Burj Dubai - by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill

[Alonzo-ny]

Ive noticed that a lot of what dubai is building is tacky or crap or both, it seems as though they just want to build as much as possible as quick as possible and alot of it is ugly as hell!

[MidtownGuy]

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/163/430706229_c661cdeeaf_o.jpg

[ablarc]

It seems to me that at this time the Sears Tower has the highest occupiable floor. If the method of determining such things were rational, it would obviously be the tallest building in the world. Counting or not counting crowns, spires and antennas requires hair splitting of the kind that allowed folks to calculate the number of angels who could dance on a pinhead.

The plain fact, visible in the diagram: Sears Tower is the world's tallest building on March 22, 2007.

But not for long.

[homeandaway]

its about half-way-up built nowadays isnt, its also grown very fast within the last year aswell!.
~AleX~

[burjdubai_91]

The issue of which is the REAL Burj Dubai height had baffled many Burj Dubai enthusiasts... Is the Emaar Official Height Release the real deal? or are they pulling another stunt to prevent competitors to know its real height? After all, The Al Burj or The Pinnacle can make a formidable threat against The Burj's 800+ something height. What is The Burj's REAL height? If the old height was followed... The Burj will be like the 4th tallest skyscraper by now... Thanks! :)

[ld876]

Credit going back to http://www.burjdubaiskyscraper.com (http://www.burjdubaiskyscraper.com/) here is a photo from April 23 , 2007.

Also, moving up the 'tallest' list rapidly, currently the BD is #5, at 436m (1430 ft) and on level 123 (this nice little chart, again, from the above link).

1. Taipei 101 509 m 101 floors completed in 2004
2. Petronas Tower 1 452 m 88 1998
3. Petronas Tower 2 452 m 88 1998
4. Sears Tower 442 m 108 1974
5. Burj Dubai 436 m 123 U/C

http://www.burjdubaiskyscraper.com/2007/04April/burjdubai-april2303.jpg

[TREPYE]

^ So far it is the worlds tallest concrete assembly. Where is that glass???:confused:

[sharewadi]

^ So far it is the worlds tallest concrete assembly. Where is that glass???:confused:

Something to do with Burj Dubai cladding contractor going bust (http://www.dubaisharetalk.com/viewtopic.php?t=1916). Cladding is expected to arrive this month (May 2007) from a new company.

[wns808]

looks like some glass is already installed on this building. Can't wait to see it fully cladded

http://www.burjdubaiskyscraper.com/2007/06June/burjdubai061411.jpg

[wns808]

http://www.burjdubaiskyscraper.com/2007/06June/burjdubai061602.jpg

[ld876]

Update from over at http://www.burjdubaiskyscraper.com/2007/06June/2007June.html

There are 15 new pics at the link above. Here are a few snagged from these wonderful people...there are many (MANY) more pictures at their site.

http://www.burjdubaiskyscraper.com/2007/06June/burjdubai060304.jpg

http://www.burjdubaiskyscraper.com/2007/06June/burjdubai060302.jpg

http://www.burjdubaiskyscraper.com/2007/06June/burjdubai060402.jpg

[Eugenious]

I don't know, the fact that its all alone by itself kinda fails to give a true messure of its height or presence. It doesn't look that great right now. Maybe that will change with the glass.

[MidtownGuy]

There will be scores of towers surrounding it. Many of them are currently under construction.

[ld876]

I don't know, the fact that its all alone by itself kinda fails to give a true measure of its height or presence. It doesn't look that great right now. Maybe that will change with the glass.

I'm the same way -- it's hard to reference how tall it is. The glass looks a tad ho-hum, maybe it will just come together once it's all there.

[ld876]

For a 94th floor apartment, nearly 3,000 sq feet, $2.5 million dollars doesn't seem insane (I've been in NY too long, ha).

http://www.burjdubaiskyscraper.com/property.html

Burj Dubai: 3 bedroom apt. - 94th floor:
Unit 9404
Price: 10,500,000 AED
Size: 2920 square feet
Plan:
http://www.burjdubaiskyscraper.com/Apt/apt94thb.jpg (http://www.burjdubaiskyscraper.com/Apt/apt94th.jpg)

[SilentPandaesq]

^^Yea, but you then have to live in Dubai. Not that Dubai isn't a nice place, but 2.5 mil to live in SimCity: Sandpit. No thanks. I will just stay at the 11 star hotel or something.

[MidtownGuy]

I know what you're saying, but a lot of these will be secondary homes for the very wealthy. Also, you have to think ahead a little bit, to when it won't look like a sand pit. With desalinated water and millions of dollars in landscaping, it will be transformed. At one time Vegas was a sandpit too. Look at it now, and it's miles from a single beach. Dubai will make Las Vegas look like something built by prarie dogs.

[ld876]

Ha, I can't (won't) leave NY! Just putting it out there for those who may be in NY that want to leave ;-)

[Viktorkrum77]

Ha, I can't (won't) leave NY! Just putting it out there for those who may be in NY that want to leave ;-)

I doubt many will put their freedoms on the line to move permanently to Dubai.

I wonder if any Jews are moving there. I smell disaster. :eek:

[jaja3000jaja]

On their site it says that they are already on the 138th floor!! I wouldn't want to be one of the construction workers, that tower must sway quite a bit by now.
http://www.burjdubaiskyscraper.com/2007/07July/wtb-burj-0110.jpg

http://www.burjdubaiskyscraper.com/2007/07July/wtb-burj-0106.jpg

http://www.burjdubaiskyscraper.com/2007/07July/wtb-burj-0402.jpg

all pictures from http://www.burjdubaiskyscraper.com/

[pianoman11686]

Cladding looks almost identical to Trump Chicago (a good thing, I think). Same architect, right?

[Punzie]

Yep, same architect. Chicago was blessed with the classy Trump Tower.

[ld876]

The more cladding I see, the more I like it. Lets hope this trend continues and the whole building looks great completed. Really nice, classy sign too for the building...

http://www.burjdubaiskyscraper.com/2007/07July/wtb-burj-0109.jpg

http://www.burjdubaiskyscraper.com/2007/07July/wtb-burj-0402.jpg

http://www.burjdubaiskyscraper.com/2007/07July/wtb-burj-0801.jpg

[jaja3000jaja]

Wow, that architect gets around, what's his/her name?

[Citytect]

Adrian Smith. Formerly of SOM, Chicago.

[Bob]

This really looks like a house of cards, and at the speed it's going up, I have to wonder if the concrete is sufficiently cured to support the weight piled atop each level. Admittedly, I'm not trained in the arts of loading, engineering, etc, so I will humbly ask here for an opinion. Would you trust the structural integrity of this thing?

[lofter1]

Builder: Dubai High-Rise World's Tallest

http://ak.imgfarm.com/images/ap/APTOPIX_EMIRATES_BURJ_DUBAI_WORLDS_TALLEST_TOWER.s ff_XKJ103_20070721121802.jpg (http://apnews.myway.com/image/20070721/APTOPIX_EMIRATES_BURJ_DUBAI_WORLDS_TALLEST_TOWER.s ff_XKJ103_20070721121802.html?date=20070722&docid=D8QHBBEO0)
Copyright 2007 Associated Press.

myway.com (http://apnews.myway.com/article/20070722/D8QHBBEO0.html)
By BARBARA SURK
July 21, 2007

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - Developers of a 1,680-foot skyscraper still under construction in oil-rich Dubai claimed Saturday that it has become the world's tallest building, surpassing Taiwan's Taipei 101 which has dominated the global skyline at 1,667 feet since 2004.

The Burj Dubai is expected to be finished by the end of 2008 and its planned final height has been kept secret. The state-owned development company Emaar Properties, one of the main builders in rapidly developing Dubai, said only that the tower would stop somewhere above 2,275 feet.

When completed, the skyscraper will feature more than 160 floors, 56 elevators, luxury apartments, boutiques, swimming pools, spas, exclusive corporate suites, Italian fashion designer Giorgio Armani's first hotel, and a 124th floor observation platform.

After North American and Asian cities marked their 20th century economic booms with skyscrapers, the Gulf grew eager to show off its success with ever taller buildings. In Dubai, long an oil-rich Gulf symbol of rapid economic growth, the building reflects the city's hunger for global prestige.

http://ak.imgfarm.com/images/ap/EMIRATES_BURJ_DUBAI_WORLDS_TALLEST_TOWER.sff_XKJ10 6_20070721120655.jpg
Copyright 2007 Associated Press.
The world's tallest building under construction

"It's a symbol of Dubai as a city of the world," said Greg Sang, the project director for Emaar Properties.

Mohammed Ali Alabbar, chairman of Emaar, said it will be an architectural and engineering masterpiece of concrete, steel and glass. Dubai has "resisted the usual and has inspired to build a global icon," he said.

"It's a human achievement without equal."

The $1 billion skyscraper is in the heart of downtown Dubai, a 500-acre development area worth $20 billion. Construction, which began just 1,276 days ago, has been frenzied - at times, one storey rises every three days.
The tip of the Burj's spire will be seen for 60 miles, developers say. But Sang knows it will not dominate the world's skyline forever.

http://ak.imgfarm.com/images/ap/EMIRATES_BURJ_DUBAI_WORLDS_TALLEST_TOWER.sff_XKJ10 5_20070721120551.jpg
Copyright 2007 Associated Press.

It's a fact of life that, at some point, someone else will build a taller building," he said. "There's a lot of talk of other tall buildings, but five years into Burj Dubai's construction, no one's started building them yet," he said.

Previous skyscraper record-holders include New York's Empire State Building at 1,250 feet; Shanghai's Jin Mao Building at 1,381 feet; Chicago's Sears Tower at 1,451 feet; and Malaysia's Petronas Towers at 1,483 feet.

The Burj will let the Middle East reclaim the world's tallest structure. Egypt's Great Pyramid of Giza, built around 2500 B.C., held the title with its 481 feet until the Eiffel Tower in Paris was built in 1889 at a height of 985 feet, or 1,023 feet including the flag pole.

The company says the Burj will fulfill the Chicago-based Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat's four criteria for the tallest building: the height of the structural top, the highest occupied floor, the roof's top, and the spire's tip, pinnacle, antenna, mast or flag pole.

For now, the unattractive brownish concrete skeleton jutting into Dubai's humid skies lacks any aura of a masterpiece. Rising 141 floors with a mass of surrounding cranes and girders, it has no windows, glass or steel yet.

The architects and engineers are American and the main building contractor is South Korean.

Most of the 4,000 laborers are Indian. They toil around the clock in Dubai's sizzling summer with no set minimum wage. Human rights groups regularly protest against labor abuse in Dubai, but local media rarely report such complaints.

© 2007 IAC Search & Media.

[lofter1]

... For now, the unattractive brownish concrete skeleton jutting into Dubai's humid skies lacks any aura of a masterpiece. Rising 141 floors with a mass of surrounding cranes and girders, it has no windows, glass or steel yet.

Odd reporting ... sure as hell looks like windows in the photos to me ...

[stache]

Maybe the press release was delivered by camel -

[wns808]

looks like some more glass has been added to the Burj Dubai

http://www.burjdubaiskyscraper.com/2007/07July/wtb-burj-3025.jpg

[wns808]

another u/c pic of the B/D. Looks like they're somewhere in the 140's in floor count when this pic was taken

http://www.burjdubaiskyscraper.com/2007/07July/wtb-burj-3020.jpg

[wns808]

another pic of the glass

http://www.burjdubaiskyscraper.com/2007/07July/wtb-burj-3028.jpg

[wns808]

http://www.burjdubaiskyscraper.com/2007/07July/wtb-burj-3021.jpg

[wns808]

as of 8/2/07

http://www.burjdubaiskyscraper.com/2007/08August/burjdubai0404.jpg

[Alonzo-ny]

The top 1/3 of this tower is basically spire, i know some of its occupied and im amazed there will be a 160 storey to stand in but i feel its cheap because that floor will be miniscule. people complain about the nytimes spire being false height

[Zephyr]

Excuse me for a moment. Although prompted by the last post, this is not a direct response to that post, neither an echo nor a disagreement in particular, just that it touches on one of my pet peeves bound to come out here, and probably later in a different form. So why not start with Burj Dubai - soon to be the next tallest in the world?

Unoccupied height, aka spire height or 'false' height, should be pointed out anywhere and everywhere: London, Berlin, Hong Kong, Chicago, NYC, Dubai, Shanghai, Rio de Janeiro, Johannesburg, Sydney, Tokyo, or in any other location outside the city, or on any continent, or any island, in or out of the water, sitting on a hill, whatever! If it takes two measures to satisfy all parties - and this statistic is usually available - the two measures should be cited together, with the occupied height given first (in both metres and feet, not just storey count). I am not alone on this but it is a pet peeve because of the way the figures are given for bragging rites, it encourages bad tendencies in design.

When that lattest transition was made from occupied space to any space other than antennae(s) for official height, by a group that does that as one of its functions and is now located in Chicago of all places (known to have few spires in its tallest buildings over the past several decades), I thought it was "fishey" then, and it is clear that it is now. The motivation was to "acknowledge," supposedly, but the effect was to unnecessarily encourage, in order to juice up the height. Get the height up and you become instantly world-class, or you are kept in the conversation. That is how simply it goes before great monies are plowed into creating these gigantic structures which I still love, but there is a nagging concern that I cannot rid.

If the spire is an artistic extention of a building - so be it! If the spire will make the building taller and does not add anything else of merit - why reward this. In fact, why reward the first one as well, isn't it rewarding in itself because it makes the building memorable and complete. Regardless of why a spire is placed on the structure, it should be secondary to measure it, otherwise, why not count those antennaes, it makes a building taller too. But if you don't want antennaes, the spires are in a middle ground - part of the structure, but also, potentially, apart from that building in that people are not in it.

Let's go back to that cute little story about the spire on the Chrysler Building, as we all know it was hidden and hoisted at the last moment for what turned out to be a short-term claim to be the tallest. At least they acknowledged it, we are lucky that it does not mar the look of one of the most artistically accomplished buildings of its era. Today you'll get a more polished interpolation - "... we will have the tallest (INSERT) but that wasn't our only or even main intent, just a byproduct" (an actual quote, city/structure/individual withheld).

As a person that hopes that height will encourage mankind to design more intriguing engineering solutions, the spire should be of no concern. But it has become a concern, nevertheless. I shall acknowledge it wherever it applies.

[wns808]

a nice shot looking up ..

http://www.burjdubaiskyscraper.com/2007/08August/burjdubai0414.jpg

[ld876]

Oh la la, such a big'un. There was a segment on 'Very Big Things' on Discovery or National Geo or History or Science or whatever channel in the last few days, and the dude went to the top of the Burj -- views were insane (obviously). Showed off some more detailed stuff than you usually see, so watch it if you enjoy the Burj.

As always, thanks BurjDubaiSkyscraper.com! Few notes from them, then pics...
2007.aug.12Burj Dubai has set another record by overtaking the height of Sears Tower's antenna, which stands at 527.3m. The tallest skyscraper that erects in Dubai, United Arab Emirates is now 531.3m tall and has 145 storeys! The 7432 sq meter foundation slab and 50-metre deep piling...
http://www.burjdubaiskyscraper.com/2007/burj-dubai-progress-2007-august.jpg

http://www.burjdubaiskyscraper.com/2007/08August/burjdubai0204.jpg

http://www.burjdubaiskyscraper.com/2007/08August/burjdubai0214.jpg

[ryeler]

http://www.burjdubaiskyscraper.com/2007/burj-dubai-progress-2007-august.jpg


Wow. Only just now have I sat back in my chair and said 'holy crap'. It is massive!! Just.. massive!

[Zephyr]

Hard to judge size without context for these supertalls, but especially this one.

Most of the live photographs we are getting of late, while demonstrating progress, are where they can be made, out in isolation near the hoarding area. Would be nice if someone could use a telephoto from higher up in another building, but there may be no building that can offer great sitelines.

[wns808]

more construction of/on the upper floors

http://www.burjdubaiskyscraper.com/2007/08August/burjdubai1602.jpg

[wns808]

surrounding construction near the BD

http://www.burjdubaiskyscraper.com/2007/08August/burjdubai1626.jpg

[wns808]

construction of BD from a nearby business

http://www.burjdubaiskyscraper.com/2007/08August/burjdubai1942.jpg

[millertime83]

http://www.chroniclejournal.com/includes/CP_stories/64/64266.jpg

Dubai skyscraper is now taller than Toronto’s CN Tower at 555 metres
By The Canadian Press
Thursday, September 13, 2007



TORONTO (CP) - The world’s tallest building being constructed in Dubai has surpassed the height of the CN Tower, the world’s tallest free-standing structure, its developers said Thursday.

At 555 metres, Burj Dubai is now two metres taller than the 553-metre CN Tower, Emaar Properties said in a release.

It also has scaled 150 livable levels, the largest number of storeys for any building in the world.

Burj Dubai had already beaten Taipei 101, which at 508 metres has been holding the tallest-building title since it opened in 2004.

"Burj Dubai is setting new world records in construction of super tall buildings, and the accomplishment of being the world’s tallest free-standing structure is another defining moment," said Emaar chairman Mohamed Alabbar.

The project was launched in 2004 as part of a $20-billion, 200-hectare downtown development billed as the most prestigious square kilometre on earth.

The tower’s planned height is a closely guarded secret.

But the company says when completed in 2009, Burj Dubai will the tallest structure in the world in all four of the criteria listed by the Chicago-based Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat.

Designed by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill of Chicago, the tower is being built by Samsung Corp. of South Korea.

In addition to residential, commercial and retail components, Burj Dubai will also feature the world’s first Armani Hotel.

Dubai is the commercial capital of the United Arab Emirates.

[Jasonik]

http://www.chroniclejournal.com/includes/CP_stories/64/64266.jpg

The scale of the Burj finally hits home for me in this photo... BREATHTAKING!

[JCMAN320]

All you need is some flying cars and you'll have the Jetsons. Absolutely massive.

[millertime83]

The scale of the Burj finally hits home for me in this photo... BREATHTAKING!

And it's still growing taller!... kind of makes you jealous

[czsz]

Achilles rejoice, we have a new dictionary reference for "hubris".

[BryanSereny]

Wow, what a stupid tall, I mean super tall building. I could only imagine what it must be like to be the construction worker that operates the crane towering above the top floor! :rolleyes:

[Deimos]

Has anyone ever mentioned how long the elevator ride to the top of the building will be? 3 minutes? 4 minutes? Can you imagine the ear popping that will happen if it's 1 long continuous ride?

[czsz]

^ I don't think they have enough space at the top to coil the cables for that...

[macreator]

File a photo of this building under the definition of phallic :cool:

[Alonzo-ny]

File a photo of this building under the definition of phallic :cool:

You might wanna see a doctor if you think thats phallic (assuming your a dude)

[macreator]

You might wanna see a doctor if you think thats phallic (assuming your a dude)

:D Well, it isn't literally.

[Luca]

I wouldn’t want something like that looming over a well-established, civilized, European city. But in its setting, it’s amazing. I like the spire/pointiness, too. The scale is just amazing.

[ablarc]

[FONT=Verdana][SIZE=2]I wouldn’t want something like that looming over a well-established, civilized, European city.
Might work in Nuremberg --or maybe Edinburgh (if only one).

[Alonzo-ny]

Might work in Nuremberg --or maybe Edinburgh (if only one).

As much as i love skyscrapers they have there place in the world and its not edinburgh, not the city centre anyway. May a la defense style district.

[czsz]

I can see anything looming over London at this point.

[ld876]

And it just keeps cranking along...

From BurjDubaiSkyscraper.com...
Burj Dubai is now 574.5 meters tall at level 154, it is 65 m ahead of Taipei 101 and 21 m ahead of CN Tower.

http://www.burjdubaiskyscraper.com/2007/10October/burj-dubai-area1203.jpg

http://www.burjdubaiskyscraper.com/2007/10October/burj-dubai-area1201.jpg

[lofter1]

Imagine how down-scale that BD tower could look once folks get moved in and all the variations of blinds are up in all those windows ...

I guess we can be thankful that the BD isn't covered in balconies -- so as to avoid the public laundry show as seen in the first pic.

[lofter1]

60 Minutes on CBS is doing a report tonight 10.14 on architecture in Dubai, including info on Burj Dubai ...

[Tectonic]

Its a builder's dream!!

[lofter1]

Its a builder's dream!!

Damn right ^^^ where else can you get construction workers to work for $4-5 / week and sleep 30 to a room?

Dubai is for Builders!

[Tectonic]

(Dr Evil Laugh)

[MidtownGuy]

Some amazing pics posted by Imre at skyscraperpage.com

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2336/1815042860_c5080fbbd3_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2147/1815043056_9a9c819634_o.jpg

157 floors and still rising. WOW.

[wns808]

a link to some new pics of Burj Dubai Jan. 08. That cladding is looking really nice!!

http://www.burjdubaiskyscraper.com/2008/01January/2008January.html

[Jasonik]

http://www.burjdubaiskyscraper.com/2008/01January/Burj_Dubai011622.jpg

[Tectonic]

When does it end, lol...The glass is pretty much the same as Trump Chicago.

[Zephyr]

Further studies in Adrian Smith's giganticism:

An older 3D Model:

http://aycu32.webshots.com/image/22191/2000755759534902915_rs.jpg
© webshots / aycu

Now dated ... but still an interesting measure of what there is to complete:

http://www.widelec.org/stuff/burj_dubai/burj_dubai_09.jpg
Courtesy enggaza.ps / forum

Interesting angle on the site:

http://aycu02.webshots.com/image/41641/2000852991258552750_rs.jpg
© webshots / aycu

[Alonzo-ny]

That mall offends me.

[lofter1]

Me too. Let's boycott it.

[Tectonic]

The mall? Why? The size? I think I missed that one.

[Alonzo-ny]

Yes its bloody size its disgusting its the anti-city.

[Derek2k3]

Well it's too hot to shop outside in Dubai. One reason the city's development is so car-oriented.

[lofter1]

There's an even bigger mall (http://www.wirednewyork.com/forum/showpost.php?p=210803&postcount=229) in Dubai

[wns808]

cladding is really coming along

http://www.burjdubaiskyscraper.com/2008/02February/Burj_Dubai020802.jpg

[ld876]

I finally return from my hiatus. I apologize ;-)

Here are a few pics, credit, as always, goes to burjdubaiskyscraper.com

http://www.burjdubaiskyscraper.com/2008/02February/Burj_Dubai020601.jpg

http://www.burjdubaiskyscraper.com/2008/02February/Burj_Dubai021406.jpg

[DarrylStrawberry]

Burj Dubai prices soar
Dubai: Mon, 2 Jun 2008

Prices in the world's highest tower, which is due to open by the end of 2009, now start at Dh10,000 ($2,720) per sq ft compared to Dh4,000 ($1,090) just a few months ago, a report said.

Prices in the Burj Dubai are widely considered the highest in the UAE, said the Emirates Business report.

The Palm Jumeirah has retained first place in terms of returns as the prices have risen more than 600 per cent over the past six years.

Burj Dubai is the most important part of the $5.45 billion Downtown Burj Dubai project, which includes 30,000 apartments, nine hotels, 6.2 acres of car parking, 19 residential towers, Dubai Mall and a 30-acre artificial lake.



http://www.tradearabia.com/news/REAL_144513.html

[DarrylStrawberry]

Briton leaps off tallest tower and lands in Dubai court

Wed May 28, 2008 2:58pm BST

DUBAI (Reuters) - A Dubai court charged a British man on Wednesday with creeping into the world's tallest building under cover of darkness and parachuting off the 150th floor without consent, in an effort to set a new world record.
At his initial hearing the 36-year-old pleaded guilty to entering the Burj Dubai tower, which is still under construction, hiding there for seven hours before climbing to the 150th floor and jumping off.
The man was held by Burj Dubai security officials until police were alerted and arrived on the scene on April 26, police records showed. The court did not immediately disclose the name of the Briton, who has been released on bail.
His lawyers say he faces up to a year in jail or a 5,000 dirham (690 pound) fine if convicted of trespass and jumping off the building without the permission of the owner, the United Arab Emirates' biggest developer Emaar Properties.
"The Burj Dubai is the world's tallest building and is a marvel of the world. I wanted to honour it, Emaar and Dubai by jumping safely from it," the man told the local 7 DAYS tabloid. "I'm a sportsman, not a criminal."
BASE jumping -- the acronym stands for Building, Antenna, Span, Earth -- is a dangerous sport in which individuals parachute off fixed objects such as tall buildings.
The paper said the Briton had come to Dubai specifically to do the jump, which he carried out with a camera fixed to his helmet.
Burj Dubai, in the UAE's trade and tourism hub of Dubai, became the tallest building in the world in July, measuring 512.1 metres (1,680 ft), a title previously held by Taipei 101 in Taiwan. Emaar has not revealed how tall the building will be when it is finished later this year.
BASE jumpers have also landed in trouble with police in other cities, often for risking the safety of people and property with their jumps.
(Writing by Lin Noueihed; Editing by Jon Boyle)
http://uk.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUKL2890864820080528

[Alonzo-ny]

Isnt BASE jumping at night a tad dangerous?

[antinimby]

http://www.burjdubaiskyscraper.com/2008/08August/burj_dubai_1009.jpg
burjdubaiskyscraper.com

[lofter1]

sandy :cool:

[KenNYC]

It's an amazing building, but when you look at the land available in the area it kinda shows how pointless it is...

[philvia]

that picture is so crazy lol
almost seems computer generated

[NYC4Life]

Amazing development taking place in Dubai.

[195Broadway]

Base Jump!

[195Broadway]

that picture is so crazy lol
almost seems computer generated

It feels like the future is rushing here so quickly that I'm going to lose my balance.

[195Broadway]

Imagine if they built the Burj in "The Abyss" at the Grand Canyon. It would look small!

[NYC4Life]

NY Daily News

Burj Dubai, the tallest building in world, now even taller

DAILY NEWS STAFF
Wednesday, September 3rd 2008, 4:44 PM

DUBAI - The tallest building in the world got taller - and it's still growing. The Burj Dubai (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Burj+Dubai) tower in Dubai (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Dubai) is now 2,257 feet tall, developer Emaar announced Tuesday. The highest skyscraper in the world now has 160 stories.
PHOTO GALLERY: WORLD'S TALLEST BUILDINGS (http://www.nydailynews.com/money/galleries/worlds_tallest_buildings/worlds_tallest_buildings.html)

Burj Dubai is still under construction. It was started in 2004 and is scheduled to be finished in September 2009.

In April 2007, Burj Dubai reached 1,553 feet, moving it past Taiwan (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Taiwan)'s Taipei 101 (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Taipei+101) tower to become the tallest building in the world.
In April 2008, Burj Dubai became the tallest man-made structure on Earth when Emaar announced that it was higher than the 2,063-foot KVLY-TV mast in North Dakota (http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/North+Dakota).

Burj Dubai was supposed to be completed by the end of 2008, but in June, Emaar said that "finishing touches" had delayed finishing the project until next year.

Many of Dubai's building projects are facing delays because all the construction going on there has resulted in shortages of skilled labor and building materials.

Emaar is keeping Burj Dubai's eventual height a closely-guarded secret, but speculation is that it will end up at 900 meters, which is equivalent to 2,953 feet.

[Eugenious]

Looks like a 21st century tower of babel.

The Tower of Babel (Hebrew (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hebrew_language): מגדל בבל‎ Migdal Bavel Arabic (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arabic_language): برج بابل‎ Burj Babil) is a structure featured in chapter 11 of the Book of Genesis (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Genesis), an enormous tower (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tower) intended as the crowning achievement of the city of Babilu (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babel), the Akkadian (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akkadian_language) name for Babylon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babylon). According to the biblical account, Babel was a city that united humanity (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_race), all speaking a single language and migrating from the east; it was the home city of the great king Nimrod (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nimrod_%28Bible%29), and the first city to be built after the Great Flood. The people decided their city should have a tower so immense that it would have "its top in the heavens." (וְרֹאשׁוֹ בַשָּׁמַיִם). However, the Tower of Babel was not built for the worship and praise of God, but was dedicated to the glory of man, with a motive of making a 'name' for the builders - Genesis 11:4. God seeing what the people were doing, confused their languages (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confusion_of_tongues) and scattered the people throughout the earth.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/af/Confusion_of_Tongues.png

:D

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tower_of_Babel

[Tectonic]

I wonder how tall that one was...

[Alonzo-ny]

For some reason its not listed on emporis.com

[BrooklynRider]

You have to look in the special "Before Christ" section. You'll notice that despite the years to build it, God ultimately demolished it to buid a Wal-Mart.

[DarrylStrawberry]

http://www.burjdubaiskyscraper.com/2007/burj_dubai_location.jpg

wow.

[RockstarJizzy]

Super-skyscraper is an understatement. This thing is godlike. It single-handedly kills anything and everything NYC can ever offer!

The only thing that can beat this is..another superdupertall in Dubai!

Go Dubai! :)

I want to fly over and see this thing when it's finished

[futurecity]

We can't wait for you to leave... there is absolutely no reason for you to bring NY into this, what are you trying to start?

[RockstarJizzy]

We can't wait for you to leave... there is absolutely no reason for you to bring NY into this, what are you trying to start?

Nothing. I am merely voicing my opinion. I have a right to exercise that, do I not?

[NYC4Life]

The Burj's height, does not necessarily make it the greatest building ever, certainly not over anything NYC has. ;)

[RockstarJizzy]

The Burj's height, does not necessarily make it the greatest building ever, certainly not over anything NYC has. ;)

I like the aesthetics of the building though

[theWatusi]

Posted by Imre on SSP

http://img68.imageshack.us/img68/2582/imresolt152vf1.jpg
http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showpost.php?p=3981135&postcount=6986

[Shadly]

It's going to be weird to see this building in ten years. The population this country has, and the fact that their bubble has burst so to speak don't bode well for any upkeep that these structures are going to need down the line. I wonder if they are prepared to deal with this sort of thing. We have a hard time in New York with falling bricks. This is a whole nuther paradigm.

[zupermaus]

^actually even if the building work, tourism, shopping and luxury market all stops, the population is still sitting on more oil than Russia,
Venezuela, the US or China (with 120 years left on the clock - by comparison 20 years longer than the Saudis, or 110 years longer than the
Americans), alongside the world's 3rd largest gas reserves - all for just a population of 3.8 million.

...anyways, more pix:


http://cache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/efa_10_06/29_y.jpg

http://www.burjdubaiskyscraper.com/2008/08August/burj_dubai_1009.jpg



http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3267/2921973598_b7f3b9c63c_b.jpg

http://i36.tinypic.com/2wcfnyt.jpg

http://img371.imageshack.us/img371/7104/2496653212a28a5b94311rb2.jpg http://img371.imageshack.us/img371/1589/25280655558ebc41e1a01wp0.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2126/2117744931_569a8c947b_b.jpg

[Alonzo-ny]

I believe your figures are for the UAE, I may be wrong but I believe Abu Dhabi is the emirate with most of that oil at around 80% compared with Dubai's 10%

[zupermaus]

yep Im talking about the country

[Alonzo-ny]

That doesnt save Dubai, Abu Dhabi's oil doesnt equal money for Dubai. Dubai would have to borrow money from Abu Dhabi.

[195Broadway]

Will there be any way for the public to ascend above 124th floor observation deck?

[Shadly]

Plus, oil's not as lucrative as it used to be, and the trend seems to point less and less in the future.

If the Chinese start driving electric cars.

[wns808]

cladding looks nice on this one

I wonder whats in each of these sections in the upper part of BD, is it exclusively mechanical?

http://www.burjdubaiskyscraper.com/2007/Fury_plans/5%20level%20156%20to%20section%2022B.jpg

[NoyokA]

This building is so insanely tall that it is difficult to gauge its height. For context how tall is the building next to it underconstruction?

http://img68.imageshack.us/img68/2582/imresolt152vf1.jpg

[195Broadway]

I try to imagine the twin towers placed next to it, they being approx one half the height of the Burj.
Without familiar context, does the Burj look as tall as it really is when viewing it in person?

[zupermaus]

That doesnt save Dubai, Abu Dhabi's oil doesnt equal money for Dubai. Dubai would have to borrow money from Abu Dhabi.

erm, do you really think the Emiratis would let their only major city rot? Imagine if NY State discovered vast oil reserves. Would it let NYC go the way of Detroit should that scenario arise?

[Tectonic]

When does this end.

[Alonzo-ny]

Thats not how the UAE works so your comparison isnt relevant.

[Dr.T]

... I love this building: it is high, high, high, ... very high.:) In Spain, people would say, "is bigger than the car of a bullfighter, but it's more dirty that dog of a gypsy." :o

... The question then is: we have already built, ... perfect and now, how much money we will pay for the maintenance? :confused:. Environmental conditions and weather in this desert area are very extreme of heat and sand storms.

... I think that architecture should be adapted to the needs of man and not the man to the needs of architecture ... :o unless we want it to show our economic power ... as if we were a bullfighter who wins a lot of money but he can not read or write.;) If we look at the last pictures carefully looks perfectly that the whole structure and glass curtain walls are filled with sand,... what system they will use to keep it clean?,... and if they do so manually by operators,.. how many people they need to do so ?. Sometimes the architecture is the worst kind of foolishness,:rolleyes: ... but I love the building: it is high, high, high, ... very high...;););)

... Vivan the crazy architects !!!,... and ... Vivan the bullfighters !!!:D:D:D

[TREPYE]

^Are you from the bullfighters union?

[theWatusi]

Currently at ~800M (~2625ft) and still rising.


So delightfully sinister
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f21/cbotnyse/3d76971c4f.gif

[Dr.T]

^Are you from the bullfighters union?

... I'm not a member of Bullfighter Union. The bullfighters are artists and I'm an engineer, or a poor technical assistance to build useful things for people, you know ... ;)

[NYC4Life]

That tower will be a beacon to lightning strikes.

[mhelie]

Can someone photoshop a giant burning eye on top of that thing?

[Shadly]

Thats not how the UAE works so your comparison isnt relevant.

I don't know that much about their system of government, or the way their economy i structured, but it seems like their society is more like ancient Greece than New York State. Their municipalities seem to be more in competition with each other than part of a cohesive system. The other city states in the region would love to see Dubai topple over the next few years. Cities that haven't gone into the kind of monumental debt that Dubai has such as Abu Dhabi, Doha (Qatar), etc. seem to be better fit to weather the economic slowdown.

I don't know who can keep this going. Not even oil is a sure thing considering the winds are blowing towards Nuclear Power, electric cars and renewables. All those rich people are selling off their estates now too. Not looking good.

[zupermaus]

OK, lets get this clear, what are you guys saying the Emirati gov. will do with Dubai when its oil runs out or when it faces some kind of financial ruin?

[Alonzo-ny]

I couldnt comment on that. All I know is that the UAE is not a US style government structure. There is no 'federal' government as far as my understanding is. The Emirates each are very seperate. They dont share any revenue in that sense. I would have to research more to find out exactly how their government is structured but that is how I understand it.

[zupermaus]

at the end of the day we can't say what will happen without it happening. But I do think it would be more than a little conceivable that the nation's vast oil and gas wealth will prop up the country's only city?

[Alonzo-ny]

From Wiki:

Administratively, the UAE is a federation of seven emirates, each with its own ruler. The pace of local government reform in each emirate is set primarily by the ruler. Under the provisional constitution of 1971, each emirate reserves considerable powers, including control over mineral rights (notably oil) and revenues.

[zupermaus]

^yes, but the question is would that still stand in the country's worst economic crisis should it arise?

[Alonzo-ny]

Ask the same question about the US. You get the same answer.

[zupermaus]

NYC 5% of US population, Dubai 50% of Emirati population.
Me, Id take the wild speculation that sitting on the worlds 3rd largest gas reserves, and more oil than the Russia, Venezuela, US or China, might help out the city a bit, and half the country's citizenry. And you correctly infer, even if that would be some form of charity from one emirate to another.

Moreover the billions invested by the other Sheikhs and the ruling family into the city won't be much left to chance. When the city takes the hit, it will be the thousands of foreign construction workers taking the brunt, not the oil financed Emiratis themselves. The tourism and luxury markets will be dented if Westerners and Easterners desert the holiday package, but the steady flow from the other Arab nations, Dubai being the self confessed Islamic playground of the world, will still continue, especially due to proximity and cheap airfares.

In short Dubayans will suffer, but read: the Indian construction workers, the realtors, and the property moguls.

[Alonzo-ny]

The best they will get is good deals on loans from the other emirates. I dont think Abu Dhabi would be happy about giving Dubai its cash because they messed up. Im sure Dubai doesnt care about the foreign workers losing jobs if they already treat them like slaves.

[Shadly]

Oil consumption is down right now, and there is a good chance it doesn't really go back up. Despite all the tourism investment, their economy is still kind of a one trick pony.

And with the speculators out of the real estate market, those artificial islands full of McMansions aren't going to pay for themselves.

Then there's the debt. :eek:

[zupermaus]

the Abu Dhabi sheikhs and ruling family are the guys who built Dubai btw..., and are the ones who stand to lose the most should the city somehow go fallow. The debt I'm sure will be huge, but it will be bought off by 120 years of oil reserves at current production (20 years longer then the Saudis, 110 years longer than US reserves),- or will just go unpaid as is the trend with folding companies.

What I reckon is the slow return of the Indian and SE Asian migrants, though those in the service sector will still be part of the pie. Worst comes to worse, the country will revert back to what it was before the boom, an oil rich Gulf State. But this time without the economic diversification - the migrant workers, the construction boom, endless speculation and property bubble. No more megaprojects or lavish parties, but that doesnt mean the limos will revert to donkey carts or the highrises become projects.

[Shadly]

It does mean a lot of vacancies for the foreseeable future, and a lot of brand spanking new superstructures decaying in the harsh Arabian weather because no one pays the building maintenance. Look how hard it was for NYC to keep the Empire State Building in good condition. How are they going to keep this behemoth going, especially when it's filled with rentals.

This thing could very well turn into the biggest and nicest housing project in the history of public works rhetorically speaking.

[Alonzo-ny]

the Abu Dhabi sheikhs and ruling family are the guys who built Dubai btw..., and are the ones who stand to lose the most should the city somehow go fallow. The debt I'm sure will be huge, but it will be bought off by 120 years of oil reserves at current production (20 years longer then the Saudis, 110 years longer than US reserves),- or will just go unpaid as is the trend with folding companies.


Are these oil figures for Dubai alone or the UAE?

[zupermaus]

UAE of course. The companies of the UAE aren't exactly emirate-specific. If they suffer in Dubai it doesnt mean they won't invest in or rely upon their other interests in the vast natural resources - of course many of these companies you can read as 'associated' with the ruling Sheikh family.

[mhelie]

Dubai's principal economic resource are its trade routes: sea lanes through the Middle East and air lanes from Asia to Europe. Those benefit from lower oil prices.

Dubai is experiencing a property finance bust like everywhere else, but its economy is in better shape and the housing shortage more severe there than possibly anywhere else (expat engineers living 3 to a house for starters). In six months they'll be out of the crisis.

[Alonzo-ny]

What about the thousands of 'luxury' houses on the islands and in towers. So how exactly is it out of it in 6 months?

[mhelie]

What about the thousands of 'luxury' houses on the islands and in towers. So how exactly is it out of it in 6 months?

They will be downgraded to housing for professionals.

Right now the biggest obstacle to Dubai's economy is housing being totally unaffordable for foreign professionals. Once the current developments are delivered prices might return to an attractive level and the non-real estate industries of the country will take off.

[Alonzo-ny]

Being super luxury was Dubai's selling point. It wont have that if it downgrades. People in that downgraded price range dont want to spend all their hard earned cash on visiting a desert far away when they have better options. What exactly are Dubai's other industries?

[mhelie]

Being super luxury was Dubai's selling point. It wont have that if it downgrades. People in that downgraded price range dont want to spend all their hard earned cash on visiting a desert far away when they have better options. What exactly are Dubai's other industries?
Shipping, technology, media, banking, etc. etc. etc.

[Alonzo-ny]

What percentage of Dubai's industries do these make up?

[ZippyTheChimp]

Dr.T, entertaining post (http://www.wirednewyork.com/forum/showpost.php?p=266801&postcount=364). :)

[mhelie]

What percentage of Dubai's industries do these make up?
Who knows?

[Shadly]

They will be downgraded to housing for professionals.

Those are some damn lucky professionals. They get to live in Puff Daddy's Palm Island estate for a few months while they commute to their soon-to-be-downsized construction consulting jobs. Then they get shipped back to Omaha, and they're vacant again.

In a world where millionaires don't grow on trees, cities like this (big and luxurious with no major population) aren't doing too well.

[Alonzo-ny]

Who knows?

This is something you should know to make your point.

[mhelie]

This is something you should know to make your point.
So should you. You're convinced that Dubai survives from luxury tourism. In fact this is a very recent addition to its economy.

[Alonzo-ny]

I never said that. I was responding to your posts so you should have facts. You were the one making assertions.

[Cat235D]

http://www.burjdubaiskyscraper.com/2008/08August/burj_dubai_1009.jpg
burjdubaiskyscraper.com

I wonder if the towercrane operators get "climb up" time??:D:D

[scumonkey]

I read they don't come down....

[lofter1]

That picture is insane ... http://www.wirednewyork.com/forum/images/icons/icon14.gif

party on the terrace in 2011

[zupermaus]

that pic looks like something out of a sci-fi flick.

[Shadly]

I had this weird dream last night that had Burj Dubai in it. I was in the future, and I was watching this television program about it. The narrator at one point said, "this quaint looking, small structure used to the tallest in the world." The camera was looking down at it from neighboring buildings.

Blows your mind doesn't it...

Anyway....

[Cat235D]

The engineering that went into this project must be incredible, :eek: The jacking down plan alone must be amazing, I would expect to se a few stiffleg derricks working here soon.

[Common Sense]

Think you can get a condo in here for $250k with the economy and all?

[Shadly]

Look at all the foundations started at the bottom of that thing. How many of those do you think aren't even going to remain holes in the ground? With the demand burst already, how can you bring yourself to finish any of them? They're going to be giving away condos.

[theWatusi]

from Imre on SSP

http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/4303/imresolt37zk9.jpg

http://img513.imageshack.us/img513/4982/imresolt31cp5.jpg
http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showpost.php?p=4014959&postcount=7096

[Jasonik]

Almost there!
News is spreading on several websites about Burj Dubai being topped out. Burj Dubai has not yet reached its final height, still 18 meters to go.
2009.jan.08 http://burjdubaiskyscraper.com/

[mhelie]

Look at all the foundations started at the bottom of that thing. How many of those do you think aren't even going to remain holes in the ground? With the demand burst already, how can you bring yourself to finish any of them? They're going to be giving away condos.
In normal industries consumers expect prices to go down over time as the production methods improve.

[Shadly]

Yeah, but real estate isn't oil. You can't just lower the supply of condos when the price bottoms out. If the the prices of these units are already sliding, and you are already increasing the supply with buildings currently under construction, this is going to be a lot worse than just regular price depreciation. They should first and foremost seize any new proposals. You're kind of screwed with the stuff that's already in the works though, so not even doing that is going to matter.

They've rebarbed themselves into a corner.

[mhelie]

You can't really lower the supply of anything. You can only wait for it to be consumed while not increasing it.

But that's not the point at all. The point is Dubai has some of the most unaffordable real estate in the world due to all the immigration coming to the country. This applies to rentals as well as owner-occupied property. That means a lot of supply has to arrive on the market before the equilibrium matches that in other countries, and the fact that worldwide property flippers have stopped speculating doesn't change any of this other than it makes it harder for developers to finance new development. The stuff that is under construction has already been sold.

If anything Dubai is lucky that equipment and materials have collapsed in price, so finishing the current projects is going to be cheaper and more profitable. What's difficult is going to be financing entirely new projects, and that's why the developers are laying off staff.

[Alonzo-ny]

The stuff that is under construction has already been sold.



Source?

You can lower supply of many things, oil for example. There are too many housing units in Dubai for their designed market. Immigrants might be facing shortages because Dubai isnt building affordable housing.

[Shadly]

OPEC has been controlling supply for decades now. You just don't pump as much, that's how you control supply.

With real estate, you can't just stop pumping, unless you are talking about the government stepping in and buying up empty condos and sitting on them until the market goes back up. You can stop building though.

I don't think all those unbuilt units are sold already, and I think the influx of immigrants is overrated.

[mhelie]

Real estate is a good that is consumed just like oil. If your population is increasing through immigration, then real estate gets consumed even faster. If you stop increasing the supply of real estate and it gets consumed faster and faster, prices will skyrocket and overcrowding will proliferate. Dubai is extremely overcrowded right now, it makes no sense to stop building new supply.

So long as more real estate is being consumed in Dubai by new immigrants, it makes sense to keep increasing the supply. The problem with oil is that with the credit bubble bursted the supply of oil is not being consumed as fast as before, and oil producers are increasing it too fast. That is why they are reducing production.

[Alonzo-ny]

Real estate is consumed nothing like oil. There isnt just one supply of housing in Dubai is there? There is the investor driven 'luxury' housing and housing for people who actually live in Dubai. There is way too much luxury housing and the other I dont know, according to your assertions there isnt enough. As far as I knew immigrant workers lived in slave-like tent camps.

[mhelie]

Engineers don't live in tent camps. They live in a tiny house with three roommates.

[Alonzo-ny]

So just for that reason it means all the luxury apartments are full also? I dont think so. You need some foundation for your arguments as they dont make much sense so far.

[mhelie]

So just for that reason it means all the luxury apartments are full also? I dont think so. You need some foundation for your arguments as they dont make much sense so far.
There aren't that many luxury apartments in supply yet, although they have all been fully financed.

I don't know where you get the authority to demand foundations for my arguments. I am merely expressing my opinion as an interested observer. You have not provided any evidence to the contrary.

[Alonzo-ny]

You cant just come in and say things like 'all the units have been sold' and expect us to believe it. I could quite as easily come in and say cows landed on the moon, would you believe it?

[BrooklynRider]

Burj Dubai Surpasses 800 Meters
01/07/2009
(javascript:;)

Workers were scheduled to finish jacking the steel-pipe pinnacle atop the world’s tallest buildng on Jan. 10, marking the Burj Dubai’s topping out. The skyscraper’s curtain wall is 90% complete. But because of interior design changes, tower construction is not likely to be done until September, says Kyung-Jun Kim, project director for Samsung Corp. Crews jacked the pinnacle from within the structural steel spire that tops the reinforced concrete frame. The owner, Emaar Properties PJSC, still will not reveal the tower’s final height. However, project sources confirm the building is taller than 800 meters.

[Alonzo-ny]

The hype about the height is boring now. We know its 800 plus a little bit and many sources all say 818m.

[Jasonik]

http://burjdubaiskyscraper.com/2009/01/burj1201.jpg (http://burjdubaiskyscraper.com/)

[lofter1]

Anyway you look at this one: It's fantastic.

[Alonzo-ny]

Really? The height of it is amazing and the design is decent, not fantastic. If it were only 1000' at the same proportions, still fantastic?

[lofter1]

I find it very pleasing to look at and the massing seems to rise + diminish at just the right rate until the tower just disappears into the sky (as a proper skyscraper should).

[Kon133]

Burj Dubai Topped Out 818m

17th January 2009: Burj Dubai T/O at 818m

[Derek2k3]

http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/9665/imresolt075ij2.jpg

Look how tiny the tower crane is for scale. Contrast this to the current state of the 1 WTC where the tower cranes dominate the site.
http://img185.imageshack.us/img185/3663/imresolt083tl9.jpg
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=341358&page=73

[Alonzo-ny]

Looks short.

[ZippyTheChimp]

Looks the the set for a post-apocalypse movie.

[lofter1]

All that sand in the streets -- Yeccckk.

[Alonzo-ny]

Soon to be the world's tallest ghost town.

[lofter1]

Market that sucker to base jumpers and they might come out OK

[Shadly]

I kind of miss it when it didn't have the cladding on. There is something grotesquely beautiful about a skyscraper, naked and exposed like that. Skeletal. I can't wait for this period in WTC's development. That is going to be a very nice shot indeed.

[kritiosboy]

Anybody hear anything about the price of units in this one lately?

[Luca]

Whatever else you can say about it, the set-backs look kinda nice and it sure is TALL.

[ablarc]

I kind of miss it when it didn't have the cladding on. There is something grotesquely beautiful about a skyscraper, naked and exposed like that. Skeletal. I can't wait for this period in WTC's development. That is going to be a very nice shot indeed.
Sic transit gloria mundi.

[lofter1]

EXCLUSIVE: Burj Dubai set to open on Dec 2

Arabian Business (http://www.arabianbusiness.com/563236-exclusive-burj-dubai-to-open-on-dec-2)
July 29, 2009

The Burj Dubai will officially open to the public on December 2, to coincide with UAE National Day, Arabian Business can reveal.

The opening date of the world’s tallest building has been a closely guarded secret for years – however, a senior architect working on the project has confirmed that December 2 has been set aside for the opening.

The Armani Hotel, part of the building, will take its first guests on the same day.

Ceremonies to mark the launch are also being planned for December 2. It is not yet clear whether other parts of the tower will be fully accessible.

“This will be a huge achievement and a big celebration for the UAE and for Emaar, particularly as it’s UAE National Day. It will be the first time the public can enter the building,” said the architect.

Emaar has always maintained it will not comment on the specific opening date.

The final piece of glass cladding to complete the exterior of Burj Dubai, was now ready and would be installed within weeks, developer Emaar Properties said on Tuesday.

Spanning six-metres in length, the panel is the last of 24,348 pieces of cladding fitted to the super-structure.

Emaar has been tight-lipped over the final height of the Burj Dubai, which is thought to have topped out earlier this year at 818m.

More than 1,000 specially commissioned pieces of art will adorn the interiors of Burj Dubai.

Pride of place in the iconic structure’s residential lobby will be an artwork featuring 196 bronze and brass alloy cymbals - representing the 196 countries of the world - suspended on titanium rods anchored at the bottom of two pools.

Visitors to the lobby will be able to hear a distinct timbre as the cymbals, which are plated with 18-carat gold, are struck by dripping water, intended to mimic the sound of water falling on leaves.

© 2009 ITP DIGITAL

[DarrylStrawberry]

Burj Dubai Opening Put off Again

6 November 2009

DUBAI — The opening of the world’s tallest tower has been delayed until January 4, 2010, to coincide with the fourth anniversary of His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE, becoming the Ruler of Dubai.
Burj Dubai was scheduled to be opened on December 2 — The UAE National Day — Mohammed Alabbar, chairman of Emaar Properties, told CNN last month.

But on Wednesday, Alabbar said the opening of the tower would be put back a month. “We decided to inaugurate the world’s highest tower during an anniversary that is dear to the hearts of everyone,” Alabbar was quoted as saying by the state news agency Wam.

“Burj Dubai reflects the ambitious vision set by His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.”

The project was originally planned to have been finished in December 2008, but was delayed because of a change 
of contractor.

In a statement in September, Emaar said the project would be completed by the “end of the year”.

“As in any large project, there may be some operational challenges with the Burj which Emaar has to tweak,” said Saud Masud, a Dubai-based analyst 
at UBS. “I think they want to make sure the tower opens without any issues which could overshadow the building launch itself.”

Alabbar last month said that around 12,000 people were working on the tower to meet the planned opening date. The final height has not been announced but is believed to be around 818 
metres.