Burj Dubai (Arabic: ??? ???? Dubai Tower) is a skyscraper under construction in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and is the tallest man-made structure on Earth. Construction began on September 21, 2004, and it is expected to be completed and ready for occupation in September 2009.[1]
The building is part of the 2 km² (0.8 sq mi) development called Downtown Dubai and is located at the First Interchange (aka Defence Roundabout) along Sheikh Zayed Road at Doha Street. The towers architect is Adrian Smith[4] who worked with Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (SOM) until 2006.[5] SOM is the architecture and engineering firm in charge of the project.[4] The primary builder is Samsung Engineering & Construction, along with Besix and Arabtec.[6] Turner Construction Company was chosen as the construction manager.[7]
The total budget for the Burj Dubai project is about US$ 4.1 billion and for the entire new Downtown Dubai, US$ 20 billion. 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 $4,000 per sq ft and that the Armani Residences, also in Burj Dubai, were selling for $3,500 per sq ft
Current height
As of 12 May 2008, Burj Dubai has reached a height of 636 m (2,087 ft), with more than 160 completed floors.[9]
Burj Dubais final milestone will be to surpass the Warsaw radio mast in Konstantynów near G?bin, Poland (which stood at 646.4 m (2,121 ft) until it collapsed in 1991) to become the worlds tallest structure of any type ever built.
Timeline of events
September 21, 2004
Emaar contractors begin construction of Burj Dubai.
February 2007
Burj Dubai surpasses the Sears Tower as the building with the most floors.
May 13, 2007
Burj Dubai 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.[10]
July 21, 2007
Burj Dubai surpasses Taipei 101 which stands at a height of 509.2 m (1,671 ft) and was the tallest building on Earth. The previous day, the head of the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH), Antony Wood, had confirmed that it surpassed the height of Taipei 101 structurally (concrete). However, he also added 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 worlds tallest until that happens.[11][12]
August 12, 2007
Burj Dubai surpassed the height of the Sears Tower antenna which stands at a height of 527.3 m (1,730 ft).
September 3, 2007
Burj Dubai becomes the second-tallest freestanding structure, surpassing the 540 m (1,772 ft) Ostankino Tower in Moscow.
September 12, 2007
At 555.3 m (1,822 ft), Burj Dubai becomes the worlds tallest freestanding structure on land, surpassing CN Tower in Toronto.[13]
April 7, 2008
Emaar announces that the Burj Dubai, at 629 m (2,064 ft), has surpassed the KVLY-TV Mast to become the tallest man-made structure on earth.[14]
Current records
Burj Dubai in March 2008Tallest structure: 636 m (2,087 ft) (previously KVLY-TV mast - 628.8 m (2,063 ft))
Tallest freestanding structure: 636 m (2,087 ft) (previously CN Tower - 553.3 m (1,815 ft))
Building with most floors: 164 (previously Sears Tower / |
