August 22, 2007—Developer Emaar Properties recently announced that Burj Dubai has become the tallest building in the world. At 1,680 ft. (512.1 m), Burj Dubai is now taller than Taipei 101 in Taiwan, which at 1,667 ft. (508 m) has held the tallest-building-in-the-world title since it opened in 2004. Emaar Properties reports that Burj Dubai has now reached 141 stories—reportedly more stories than any other building in the world.
On schedule for completion in 2008, Burj Dubai will be the tallest structure in the world in all four of the criteria listed by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH), says Emaar Properties. The council measures height to the structural top, the highest occupied floor, to the top of the roof, and to the tip of the spire, pinnacle, antenna, mast, or flag pole.
Originally conceived as a 90-story building, the final height and number of stories has not yet been revealed. But from now on, the tower will set new records for its technical and architectural ingenuity, says Emaar Properties. Burj Dubai has reportedly already set a new world record for vertical concrete pumping for a building by pumping to over 460 m (1,509 ft).
When completed, Burj Dubai will have consumed 330,000 cubic meters of concrete, 39,000 metric tons of steel rebar, and 142,000 sq m of glass–as well as 22 million man hours, says Emaar Properties. The tower will have 56 elevators traveling at 1.75 to 10 m/sec and double-decker observatory elevators that can carry 42 people at a time.
Reflecting a no-compromise approach to safety, Burj Dubai has been designed to manage the effect of wind and seismic movements. High-strength concrete makes up the tower’s super-structure, which is supported by large reinforced concrete mats and piles. The 80,000 sq ft foundation slab and 50 m deep piling are waterproofed and feature cathodic protection.
Burj Dubai became the tallest building in the world in just 1,276 days; excavation work started in January 2004. More than 5,000 consultants and skilled construction workers are employed on site, and the world’s fastest high-capacity construction hoists, with a speed of up to 2 m/sec (120 m/min), move men and materials, notes Emaar Properties.
Burj Dubai, with residential, commercial, and retail components, will be at the center of Downtown Burj Dubai, a $20 billion, 500-acre downtown development billed as “the most prestigious square kilometer on earth.”
