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Burj Khalifa

Burj Khalifa
برج خليفة
Burj Khalifa.jpg
The Burj Khalifa in October 2012
Former names Burj Dubai
Record height
Tallest in the world since 2009
Preceded by Taipei 101
General information
Status Complete
Type Mixed-use
Architectural style Neo-futurism
Location 1 Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Boulevard, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Coordinates 25°11′49.7″N 55°16′26.8″E / 25.197139°N 55.274111°E / 25.197139; 55.274111Coordinates: 25°11′49.7″N 55°16′26.8″E / 25.197139°N 55.274111°E / 25.197139; 55.274111
Construction started 6 January 2004
Completed Intended: September 2009; Revised: 2 December 2009
Opened 4 January 2010
Cost USD $ 1.5 billion
Height
Architectural 828 m (2,717 ft)
Tip 829.8 m (2,722 ft)
Roof 828 m (2,717 ft)
Top floor 584.5 m (1,918 ft) (Level 154)
Observatory 555.7 m (1,823 ft) (Level 148)
Technical details
Material Glass, steel, aluminium, reinforced concrete
Floor count 163 above ground. 154 usable floors
plus 9 maintenance levels (46 spire levels) and 2 below-ground parking levels
Floor area 309,473 m2 (3,331,100 sq ft)
Lifts/elevators 57 (55 single deck and 2 double deck), made by Otis Elevator Company
Design and construction
Architect Adrian Smith at SOM
Developer Emaar Properties
Structural engineer Bill Baker at SOM
Main contractor
Website
www.burjkhalifa.ae

The Burj Khalifa (Arabic: برج خليفة‎‎, Arabic for "Khalifa Tower"; pronounced English /ˈbɜːr kəˈlfə/), known as the Burj Dubai before its inauguration, is a megatall skyscraper in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It is the tallest structure in the world, standing at 829.8 m (2,722 ft).

Construction of the Burj Khalifa began in 2004, with the exterior completed 5 years later in 2009. The primary structure is reinforced concrete. The building was opened in 2010 as part of a new development called Downtown Dubai. It is designed to be the centrepiece of large-scale, mixed-use development. The decision to build the building is reportedly based on the government's decision to diversify from an oil-based economy, and for Dubai to gain international recognition. The building was named in honour of the ruler of Abu Dhabi and president of the United Arab Emirates, Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan; Abu Dhabi and the UAE government lent Dubai money to pay its debts. The building broke numerous height records, including its designation as the tallest tower in the world.

Burj Khalifa was designed by Adrian Smith, then of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), whose firm designed the Willis Tower and One World Trade Center. Hyder Consulting was chosen to be the supervising engineer with NORR Group Consultants International Limited chosen to supervise the architecture of the project. The design of Burj Khalifa is derived from patterning systems embodied in Islamic architecture, incorporating cultural and historical elements particular to the region, such as in the Great Mosque of Samarra. The Y-shaped plan is designed for residential and hotel usage. A buttressed core structural system is used to support the height of the building, and the cladding system is designed to withstand Dubai's summer temperatures. It contains a total of 57 elevators and 8 escalators.


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