Burj Khalifa
| Burj Khalifa | |
|---|---|
برج خليفة | |
The Burj Khalifa viewed across the Dubai Fountain in October 2012 | |
| 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 | Dubai, United Arab Emirates |
| Address | 1 Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Boulevard |
| Country | United Arab Emirates |
| Named for | Sheikh Khalifa |
| Construction started | 6 January 2004 |
| Topped-out | 17 January 2009 |
| Completed | 1 October 2009 |
| Opened | 4 January 2010 |
| 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(s) | 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 | M1 At Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall |
| Website | |
| burjkhalifa | |
| References | |
The Burj Khalifa (known as the Burj Dubai prior to its inauguration) is a megatall skyscraper located in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. 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 includes a 242.6 m spire) of 828 m (2,717 ft), it is the world's tallest structure. And it also has held the record of the tallest building in the world since its topping out in 2009, surpassing the Taipei 101, who was the holder of that status since 2004.
Construction of the Burj Khalifa began in 2004, with the exterior completed five years later in 2009. The primary structure is reinforced concrete and some of the structural steel for the building originated from the Palace of the Republic in East Berlin, the seat of the former East German parliament. 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. 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. The structure also features a cladding system which is designed to withstand Dubai's hot summer temperatures. It contains a total of 57 elevators and 8 escalators.