Dubai is one of the few cities in the world that has undergone such a rapid transformation - from humble beginnings as a pearl of a diving center to one of the most fastest growing cities on earth... Read about the name of the most famous skyscraper in Dubai and around the world.
Burj Khalifa on the map:
They started working on an original and complex project in January 2004. The tower was designed by the American company Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. Samsung C & T was selected as the general contractor.
Already at the end of September 2004, construction began, which proceeded at a very high pace. 1-2 floors were built in a week. The spire, which has a height of 180 meters, is made using metal structures.
This is a unique structure that made Dubai famous throughout the world. Burj Khalifa was built using certain grades of concrete that can withstand temperatures up to 50 degrees. Such concrete was laid only at night, while ice was added to the composition. In total, about 320,000 m3 of this composition was used, steel reinforcement - more than 60,000 tons.
The construction of the Burj Khalifa (Dubai) cost a huge amount. The UAE spent $ 1.6 billion on the construction. It should be noted that this amount paid off in the first year after the start of operation, thanks to the popularity of the building. After all, not everyone, even from the most influential and wealthy people in the world, could buy apartments here. The price of one square meter in them reached 40 thousand dollars, and they were sold out even before the completion of construction.
Design features
Burj Khalifa, which you see in this article, is equipped with a turbine that rotates with the wind and generates autonomous electricity, and a special fire safety system allows you to evacuate the inhabitants of the tower, if necessary, in 32 minutes.
There are 57 elevators in the building. They move at a speed of 10 m / s. During the construction, the climatic features of the UAE were taken into account. To reduce the risk of the structure swaying in the wind, it was given an asymmetrical shape. All guests who come to Dubai are delighted with the Burj Khalifa. On a tour of the skyscraper, tourists are told that special glasses were used for the structure, which do not allow dust to pass through and fully reflect the rays of the sun.
Special membranes are installed in the floor, which aromatize and cool the air in the room. All this maintains a comfortable temperature, despite the unbearable heat outside.
Dubai, Burj Khalifa: description
We have already said that the skyscraper in the UAE is by far the tallest on Earth. in Dubai is 828 meters. This is a large-scale and innovative structure. It seems to pierce the sky and rush upward. For comparison, we can say that the famous London Big Ben is seven times lower than the Arab tower.
Infrastructure
On a huge territory there is a luxury hotel with 300 rooms, offices, 700 VIP-class apartments, a restaurant, parking for three thousand cars, shops of famous brands, gyms, swimming pools, spa centers, jacuzzis, observation decks and even its own park, the size 11 hectares. As you can see, this is a truly unique structure of Burj Khalifa (Dubai). How many floors are there? This question probably interests many of our readers. The building has 160 floors.
The skyscraper has an asymmetrical shape, reminiscent of a stalagmite that seems to grow from the bottom of a cave. Another feature of the unique building is that its foundation is not anchored in the ground as usual. It consists of 200 hanging piles, 45 meters long and 1.5 meters in diameter.
Air and temperature
The air in the famous tower is not only fully air-conditioned, but also has its own scent, specially developed for this building. It is fed into the tower through certain holes in the floor. The building maintains a temperature of + 18 ° C.
Maintaining a stable temperature is achieved by using tinted thermal glass. It will take at least three months to clean all the glass in the building.
Electricity and water supply
How such a huge building is provided with water and electricity is of interest to many tourists who come to Dubai. Burj Khalifa has an autonomous power supply system. It consists of wind generators with turbines 60 meters long and huge solar panels. Their area is 15 thousand square meters. m.
The water supply system supplies the tower with approximately 945,000 liters of water every day through diverted pipelines. Their length is 100 km. In addition, there is a dedicated pipeline. Its length is 213 kilometers. Another 34 kilometers of pipes supply cold water for air conditioning.
Observation deck
The main panoramic platform is "At the Top" (124,451.9 m). We recommend visiting it to everyone who happens to visit Dubai.
Excursions
You can visit the observation deck either on your own by purchasing a ticket at the box office located on the first floor of the building, or as part of an excursion group. Before your visit, you can drop off items you don't need in the lockers. Then be sure to go through the metal detector.
Here, on the walls, various information about the structure and popular quotes related to it are posted. At the appointed time you will be taken to the elevators, but before that they will be photographed. In addition, on the way to the elevator, you will see pictures and information about the tallest building in the world, the history of its creation, the companies that took part in the construction. Small groups are allowed to the elevators, which are intended for the transportation of tourists. A wonderful light show accompanied by epic music takes place during the ascent. The ascent takes only one minute.
And now you find yourself on the 124th floor of the building. A 360-degree view opens up from here. Half of the site is located in the open air, the second part is indoors. Tourists who have already climbed the observation deck believe that it should be visited at least 4 times: at dawn, in the afternoon, at sunset and at night.
You have 45 minutes to visit the site, but no one really watches the time, so you can stay there as long as you need to enjoy the magnificent scenery. A visit late in the evening or at night is attractive because you can see the musical fountains of Dubai from a great height. There is also a gift shop with T-shirts, cups and other paraphernalia. You can also take a photo and get a photo. When you think you've seen everything that you planned, go to the exit, and in a minute you will be back from heaven to earth. Before leaving, a pretty girl will come up to you and present an album with your photo against the background of the picturesque Burj Khalifa.
Burj Khalifa at sunsetThe construction of the skyscraper took place from 2004 to 2010. The UAE Prime Minister, who conducted the official opening, decided to dedicate the building to the President of the State, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahyan. Therefore, the original name of the Burj Dubai structure was changed to Burj Khalifa, which translates as the Khalifa Tower.
The building was designed by the American Bureau Skidmore. Its author is Adrian Smith, who previously participated in the creation of the Chinese skyscraper Jin Mao. The general contractor was Samsung from South Korea.
According to the plans of the customers and architects, the tower was to become the tallest building in the world, so its design height was kept secret and changed several times in connection with the opening of other similar objects.
The construction of the Burj Khalifa skyscraper proceeded at a record pace - 1-2 floors a week. Every day, about 12,000 workers were involved in the work. The total cost of the facility exceeded US $ 4 billion.
Features of architecture
The height of the Burj Khalifa skyscraper, declared at the time of opening, was 828 m (163 floors), although, according to rumors, the plans of the developers included 940 m. Externally, the building resembles a giant stalagmite with a spire directed upwards. Asymmetry of lines is not only an architect's idea, but also a technical move designed to reduce the impact on the construction of winds.
Another feature of the skyscraper is the lack of anchorage in rocky ground. Hanging piles (two hundred units) 45 m long and 1.5 m wide were used to create the foundation. During the construction of the building, a special type of concrete was developed that has the ability to withstand high temperatures and loads.
Internal layout
In addition to technical floors and a parking lot for 3,000 cars, the Burj Khalifa skyscraper houses: a hotel with 304 rooms (from 1st to 39th floor), which was designed by Armani himself; office premises (111-121, 125-135 and 139-154 floors); 900 apartments (44-72 and 77-108 floors); shopping malls, shops, observation decks, cafes, nightclubs, swimming pools, observatory, mosque and so on. For convenience, the building is equipped with three independent entrances.
Floor 100 is wholly owned by billionaire Shetty from India and has three apartments, each with an average area of \u200b\u200b500 sq.m. The last tiers are reserved for telecommunications equipment.
The 122nd floor of the Burj Khalifa skyscraper is occupied by the Atmosphere restaurant, which can accommodate up to 80 visitors. It is considered to be the highest located on the planet.
The 148th floor houses the highest (555 m) observation deck in the world. In order to get there and enjoy the panorama of the city, you need to purchase a ticket (the cost for an adult is 125 AED).
An artificial lake with a unique fountain is equipped in front of the skyscraper. The area of \u200b\u200bthe reservoir is 12 hectares. To illuminate the fountain, more than 6,000 light sources are used, including colored spotlights, and its jets rise 150 m in height. All this is accompanied by national and world musical works.
Booking a room in Burj Khalifa (Armani Hotel Dubai)
Technical equipment
Fireworks straight from a skyscraperThe technical equipment of the Khalifa Tower meets all modern standards and even surpasses them.
Passage from the shopping center of the skyscraper to the Armani hotelWhen glazing the building, special panels (26,000 pieces) were used to reflect the sun's rays, keep out dust and prevent heating of the interior.
Air conditioning is carried out according to a special scheme: air is driven from bottom to top along the entire height of the structure, while underground cooling modules and sea water are used. As a result, the internal temperature is kept at +18 ° C. Along with ventilation, air aromatization takes place, for this, membranes in the air conditioning system and an exclusive perfume created for the Burj Khalifa are used.
Inside the elevatorA skyscraper is an energetically independent object. Complete self-sufficiency in electricity is achieved through the operation of solar panels on the walls of the tower and a 61-meter turbine that rotates thanks to the wind.
57 elevators installed in the tower operate at a speed of 10 m / s. But only one of them, the service one, runs along the entire height of the building, so residents and visitors have to make transfers.
HallDespite the impressive dimensions of the Burj Khalifa, in case of danger, all people can be evacuated from it in just 32 minutes.
Burj Khalifa is a futuristic skyscraper that combines state-of-the-art technology and unprecedented luxury. This building, which is a record holder in many respects, is a must-see for everyone who comes to Dubai, because from its windows you can see the whole city from a bird's eye view.
Burj Khalifa promo video
The largest city in the UAE is Dubai. Burj Khalifa is a building located in this city and recognized as the tallest in the world. The design height of the structure was carefully concealed during construction. What for? Because this tower was originally planned to be built as the tallest structure. And in the event that somewhere in the world they decide to build a building with high performance, the plan for the construction of Burj Khalifa would be changed.
Construction history
The fact that it is planned to erect the most ambitious building on the planet was officially announced by the local sheikh Mohammed Rashid Al Maktoum fourteen years ago. The tower was designed as a key building in a new area of \u200b\u200bthe city, which could attract tourists here.
At first it was called "Burj Dubai" (which in translation sounds like "Dubai Tower"), but the final stage of its construction coincided with a crisis. Due to the lack of financial resources, they turned to the Sheikh of Abu Dhabi for help. The billion-dollar support allowed construction to continue, but the building was renamed. The Burj Khalifa in Dubai is named after the ruler of Abu Dhabi. He is the current President of the UAE (since 2004).
The height of the Burj Khalifa in Dubai
As a result, the data was hidden until the very opening of the tower. The height of the Burj Khalifa in Dubai is eight hundred and twenty-eight meters! These indicators are hard to believe, but they are. The height of the uppermost residential floor is at the level of five hundred and eighty four meters. The building, thanks to this feature, rises above the entire city and is a real symbol that Dubai can be proud of.
Burj Khalifa, whose observation deck is located at the level of four hundred and fifty meters, is higher in height than many other buildings, including the financial center in Shanghai. However, the latter structure also has its advantages. So, despite the fact that, in general, the Burj Khalifa is higher than the financial center, the Shanghai observation deck is still at a higher level when compared with the site in Dubai.
What's inside the Burj Khalifa
The Burj Khalifa Tower in Dubai is a kind of city that is located at a great height. The floors are arranged in blocks, each with a specific function. The building houses approximately nine hundred residential apartments, as well as a huge hotel and many office space. A three-storey parking complex is designed for three thousand cars.
In addition, the tower has a large number of shopping centers. The Burj Khalifa has three separate entrances. They are designed for a hotel, personal apartments and offices. In addition, there is sport complexes with swimming pools, training rooms and spas. At the level of one hundred and twenty-second floor there is a restaurant, which is considered to be an institution of this kind, located at the highest elevation in the entire planet.
The Burj Khalifa has special equipment to cool and flavor the air inside the structure. At the same time, the smell was created exclusively for this particular building. The glass in the tower does not allow dust particles to pass through and is capable of repelling solar radiation, which ensures that temperature stability is maintained.
Also, a special grade of concrete was developed especially for this building. It is able to withstand a heat of about 50 degrees. A mixture of this material was placed exclusively at night, and a certain amount of ice was added to it.
Financial expenses
The Burj Khalifa Tower in Dubai was built with $ 1.5 billion in funding. Moreover, this complex is also a record holder because the costs of its construction paid off within a year after it was opened. This fact is due to the fact that the tower is extremely popular as the tallest in the world.
Even before the end of construction work, the developer company, back in 2009, announced that one square meter in Burj Khalifa costs forty thousand dollars. Imagine that the popularity of the tower is also due to the presence of an observation deck, which begins to register for a visit a few days before the expected visit.
Burj Khalifa records
The whole world knows what building Dubai is most famous for. Burj Khalifa was officially recognized as a record building, which, in addition to the above dignity, has the largest number of floors and elevators moving at a speed of eighteen meters per second. In addition, there is a restaurant on the largest point on Earth - the institution is located on the 122nd floor in the tower.
But why is the Burj Khalifa observation deck inferior in height to the Shanghai platform? If the Chinese tower is equipped with a room at the level of four hundred and seventy meters, then in United Arab Emirates it is located at a level of four hundred and fifty meters. What is the reason for this feature? This is because the tower narrows at the top of the structure, so the very top of the structure cannot accommodate people.
Who lives upstairs in the Burj Khalifa
The pricing policy for real estate in Dubai is much more affordable than, for example, the cost in cities such as Moscow, London or New York. However, only real rich people can buy their apartment in this tower. The developers do not reveal the names, but many of the buyers speak about it themselves. For example, today we can confidently say that the hundredth and one hundred and first floors were purchased for personal use by the billionaire from India Shetty. The cost of this purchase is estimated at twenty-five million dollars.
Gold vending machines
Obviously, one more feature of the described tower is connected with this. So, in machines in shopping centersusually sell drinks or snacks. But this is not the case with the Burj Khalifa. Today there are several machines that sell real gold. Those who can afford to spend a lot of money buy bars that weigh between two and a half to thirty grams. The image of the tower is engraved on these gold items.
Burj Khalifa fountains
There is another landmark near the skyscraper that Dubai is justly proud of. Burj Khalifa boasts a unique, most powerful fountain on the planet, spewing water to a level that reaches a hundred meters. At the same time, he is equipped with a device capable of forcing him to write out bizarre figures, moving to the music. In the evenings, a real show of the famous fountain begins, which "dances" to beautiful melodies, and everyone can admire this action.
Burj Dubai (Khalifa) was recognized as the tallest building in the world on July 21, 2007, although it was opened only two and a half years later - in early 2010.
Erection the highest skyscraper, somewhat reminiscent of a giant stalagmite, began in 2004. Initially, Burj Dubai was supposed to become a kind of "city within a city", with its boulevards, lawns and even entire parks, so it is not surprising that the initial budget of the project was $ 1.5 billion, and upon completion, the figure turned out to be much higher - $ 4.1 billion.
For the construction of a huge structure, a special type of prestressed reinforced concrete was developed, which was poured only at night, and ice was added to the solution. The main distinguishing feature of such concrete is to overcome the concrete's inability to resist significant tensile stresses.
Changing the project from the initial version to the final version, in the reverse order)
The construction of Burj Dubai was carried out at an accelerated pace, but as a result of some delays (the return of a defective batch of exclusive reflective glass panels that reduce the heating of the interior, changes in the design due to deviation from the central axis, financial problems of the developer, etc.) the opening of the building was postponed from September 9 2009 to 4 January 2010.
The height of the finished 162-storey building is 828 meters. At the inauguration of the skyscraper, the ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashed Al Maktoum, said that this building was dedicated to President Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahyan, in connection with which the building was officially named "Burj Khalifa". But by that time, the whole world was already so used to calling the skyscraper Burj Dubai that they did not pay attention to this renaming anywhere except the emirates themselves.
Burj Dubai is an energetically self-sufficient building - the skyscraper is always supplied with electricity thanks to a 61-meter wind turbine and a huge array of solar panels covering 15,000 square meters.
The skyscraper's air conditioning system is also unique - air is driven from bottom to top along the entire height of the tower, and seawater and underground cooling modules are used for cooling.
Directly in front of the Dubai Tower is the world's most beautiful musical fountain, Dubai, which cost $ 217 million to create.
Some interesting facts about Burj Dubai skyscraper:
- from the base of the skyscraper to the top floor there are exactly 3,000 steps;
- the air temperature at the tip of the spire is 10 degrees lower than the temperature at the base of Burj Dubai;
- the facades used 26,000 glass panels;
- the construction of the Dubai Tower took 22 million "man-hours";
- the spire of the skyscraper is visible at a distance of 100 kilometers from it in any direction;
- giorgio Armani himself was responsible for the design of the 160 hotel rooms on the lower floors of the Tower;
- on the 43rd, 76th and 123rd floors there are observation platforms, and on the 124th there is an observatory "On the Top";
- the world's largest swimming pool is located on the 76th floor;
- the 143rd floor is the largest in the world night club;
- the world's highest mosque is located on the 158th floor;
- equipping the skyscraper with 65 elevators cost the developer $ 36 million. This cost is due to the fact that these elevators are the fastest in the world and develop speeds up to 18 m / s;
- upon completion of Burj Dubai, a key part of the Dubai Business Center, the total cost was $ 20 billion
