acrylic glass in order to withstand the water pressure, is about 18 cm (7.1 in) thick.[citation needed]

Rating

[edit]

While the hotel has sometimes been described as "the world's only 'seven-star' hotel", the hotel management claims never to have done so themselves. The term appeared due to a British journalist who had visited the hotel on a tour before it was officially opened. The journalist described Burj al Arab as "more than anything she has ever seen" and therefore referred to it as a seven-star hotel.[28] A Jumeirah Group spokesperson said "There's not a lot we can do to stop it. We're not encouraging the use of the term. We've never used it in our advertising."[29]

Reception

[edit]

Burj Al Arab has attracted criticism as "a contradiction of sorts, considering how well-designed and impressive the construction ultimately proves to be."[25] The contradiction here seems to be related to the hotel's decor. "This extraordinary investment in state-of-the-art construction technology stretches the limits of the ambitious urban imagination in an exercise that is largely due to the power of excessive wealth." Another critic includes negative critiques for the city of Dubai as well: "both the hotel and the city, after all, are monuments to the triumph of money over practicality. Both elevate style over substance."[25] Yet another: "Emulating the quality of palatial interiors, in an expression of wealth for the mainstream, a theater of opulence is created in Burj Al Arab ... The result is a baroque effect".[25]

[edit]

The last chapter of the espionage novel Performance Anomalies[30][31] takes place at the top of the Burj Al Arab,[32] where the spy protagonist Cono 7Q discovers that through deadly betrayal his spy nemesis Katerina has maneuvered herself into the top echelon of the government of Kazakhstan. The hotel can also be seen in Syriana and also some Bollywood movies.[which?]

Richard Hammond included the building in his television series Richard Hammond's Engineering Connections.

The Jumeirah Burj Al Arab serves as the cover image for the 2009 album Ocean Eyes by Owl City.

The Burj Al Arab was the site of the last task of the fifth episode of the first season of the Chinese edition of The Amazing Race, where teams had to clean up a room to the hotel's standards.[33][34]

The building is featured in Matthew Reilly's novel The Six Sacred Stones, where a kamikaze pilot crashes a plane into the hotel, destroying it in an attempt to kill the protagonist, Jack West Jr.

The building was the location of the main challenge of the ninth episode of the Canadian-American animated television series Total Drama Presents: The Ridonculous Race,[35] where contestants were tasked to either return a serve from a tennis robot on the hotel's helipad, or squeegee an entire column of the hotel's windows.

See also

[edit]
  • W Barcelona (Hotel Vela) – skyscraper of similar appearance in Barcelona, Spain (sail)
  • Oman TiT – residential skyscraper of similar appearance in Taipei, Taiwan (sail)
  • Elite Plaza – a similar-shaped skyscraper in Yerevan, Armenia
  • JW Marriott Panama (Panama City) – similar structure
  • Spinnaker Tower, Portsmouth – similar structure in Portsmouth, UK
  • Vasco da Gama Tower – a skyscraper of similar appearance in Lisbon, Portugal (sail)
  • Sail Tower – a skyscraper of similar appearance in Haifa, Israel (sail)
  • List of tallest buildings in the United Arab Emirates
  • List of buildings in Dubai
  • List of tallest buildings in Dubai

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Media Fact File of Burj Al Arab" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 August 2018. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
  2. ^ Swibel, Matthew (15 March 2014). "Forbes.com: Arabian Knight". www.forbes.com. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
  3. ^ a b c d "Burj Al Arab Hotel – The Skyscraper Center". Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  4. ^ "Emporis building ID 107803". Emporis. Archived from the original on 15 February 2020.
  5. ^ "Burj Al Arab". SkyscraperPage.
  6. ^ Burj Al Arab at Structurae
  7. ^ "Stay at Burj Al Arab". Jumeirah. Archived from the original on 25 December 2018. Retrieved 4 January 2010.
  8. ^ Eytan, Declan. "Milan: Inside the World's Only Certified 7 Star Hotel". Forbes. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  9. ^ "Vanity Height: the Use-less Space in Today's Tallest". CTBUH. Archived from the original on 17 November 2013. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
  10. ^ "Study: Skyscrapers Topped by Wasted Space". World Property Channel. 6 September 2013. Archived from the original on 13 November 2013. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
  11. ^ Solon, Olivia (6 September 2013). "Report names and shames vanity skyscrapers with unnecessary spires". Wired. Archived from the original on 15 November 2013. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
  12. ^ "Burj Al Arab". www.atkinsglobal.com. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
  13. ^ a b Krane, Jim City of Mud: Dubai and the Dream of Capitalism, page 103, St. Martin's Press (15 September 2009)
  14. ^ "Dubai's Chicago Beach Hotel". Dubai As It Used To Be. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
  15. ^ "Lonely Planet | Travel Guides & Travel Information". Lonely Planet. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
  16. ^ Chalhoub, Michel Soto (1993). "Structural Design and Deep Foundation Soil-Structure Interaction of Burj-Al-Arab - A Comparison of Two Alternatives". Parsons Engineering.
  17. ^ Pantin, Travis (17 February 2009). "Depa announces strong growth". The National. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
  18. ^ "From the inside out". Construction Week Online Middle East. March 2011.
  19. ^ "Global Gateway". CNN. 1 July 2020. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  20. ^ a b Caesar, Ed (20 October 2025). "The Cocaine Kingpin Living Large in Dubai". The New Yorker. ISSN 0028-792X.
  21. ^ a b "Burj Al Arab". EgyptEng.com engineering directory. 2000. Archived from the original on 17 January 2007. Retrieved 24 January 2007.
  22. ^ "VIDEO: Burj Al Arab's 15th anniversary 'dream'". HotelierME. 28 November 2014.
  23. ^ a b "The world's 17 tallest hotels – for the ultimate room with a view". The Telegraph. 11 February 2016. ISSN 0307-1235. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  24. ^ "Burj Al Arab". www.jumeirah.com. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
  25. ^ a b c d Damluji, Salma Samar, The Architecture of the U.A.E.. Reading, UK: 2006.
  26. ^ Arnold, Helen "World's 15 most expensive hotel suites" Archived 2 November 2012 at the Wayback Machine CNN Go. 25 March 2012. Retrieved 11 April 2012
  27. ^ "Jumeirah gets ravenous for China". TTGmice. Archived from the original on 5 June 2013. Retrieved 27 March 2013.
  28. ^ Parr, Christopher. "Burj Al Arab Jumeirah, Dubai: Inside The 7 Star Luxury Hotel". Business Insider. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
  29. ^ Bundhun, Rebecca (14 July 2009). "Hotel star ratings standards long overdue". The National. Retrieved 10 December 2010.
  30. ^ "Performance Anomalies". Goodreads. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  31. ^ Lee, Victor Robert (20 December 2012). Performance Anomalies. USA: Perimeter Six. ISBN 978-1-938409-22-6.
  32. ^ Lee, Victor Robert (15 January 2013). Performance Anomalies: A Novel. Perimeter Six Press. p. 327. ISBN 978-1-938409-20-2.
  33. ^ "Burj Al Arab hotel stars in Chinese reality TV show". Arabian Business. 18 November 2014. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  34. ^ "卓美亚集团与「极速前进」首次合作" [Jumeirah Group collaborates with The Amazing Race for the first time]. Neeu (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 27 July 2020. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  35. ^ "Press Release". corusent.com. Archived from the original on 15 July 2014. Retrieved 16 June 2014.

Further reading

[edit]
  • Rose, Steve (28 November 2005). "Architecture: Sand and freedom". The Guardian.
[edit]
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Burj Al Arab (category)
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Burj Khalifa
برج خليفة
Wordmark and logo based on official website and Facebook page
The Burj Khalifa viewed across the Dubai Fountain in October 2012
Map
Interactive map of the Burj Khalifa area
Record height
Tallest in the world since 2009 [I]
Preceded by Taipei 101
General information
Status Completed
Type Mixed-use
Architectural style Neo-futurism
Location 1 Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Boulevard, Dubai, Emirate of Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Named for Sheikh Khalifa
Construction started 6 January 2004; 22 years ago (2004-01-06)
Topped-out 17 January 2009; 17 years ago (2009-01-17)
Completed 1 October 2009; 16 years ago (2009-10-01)
Opened 4 January 2010; 16 years ago (2010-01-04)
Cost US$1.5 billion
Owner Emaar Properties
Height
Architectural 828 m (2,717 ft)
Tip 829.8 m (2,722 ft)
Antenna spire 242.5 m (796 ft)
Roof 739.4 m (2,426 ft)
Top floor 585.4 m (1,921 ft)
Observatory 555.7 m (1,823 ft)
Technical details
Structural system Reinforced concrete, steel, and aluminium
Floor count 154 + 9 maintenance
Floor area 309,473 m2 (3,331,100 sq ft)
Lifts/elevators 57 (mall included)
Design and construction
Architect Adrian Smith
Architecture firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
Structural engineer Bill Baker
Main contractor Samsung C&T
BESIX
Arabtec
Other information
Parking 2 subterranean levels
Public transit access Metro interchange  M1  At Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall
Website
burjkhalifa.ae
References
[1]
Photographic silhouette of the Dubai skyline; the Burj Khalifa is visible at the center

The Burj Khalifa[a] (known as the Burj Dubai before its inauguration) is a megatall skyscraper in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, it is the world's tallest structure, with a total height of 829.8 m (2,722 ft, or just over half a mile) and a roof height (excluding the antenna, but including a 242.6 m spire)[2] of 828 m (2,717 ft). It has also been the tallest building in the world since its topping out in 2009, surpassing Taipei 101, which had held the record for a half-decade.[3][4]

Construction of the Burj Khalifa began in 2004; the exterior was completed five years later. The primary structure is reinforced concrete. Some of the structural steel for the building was salvaged from the demolished Palace of the Republic in East Berlin.[5] The building was opened in 2010 as part of a new development called Downtown Dubai. It was designed to be the centerpiece of large-scale, mixed-use development.

The building is named after the former president of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.[6] The United Arab Emirates government provided Dubai with financial support as the developer, Emaar Properties, experienced financial problems during the Great Recession. Then-president of the United Arab Emirates, Khalifa bin Zayed, organized federal financial support. For his support, Mohammad bin Rashid, Ruler of Dubai, changed the name from "Burj Dubai" to "Burj Khalifa" during inauguration.

The design is derived from the Islamic architecture of the region, such as in the Great Mosque of Samarra. The Y-shaped tripartite floor geometry is designed to optimise residential and hotel space. A buttressed central core and wings are used to support the height of the building. The Burj Khalifa's central core houses all vertical transportation except egress stairs within each of the wings.[7] The structure also features a cladding system which is designed to withstand Dubai's hot summer temperatures.[8] It contains a total of 57 elevators and 8 escalators.

Development

[edit]

Construction began on 12 January 2004, with the exterior of the structure completed on 1 October 2009. The building officially opened on 4 January 2010[9][10] and is part of the 2 km2 (490 acres) Downtown Dubai development at the 'First Interchange' along Sheikh Zayed Road, near Dubai's main business district.[citation needed]

The tower's architecture and engineering were performed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill of Chicago, with Adrian Smith as chief architect, and Bill Baker as a chief structural engineer.[11][12] The firm had designed the Sears Tower in Chicago, a previous record holder for the world's tallest building.[13]

Hyder Consulting was supervising engineer and NORR Group Consultants supervised the architecture. The primary contractor was Samsung C&T of South Korea, together with the Belgian group BESIX and the local company Arabtec.[14]

Numerous complaints concerned migrant workers from South Asia, the primary building labour force, who were paid low wages and sometimes had their passports confiscated.[15]

Conception

[edit]

Burj Khalifa was designed to be the centerpiece of a large-scale, mixed-use development to include 30,000 homes,[16] nine hotels (including The Address Downtown Dubai), 3 hectares (7.4 acres) of parkland, at least 19 residential skyscrapers, the Dubai Mall, and the 12-hectare (30-acre) artificial Burj Khalifa Lake. The decision to build Burj Khalifa was reportedly based on the government's decision to diversify from an oil-based economy to one that is service and tourism based. According to officials, projects like Burj Khalifa needed to be built 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.[17]

The tower was known as Burj Dubai ("Dubai Tower") until its official opening in January 2010.[18] It was renamed in honour of the ruler of Abu Dhabi, Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan; Abu Dhabi and the federal government of UAE lent Dubai tens of billions of US dollars so that Dubai could pay its debts – Dubai borrowed at least $80 billion for construction projects.[18] In the 2000s, Dubai started diversifying its economy but it suffered from the 2008 financial crisis and the Great Recession, leaving large-scale projects already in construction abandoned.[19]

Records

[edit]

The Burj Khalifa set several world records, including:

  • Tallest existing structure: 829.8 m (2,722 ft) (previously KVLY-TV mast – 628.8 m or 2,063 ft)
  • Tallest structure ever built: 829.8 m (2,722 ft) (previously Warsaw radio mast – 646.38 m or 2,121 ft)
  • Tallest freestanding structure: 829.8 m (2,722 ft) (previously CN Tower – 553.3 m or 1,815 ft)
  • Tallest skyscraper (to top of spire): 828 m (2,717 ft) (previously Taipei 101 – 509.2 m or 1,671 ft)[20]
  • Tallest skyscraper to top of antenna: 829.8 m (2,722 ft) (previously the Willis (formerly Sears) Tower – 527 m or 1,729 ft)
  • Building with most floors: 163 (previously World Trade Center – 110)[21]
  • World's highest elevator installation (situated inside a rod at the very top of the building)[22]
  • World's longest travel distance elevators: 504 m (1,654 ft)[22][23]
  • Highest vertical concrete pumping (for a building): 606 m (1,988 ft)[24]
  • World's tallest structure that includes residential space[25]
  • World's highest installation of an aluminium and glass façade: 512 m (1,680 ft)[26]
  • World's highest restaurant (At.mosphere): 122nd floor at 442 m (1,450 ft) (previously 360, at a height of 350 m (1,148 ft) in CN Tower)[27]
  • World's highest New Year display of fireworks.[28]
  • World's largest light and sound show staged on a single building.[29][30][31]

Architecture and design

[edit]
A cross-section of comparisons of various towers, from ground level from top to bottom: Burj Khalifa, Taipei 101, Willis Tower, and the original World Trade Center

The tower was designed by Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill (SOM), which also designed the Willis Tower (formerly the Sears Tower) in Chicago and the One World Trade Center in New York City. Burj Khalifa uses the bundled tube design of the Willis Tower, invented by Fazlur Rahman Khan.[32][33] Due to its tubular system, proportionally only half the amount of steel was used in the construction, compared to the Empire State Building.[32][34] Khan's contributions to the design of tall buildings have had a profound impact on architecture and engineering. It would be difficult to find any worldwide practices in the design of tall buildings that have not been directly or indirectly influenced by his work.[35] The design is reminiscent of Frank Lloyd Wright's vision for The Illinois, a mile-high skyscraper designed for Chicago, as well as Chicago's Lake Point Tower. When Adrian Smith was conceiving the project at SOM, he looked out his office window toward Lake Point Tower's curved three-wing layout and thought, "There's the prototype".[36] According to Strabala, Burj Khalifa was designed based on the 73 floor Tower Palace Three, an all-residential building in Seoul. In its early planning, Burj Khalifa was intended to be entirely residential.[37]

After the original design by Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill, Emaar Properties chose Hyder Consulting to be the supervising engineer and NORR Group Consultants International Ltd to supervise the architecture of the project.[38] Hyder was selected for their expertise in structural and MEP (mechanical, electrical and plumbing) engineering.[39] Hyder Consulting's role was to supervise construction, certify the architect's design, and be the engineer and architect of record to the UAE authorities.[38] NORR's role was the supervision of all architectural components including on-site supervision during the construction and design of a 6-storey addition to the office annex building for architectural documentation. NORR was also responsible for the architectural integration drawings for the Armani Hotel included in the Tower. Emaar Properties also engaged GHD,[40] an international multidisciplinary consulting firm, to act as an independent verification and testing authority for concrete and steelwork.

The design is derived from Islamic architecture.[22] As the tower rises from the flat desert base, there are 27 setbacks in a spiral pattern, decreasing the cross-section of the tower as it rises and creating convenient outdoor terraces. These setbacks are arranged and aligned in a way that minimizes vibration wind loading from eddy currents and vortices.[7] At the top, the central core emerges and is sculpted to form a finishing spire. At its tallest point, the tower sways a total of 1.5 m (4.9 ft).[41]

The spiral minaret at the Great Mosque of Samarra

The spire of Burj Khalifa is composed of more than 4,000 tonnes (4,400 short tons; 3,900 long tons) of structural steel. The central pinnacle pipe weighs 350 tonnes (390 short tons; 340 long tons) and has a height of 200 m (660 ft). The spire also houses communications equipment.[42] This 244-metre (801 ft) spire is widely considered vanity height, since very little of its space is usable. Without the spire, Burj Khalifa would be 585 metres (1,919 ft) tall. This was reported in a Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat study, which notes that the empty spire "could be a skyscraper on its own".[2] Such a skyscraper, if located in Europe, would be the 11th tallest building on that continent.[43]

In 2009 architects announced that more than 1,000 pieces of art would adorn the interiors of Burj Khalifa, while the residential lobby of Burj Khalifa would display the work of Jaume Plensa.[44]

The cladding system consists of 142,000 m2 (1,528,000 sq ft) of more than 26,000 reflective glass panels and aluminium and textured stainless steel spandrel panels with vertical tubular fins.[42] The architectural glass provides solar and thermal performance as well as an anti-glare shield for the intense desert sun, extreme desert temperatures and strong winds. The glass covers more than 174,000 m2 (1,870,000 sq ft) in area.[citation needed] The Burj's typical curtain wall panels measure 4 ft 6 in (1.4 m) wide by 10 ft 8 in (3.3 m) high and weigh about 800 pounds (360 kg) each, with wider panels near the building's edges and taller ones near the top.[45]

The exterior temperature at the top of the building is thought to be 6 °C (11 °F) cooler than at its base.[46][needs update]

A 304-room Armani Hotel, the first of 4 by Armani, occupies 15 of the lower 39 floors.[3][47] The hotel was supposed to open on 18 March 2010,[48][49] but after several delays, it finally opened to the public on 27 April 2010.[50] The corporate suites and offices were also supposed to open from March onwards,[51] yet the hotel and observation deck remained the only parts of the building which were open in April 2010.

The sky lobbies on the 43rd and 76th floors house swimming pools.[52] Floors 20 through 108 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 is located on the 76th floor of the tower. Corporate offices and suites fill most of the remaining floors, except for the 122nd, 123rd, and 124th, where the At.mosphere restaurant, sky lobby, and an indoor and outdoor observation deck are located respectively. In January 2010, it was planned that Burj Khalifa would receive its first residents in February 2010.[52][53]

The building has 57 elevators and 8 escalators.[42] The elevators have a capacity of 12 to 14 people per cabin, and include the world's fastest double-deck elevators, rising and descending at up to 10 m/s (33 ft/s). Engineers initially considered installing the world's first triple-deck elevators.[25] The double-deckers are equipped with LCD displays to amuse visitors during their travel to the observation deck.[54] The building has 2,909 stairs from the ground floor to the 160th floor.[55]

Plumbing systems

[edit]

The Burj Khalifa's water system supplies an average of 946,000 L (250,000 U.S. gal) of water per day through 100 km (62 mi) of pipes.[22][56] An additional 213 km (132 mi) of piping serves the fire emergency system, and 34 km (21 mi) supplies chilled water for the air conditioning system.[56]

Air conditioning

[edit]

The air conditioning system draws air from the upper floors where the air is cooler and cleaner than on the ground.[57] At peak cooling times, the tower's cooling is 46 MW (62,000 hp), equivalent to that provided by 13,000 short tons (26,000,000 lb; 12,000,000 kg) of melting ice in one day.[56] Water is collected via a condensate collection system and is used to irrigate the nearby park.[22]

Window cleaning

[edit]

To wash the 24,348 windows, totaling 120,000 m2 (1,290,000 ft2) of glass, the building has three horizontal tracks, each holding a 1,500 kg (3,300 lb) bucket machine. Above level 109, and up to tier 27, traditional cradles from davits are used. The top of the building is cleaned by a crew that uses ropes to descend from the top to gain access.[58][59] Under normal conditions, when all building maintenance units are operational, it takes 36 workers three to four months to clean the entire exterior.[42][60]

Unmanned machines clean the top 27 additional tiers and the glass spire. The cleaning system was developed in Melbourne, Australia, by CoxGomyl, a manufacturer of building maintenance units,[61] at a cost of A$8 million.[60]

Features

[edit]

Fountain

[edit]
The Dubai Fountain
Main article: The Dubai Fountain

Outside the Burj Khalifa, WET Enterprises designed a fountain system at a cost of Dh 800 million (US$217 million). Illuminated by 6,600 lights and 50 coloured projectors, it is 270 m (900 ft) long and shoots water 150 m (500 ft) into the air while accompanied by a range of classical to contemporary Arabic and other music. It is the world's largest choreographed fountain.[62] On 26 October 2008, Emaar announced that based on results of a naming contest the fountain would be called the Dubai Fountain.[63]

Observation deck

[edit]
Main article: At the Top (Burj Khalifa)
View of The Dubai Fountain from the observation deck
View from the observation deck

An outdoor observation deck, named At the Top, opened on 5 January 2010 on the 124th floor, at 452 m (1,483 ft).[64] It opened the 148th floor SKY level at 555 m (1,821 ft), giving it the highest observation deck in the world on 15 October 2014.[65][66] However, in June 2016 the Shanghai Tower opened with an observation deck at a height of 561 metres, thus taking the title of the world's highest observation deck. Subsequently, the Burj Khalifa reclaimed the record on February 18, 2019, when it opened The Lounge observatory at 585 m (1,919 ft), which is also the highest lounge in the world.[67]

The Burj Khalifa's 124th floor observation deck also features a so-called electronic telescope, an augmented reality device developed by Gsmprjct° of Montréal, which allows visitors to view the surrounding landscape in real-time, and to view previously saved images such as those taken at different times of day or under different weather conditions.[68][69][70] To reduce the daily rush of sightseers, management allows visitors to purchase tickets in advance for a specific date and time, at a 75% discount on tickets purchased on the spot.[71]

On 8 February 2010, the observation deck was closed to the public for two months after power-supply problems caused an elevator to become stuck between floors, trapping a group of tourists for 45 minutes.[72][73][74][75][76]

When the tide is low and visibility is high, people can see the shores of Iran (which is around 153 km or 95 mi away) from the top of the skyscraper.[77]

Park

[edit]
Main article: Burj Park

Burj Khalifa is surrounded by an eleven-hectare (27-acre) park designed by landscape architects SWA Group.[78] Like the tower, the park's design was based on the flower of the Hymenocallis, a desert plant.[79] At the centre of the park is the water room, which is a series of pools and water jet fountains. Benches and signs incorporate images of Burj Khalifa and the Hymenocallis flower.[80]

The plants are watered by water collected from the building's cooling system. The system provides 68,000,000 L (18,000,000 US gal) annually.[80] WET Enterprises, who also developed the Dubai Fountain, developed the park's six water features.[81]

Floor plan

[edit]
Floors Purpose[42][82] Dimetric projection with floors colour-coded by function[83]
160–163 Mechanical
 
156–159 Communication and broadcast
155 Mechanical
152–154 The Lounge observatory
149–151 Corporate suites
148 At the Top Sky observatory
139–147 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 Residential
17–18 Mechanical
9–16 Armani Residences
1–8 Armani Hotel
Ground Armani Hotel, Lobby
Concourse Armani Hotel, Lobby
B1–B2 Parking, Mechanical

Ramadan observance

[edit]

On the higher floors, the sun is seen for several minutes after it has set at ground level. Those living above the 80th floor should wait two extra minutes to break their Ramadan fast, and those living above the 150th floor should wait three minutes.[84]

Construction

[edit]
Animation of construction process
Aerial closeup of Burj Khalifa under construction in March 2008

The tower was constructed by Samsung C&T from South Korea, which also did work on the Petronas Twin Towers and Taipei 101.[85] Samsung C&T built the tower in a joint venture with BESIX from Belgium and Arabtec from the UAE.[86][87] Turner was the project manager on the main construction contract.[88] Hong Kong-based Far East Aluminium combined to provide the exterior cladding for Burj Khalifa.[89][90]

The contractor and the engineer of record was Hyder Consulting.[91] Under UAE law, the contractor and the engineer of record is jointly and severally liable for the performance of Burj Khalifa.

The primary structure is reinforced concrete. Putzmeister created a new, super high-pressure trailer concrete pump, the BSA 14000 SHP-D, for this project.[24] Burj Khalifa's construction used 330,000 m3 (431,600 cu yd) of concrete and 55,000 tonnes (61,000 short tons; 54,000 long tons) of steel rebar, and construction took 22 million man-hours.[11] In May 2008 Putzmeister pumped concrete with more than 21 MPA ultimate compressive strength of gravel to surpass the 600 metres weight of the effective area of each column from the foundation to the next 4th level, and the rest was by metal columns jacketed or covered with concrete to a then world record delivery height of 606 m (1,988 ft),[24] the 156th floor. Three tower cranes were used during the construction of the uppermost levels, each capable of lifting a 25-tonne load.[92] The remaining structure above was constructed of lighter steel.

In 2003, 33 test holes were drilled to study the strength of the bedrock underlying the structure.[93] "Weak to very weak sandstone and siltstone" was found, just metres below the surface.[94] Samples were taken from test holes drilled to a depth of 140 metres, finding weak to very weak rock all the way.[95] The study described the site as part of a "seismically active area".[citation needed] Another challenging element was the shamal which often creates sandstorms.[20]

Over 45,000 m3 (58,900 cu yd) of concrete, weighing more than 110,000 tonnes (120,000 short tons; 110,000 long tons) were used to construct the concrete and steel foundation, which features 192 piles; each pile is 1.5 metre in diameter by 43 m in length, buried more than 50 m (164 ft) deep.[25] The foundation was designed to support the total building weight of approximately 450,000 tonnes (500,000 short tons; 440,000 long tons). This weight was then divided by the compressive strength of concrete which is 30 MPa which yielded 450 sq. metres of vertical normal effective area, which then yielded 12 metres by 12 metres dimensions.[96] A cathodic protection system is under the concrete to neutralise the sulphate and chloride-rich groundwater and prevent corrosion.[42][20]

During the construction of the Burj Khalifa, over 35,000 tonnes of structural steel was obtained from the Palace of the Republic in Berlin, which had served as the parliament building for the Volkskammer of the former East Germany. The steel was shipped to Dubai after the Palace's demolition was completed in 2008.[5]

The Burj Khalifa is highly compartmentalised. Pressurised, air-conditioned refuge floors are located every 13 floors (on floors G, 13, 26, 39, 52, etc.) where people can shelter on their long walk down to safety in case of an emergency or fire.[42][97]

Special mixes of concrete were made to withstand the extreme pressures of the massive building weight; as is typical with reinforced concrete construction, each batch of concrete was tested to ensure it could withstand certain pressures. CTLGroup, working for Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, conducted the creep and shrinkage testing critical for the structural analysis of the building.[98]

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 was cooler and the humidity was higher. Cooler concrete cures more evenly and is, therefore, less likely to set too quickly and crack. Any significant cracks could have put the entire project in jeopardy.[99][100][101][102][103]

Milestones

[edit]
Burj Khalifa and skyline of Dubai, 2010
  • January 2004: Excavation commences.[26]
  • February 2004: Piling starts.[26]
  • 21 September 2004: Emaar contractors begin construction.[104]
  • March 2005: Structure of Burj Khalifa starts rising.[26]
  • June 2006: Level 50 is reached.[26]
  • February 2007: Surpasses the Sears Tower as the building with the most floors.
  • 13 May 2007: Sets record for vertical concrete pumping on any building at 452 m (1,483 ft), surpassing the 449.2 m (1,474 ft) to which concrete was pumped during the construction of Taipei 101, while Burj Khalifa reached the 130th floor.[26][105]
  • 21 July 2007: Surpasses Taipei 101, whose height of 509.2 m (1,671 ft) made it the world's tallest building, and level 141 reached.[26][106]
  • 12 August 2007: Surpasses the Sears Tower antenna, which stands 527 m (1,729 ft).
  • 12 September 2007: At 555.3 m (1,822 ft), becomes the world's tallest freestanding structure, surpassing the CN Tower in Toronto, and level 150 reached.[26][107]
  • 7 April 2008: At 629 m (2,064 ft), surpasses the KVLY-TV Mast to become the tallest human-made structure, level 160 reached.[26][108]
  • 17 June 2008: Emaar announces that Burj Khalifa's height is over 636 m (2,087 ft) and that its final height will not be given until it is completed in September 2009.[109]
  • 1 September 2008: Height tops 688 m (2,257 ft), making it the tallest human-made structure ever built, surpassing the previous record-holder, the Warsaw Radio Mast in Konstantynów, Poland.[110]
  • 17 January 2009: Topped out at 829.8 m (2,722 ft).[111]
  • 1 October 2009: Emaar announces that the exterior of the building is completed.[112]
  • 4 January 2010: Burj Khalifa's official launch ceremony is held and Burj Khalifa is opened. Burj Dubai was renamed Burj Khalifa in honour of the President of the UAE and ruler of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahyan.[4]
  • 10 March 2010: Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat certifies Burj Khalifa as world's tallest building.[113]

Real estate values

[edit]

In March 2009, Mohamed Ali Alabbar, chairman of the project's developer, Emaar Properties, said office space pricing at Burj Khalifa reached US$4,000 per sq ft (over US$43,000 per m2) and the Armani Residences, also in Burj Khalifa, sold for US$3,500 per sq ft (over US$37,500 per m2).[114] He estimated the total cost for the project to be about US$1.5 billion.[6]

The project's completion coincided with the Great Recession, and with vast overbuilding in the country, leading to high vacancies and foreclosures.[115] With Dubai mired in debt from its huge ambitions, the government was forced to seek multibillion-dollar bailouts from its oil-rich neighbor Abu Dhabi. Subsequently, in a surprise move at its opening ceremony, the tower was renamed Burj Khalifa, said to honour the UAE President Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan for his crucial support.[4][116]

Because of the slumping demand in Dubai's property market, the rents in the Burj Khalifa plummeted 40% some ten months after its opening. Out of 900 apartments in the tower, 825 were still empty at that time.[117][118] Over the next 30 months, overseas investors steadily bought up available apartments and office space.[119] By October 2012, Emaar reported that around 80% of the apartments were occupied.[120]

Official launch ceremony

[edit]
The opening ceremony of Burj Khalifa

The ceremony was broadcast live on a giant screen on Burj Park Island and on smaller screens elsewhere.[121] Hundreds of media outlets from around the world reported live from the scene.[122] In addition to the media presence, 6,000 guests were expected.[123]

The opening was held on 4 January 2010.[124] The ceremony featured a display of 10,000 fireworks, light beams projected on and around the tower, and further sound, light and water effects.[122] The celebratory lighting was designed by UK lighting designers Speirs and Major Associates.[125] Using the 868 powerful stroboscope lights that are integrated into the façade and spire of the tower, different lighting sequences were choreographed, together with more than 50 different combinations of other effects.[citation needed]

Controversies

[edit]

Incidents

[edit]

On 10 May 2011, an Asian migrant worker in his mid-30s jumped to his death from the 147th floor onto the 108th floor's deck. Dubai police said he killed himself because his company refused to let him leave the country.[126]

On 18 May 2015, Dubai police disputed a report that a Portuguese tourist named Laura Vanessa Nunes fell to her death from the Burj Khalifa the prior 16 November, claiming that she fell from the Jumeirah Lake Towers.[127][128] Nine News obtained emails from Portugal's embassy in the UAE under freedom of information laws, which indicated that the female tourist jumped from the 148th floor of the Burj Khalifa.[129]

Labour

[edit]
Further information: Human rights in the United Arab Emirates

The Burj Khalifa was built primarily by workers from South Asia and East Asia.[130][131] This is generally because the current generation of UAE locals prefer governmental jobs and do not have an attitude favouring private sector employment.[132][133] On 17 June 2008, there were about 7,500 skilled workers employed at the construction site.[109] Press reports indicated in 2006 that skilled carpenters at the site earned £4.34 a day, and labourers earned £2.84.[130] According to a BBC investigation and a Human Rights Watch report, the workers were housed in abysmal conditions, and worked long hours for low pay.[134][135][136] During construction, one construction-related death was reported.[137] Workplace injuries and deaths in the UAE are poorly documented, according to Human Rights Watch.[134]

In March 2006 about 2,500 workers, upset over buses that were delayed for the end of their shifts, protested and triggered a riot, damaging cars, offices, computers, and construction equipment.[130] A Dubai Interior Ministry official said the rioters caused almost £500,000 in damage.[130] Most of the workers involved in the riot returned the following day but refused to work.[130]

New Year's Eve

[edit]

Emaar New Year's Eve is an annual event held every 31 December at Burj Khalifa, organised by Emaar Properties.[138][139] The event consists of fireworks launched from Burj Khalifa, a light and laser show on the facade of Burj Khalifa, and an accompanying soundtrack and a special fountain show on The Dubai Fountain choreographed to the soundtrack.[140][141] The Emaar New Year's Eve fireworks celebration originated in 2010 with the inauguration of the world's tallest building, Burj Khalifa. The celebration was broadcast live to more than 2 million people and lasted for 3 minutes.[142]

Since 2011, national live broadcasting rights have been held by Dubai Media Incorporated and Dubai TV.[142]

Emaar New Year's Eve has won two Guinness World Records, including "Largest LED-Illuminated Facade" in 2015 and 2019.[143][144][145]

In 2017 and 2018, Emaar New Year's Eve was broadcast live on Twitter,[146][147] and YouTube. In 2020, it was broadcast live for the first time on Zoom.[148]

In 2021, Emaar celebrated solidarity in honour of frontline workers of the COVID-19 pandemic.[149]

For the 2022 event, a laser feature was installed on The Dubai Fountain in sync with the Burj Khalifa's laser and fireworks show.[150]

BASE jumping

[edit]

The building has been used by several experienced BASE jumpers for authorised and unauthorised BASE jumping:

In May 2008, Hervé Le Gallou and David McDonnell, dressed as engineers, entered Burj Khalifa (around 650 metres (2,130 ft) at the time), and jumped off a balcony situated several floors below the 160th floor.[151][152]

On 8 January 2010, with permission of the authorities, Nasr Al Niyadi and Omar Al Hegelan, from the Emirates Aviation Society, broke the world record for the highest BASE jump from a building after they leapt from a crane-suspended platform attached to the 160th floor at 672 m (2,205 ft). The two men descended the vertical drop at a speed of up to 220 km/h (140 mph), with enough time to open their parachutes 10 seconds into the 90-second jump.[153][154]

On 21 April 2014, with permission of the authorities and support from several sponsors, highly experienced French BASE jumpers Vince Reffet and Fred Fugen broke the Guinness world record for the highest BASE jump from a building after they leapt from a specially designed platform, built at the very top of the pinnacle, at 828 metres (2,717 feet).[155][156][157]

Climbing

[edit]

On 28 March 2011, Alain "Spiderman" Robert scaled the outside of Burj Khalifa. The climb to the top of the spire took 6 hours. To comply with UAE safety laws, Robert, who usually climbs in free solo style, used a rope and harness.[158]

Awards

[edit]
Burj Khalifa artwork project made of Lego in Bricksworld 2014

In June 2010, Burj Khalifa was the recipient of the 2010 "Best Tall Building Middle East & Africa" award by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat.[159] On 28 September 2010 Burj Khalifa won the award for the best project of the year at the Middle East Architect Awards 2010.[160] Awards Chair Gordon Gill, of Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture, said:

We are talking about a building here that has changed the landscape of what is possible in architecture – a building that became internationally recognized as an icon long before it was even completed. 'Building of the Century' was thought a more apt title for it.[161]

Burj Khalifa was also the recipient of the following awards.[162][163]

Year Award
2012 Award of Merit for World Voices Sculpture, Burj Khalifa Lobby from Structural Engineers Association of Illinois (SEAOI), Chicago.
2011 Interior Architecture Award, Certificate of Merit from AIA – Chicago Chapter.
Distinguished Building Award, Citation of Merit from AIA – Chicago Chapter.
Interior Architecture Award: Special Recognition from AIA – Chicago Chapter.
Design Excellence Award: Special Function Room.
Excellence in Engineering from ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers) – Illinois Chapter.
Outstanding Structure Award from International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering.
Decade of Design, Presidential Commendation in Corporate Space Small from International Interior Design Association (IIDA).
Decade of Design • Best of Category/Mixed Use Buildings from International Interior Design Association (IIDA).
GCC Technical Building Project of the Year from MEED (formerly Middle East Economic Digest).
Project of the Year from MEED.
2010 International Architecture Award.
Arab Achievement Award 2010: Best Architecture Project from Arab Investment Summit.
Architecture Award (Mixed Use) Dubai from Arabian Property Awards.
Architecture Award (Mixed Use) Arabian Region from Arabian Property Awards.
International Architecture Award from Chicago Athenaeum.
American Architecture Award from Chicago Athenaeum.
Commercial / Mixed Use Built from Cityscape.
Best Mixed Use Built Development in Cityscape Abu Dhabi.
Skyscraper Award: Silver Medal from Emporis.
Award for Commercial or Retail Structure from Institution of Structural Engineers.
International Architecture Award (Mixed Use) from International Commercial Property Awards.
Special Recognition for Technological Advancement from International Highrise Awards.
Best Structural Design of the Year from LEAF Award.
International Projects Category: Outstanding Project from National Council of Structural Engineers Associations.
Best of What's New from Popular Science Magazine.
Spark Awards, Silver Award.
Excellence in Structural Engineering: Most Innovative Structure from SEAOI.

See also

[edit]
  • List of buildings in Dubai
  • List of buildings with 100 floors or more
  • List of development projects in Dubai
  • List of tallest buildings and structures
  • List of tallest freestanding structures
  • List of tallest buildings in Dubai
  • List of tallest buildings in the United Arab Emirates
  • List of tallest buildings
  • List of tallest structures
  • Jeddah Tower

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Arabic: بُرْج خَلِيفَة, Burj Khalīfah, pronounced [bʊrd͡ʒ xaˈliːfa], lit. 'Khalifa tower'

References

[edit]
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[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
Burj Khalifa (category)
  • Official website
  • "The Burj Dubai Tower Wind Engineering" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 December 2023. Retrieved 12 January 2026. (597 KB) (Structure magazine, June 2006)
  • "The Wind Engineering of the Burj Dubai Tower" (PDF). Archived from the original on 14 September 2017.cite web: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) (620 KB) (Irwin et al., November 2006)
  • BBC reports: Burj Khalifa opening, with video and links; Maintaining the world's tallest building
  • Geographic data related to Burj Khalifa at OpenStreetMap
 
 
 
 

25°11′50″N 55°16′27″E / 25.1972°N 55.2742°E / 25.1972; 55.2742

 

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Excellent ride experience, super view of Dubai with safety .

Helicopter Ride and Tours Dubai, Al Warsan Building - near Media Rotana, Ground Floor - Al Thanyah First - Barsha Heights - Dubai - United Arab Emirates

Simon Pickrell

(5)

Great flight, really friendly staff & sweet helicopter. Views were great & got lots of pictures. 👍

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25.10009760139, 55.170044837913
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Helicopter Ride and Tours Dubai, Al Warsan Building - near Media Rotana, Ground Floor - Al Thanyah First - Barsha Heights - Dubai - United Arab Emirates
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Helicopter Ride and Tours Dubai, Al Warsan Building - near Media Rotana, Ground Floor - Al Thanyah First - Barsha Heights - Dubai - United Arab Emirates
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Helicopter Ride and Tours Dubai, Al Warsan Building - near Media Rotana, Ground Floor - Al Thanyah First - Barsha Heights - Dubai - United Arab Emirates
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Helicopter Ride and Tours Dubai, Al Warsan Building - near Media Rotana, Ground Floor - Al Thanyah First - Barsha Heights - Dubai - United Arab Emirates
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