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{{Building under construction|article}}
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{{Infobox Skyscraper
<!-- Hello! Feel free to try your formatting and editing skills below this line. As this page is for editing experiments, this page will automatically be cleaned every 12 hours. -->
|building_name=Burj Dubai
|image=[[Image:Burj Dubai.jpg|center|250px]]
|previous_building=[[Taipei 101]]
|year_highest=
|year_started built=[[2004]]
|year_finished=[[2008]]
|antenna_spire= ~{{m to ft|818|abbr=yes|spell=0|precision=0|wiki=yes}}
|roof= ~{{m to ft|643.3|abbr=yes|spell=0|precision=0|wiki=no}}
|top_floor= ~{{m to ft|624.1|abbr=yes|spell=0|precision=0|wiki=no}}
|height_of_concrete_section= {{m to ft|585.7|abbr=yes|spell=0|precision=0|wiki=no}}
|floor_count= 164 <ref>{{cite news
| url = http://img527.imageshack.us/img527/4714/s2in3ii1.jpg
| title = Detailed plans of the spire
}}</ref>
|groundbreaking=[[21 September]] [[2004]]
<!-- Please do not change the projected completion date below without citing an official word from the developers saying anything different -->
|est_completion=[[30 December]] [[2008]] <ref name="burjdubaiskyscraper.com"> {{cite web | title = Burj Dubai Skyscraper (Photos) | url = http://burjdubaiskyscraper.com/2007/07July/wtb-burj-0732.jpg | accessdate = 2007-07-08}} </ref>
|opening=[[September]] [[2009]] (est.)
|floor_area= {{m2 to ft2|334000|abbr=yes|spell=0|precision=-2|wiki=yes}}
|developer={{flagicon|United Arab Emirates}} [[Emaar Properties|Emaar]]
|architect={{flagicon|United States}} [[Skidmore, Owings and Merrill]]
|contractor= <br /> {{flagicon|South Korea}} [[Samsung Engineering & Construction|Samsung]]<br /> {{flagicon|Belgium}} [[Besix]] <br /> {{flagicon|UAE}} [[Arabtec]] <br /> {{flagicon|USA}} [[Turner]] <br />
}}
'''Burj Dubai''' ({{lang-ar|'''برج دبي'''}} "Dubai Tower") is a [[supertall]] [[skyscraper]] currently under construction in [[Dubai]], [[United Arab Emirates]]. When it is completed in late 2008, it is predicted to be the [[List of tallest buildings and structures in the world|tallest man-made structure in the world]]. Scheduled for occupancy in September 2009, the building is part of a {{km2 to mi2|2|abbr=yes|spell=0|precision=1|wiki=yes}} development called 'Downtown Dubai' and is located at the "First Interchange" (aka "Defence [[Roundabout]]") along [[Sheikh Zayed Road]] at Doha Street.

The tower's architect is [[Adrian Smith (architect)|Adrian Smith]]<ref name="Record High">{{cite web |title=EMAAR Press Release - Burj Dubai reaches a record high, Dubai, UAE, July 21, 2007 |url=http://www.emaar.com/MediaCenter/PressReleases/2007July21.asp |accessdate=2008-01-02}}</ref> who worked with [[Skidmore, Owings and Merrill| Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (SOM)]] until 2006.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.architectmagazine.com/industry-news.asp?sectionID=1006&articleID=385534 | title = Architect Magazine: Adrian Smith Leaves SOM, Longtime Skidmore partner bucks retirement to start new firm}}</ref> SOM is the architecture and engineering firm in charge of the project.<ref name="Record High">{{cite web |title=EMAAR Press Release - Burj Dubai reaches a record high, Dubai, UAE, July 21, 2007 |url=http://www.emaar.com/MediaCenter/PressReleases/2007July21.asp |accessdate=2008-01-02}}</ref> The primary builder is [[Samsung Engineering & Construction]], along with [[Besix]] and [[Arabtec]].<ref>[http://skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=7787 Burj Dubai - SkyscraperPage.com]</ref> Third party peer review has been performed by [[CBM Engineers]].

The total budget for the Burj Dubai project is about $4.1 billion US and for the entire new 'Downtown Dubai', $20 billion US.

==Height==
===Current height and timeline of events===
As of [[5 February]] [[2008]], Burj Dubai has reached a height of {{m to ft|604.9|abbr=yes|spell=0|precision=0|wiki=no}}, with 159 completed floors.<ref name="official site">{{Cite web |title=Burj Dubai Official Website |url=http://www.burjdubai.com |publisher=Emaar |accessdate=2008-01-02}}</ref>

Burj Dubai's last two milestones will be to surpass the {{m to ft|628.8|abbr=yes|spell=0|precision=0|wiki=no}} height of the [[KVLY-TV mast|KVLY-TV Mast]] in [[North Dakota]], [[United States]] to become the world's tallest structure and to pass the [[Warsaw radio mast]] in [[Gąbin]], [[Poland]] ({{m to ft|646.4|abbr=yes|spell=0|precision=0|wiki=no}} until it collapsed in 1991) to become the world's tallest structure of any type ever built.

*[[September 21]] [[2004]]<br>Emaar contractors begin construction of Burj Dubai.
*[[February]] [[2007]]<br>Burj Dubai surpasses the [[Sears Tower]] as the [[List of buildings with 100 floors or more|building with the most floors]].
*[[May 13]] [[2007]]<br>Burj Dubai sets record for vertical [[concrete pump]]ing on any building at {{m to ft|452|abbr=yes|spell=0|precision=0|wiki=no}}, surpassing the {{m to ft|449.2|abbr=yes|spell=0|precision=0|wiki=no}} to which concrete was pumped during the construction of [[Taipei 101]].<ref>[http://dubaionline.mconet.biz/index.php?action=fullnews&id=319778&category=990&category_name=dubai_property_news Burj Dubai:Unimix sets record for concrete pumping]</ref>
*[[July 21]] [[2007]]<br>Burj Dubai becomes the tallest building on Earth surpassing Taipei 101 which stands at a height of {{m to ft|509.2|abbr=yes|spell=0|precision=0|wiki=no}}.<ref name="official site"/> 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)." <ref name="CTBUH">{{cite web | title = Burj Dubai Height Overtakes Taipei 101 | url = http://www.skyscrapernews.com/news.php?ref=1018 |publisher= skyscrapernews.com | accessdate = 2007-07-22}}</ref> 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 [[Ryugyong Hotel|Ryungyong]] [''[[sic]]''] project. Taipei 101 is thus officially the world's tallest until that happens."
*[[August 12]] [[2007]]<br>Burj Dubai surpassed the height of the Sears' Tower antenna which stands at a height of {{m to ft|527.3|abbr=yes|spell=0|precision=0|wiki=no}}.
*[[September 3]] [[2007]]<br>Burj Dubai becomes the second-tallest freestanding structure, surpassing the {{m to ft|540|abbr=yes|spell=0|precision=0|wiki=no}} [[Ostankino Tower]] in [[Moscow]].
*[[September 12]] [[2007]]<br>At {{m to ft|555.3|abbr=yes|spell=0|precision=0|wiki=no}}, Burj Dubai becomes the world's tallest freestanding structure, surpassing the [[CN Tower]] in [[Toronto]].<ref name="CBC">{{cite news |title=CN Tower dethroned by Dubai building |url=http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2007/09/12/cntower-surpassed.html |publisher=[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]] |date=2007-09-12 |accessdate=2007-09-13}}</ref>
*[[December 10]] [[2007]]<br>The steel construction of the Burj Dubai begins. No more structural concrete is used.{{Fact|date=December 2007}}

===Current records===
Note: As indicated above, the CTBUH does not recognise records for buildings still under construction, therefore some of those records are ''unofficial'':<br>
*Tallest freestanding structure: {{m to ft|604.9|abbr=yes|spell=0|precision=0|wiki=no}} (previously CN Tower - {{m to ft|553.3|abbr=yes|spell=0|precision=0|wiki=no}})
*Building with most floors: 159 (previously Sears Tower / [[World Trade Center]] - 110)
*Vertical concrete pumping (for a building): {{m to ft|601.0|abbr=yes|spell=0|precision=0|wiki=no}} (previously Taipei 101 - {{m to ft|449.2|abbr=yes|spell=0|precision=0|wiki=no}})
*Vertical concrete pumping (for any construction): {{m to ft|601.0|abbr=yes|spell=0|precision=0|wiki=no}} (previously [[Riva del Garda Hydroelectric Power Plant]] - {{m to ft|532|abbr=yes|spell=0|precision=0|wiki=no}}<ref>[http://www.putzmeister.de/cps/rde/xchg/SID-3C6E00FC-E36E4E4B/pm_online/hs.xsl/3498_ENU_HTML.htm Putzmeister - History - 1994 - World record: 532 m]</ref>)

<!-- The CTBUH will only recognise these records for completed buildings
*Tallest skyscraper to top of spire: 598.5 m (previously Taipei 101 - 509.2 m)
*Tallest skyscraper to top of roof: 598.5 m (previously Taipei 101 - 449.2 m )
*Tallest skyscraper to top of antenna: 598.5 m (previously the Sears Tower - 527 m) -->

===Projected height===
[[Image:BurjDubaiHeight.png|left|thumb|Projected height of the completed Burj Dubai, compared to the height of some other well known tall buildings.]]
The projected final height of Burj Dubai is officially being kept a secret due to competition from other buildings under construction or proposed; however, figures released by a contractor on the project have suggested a height of around {{m to ft|818|abbr=yes|spell=0|precision=0|wiki=no}}.<ref>[http://www.doka.com/doka/en_global/references/constructionmethods/climbingsystems/selfclimbing/pages/03274/index.php Project information], ''doka- The Formwork Experts'', retrieved [[2006-05-04]]</ref> Based on this height, the total number of habitable floors is expected to be around 162. However, when pressed for a more precise figure, the project manager merely repeated that he was able only to guarantee that the final height would be higher than {{m to ft|700|abbr=yes|spell=0|precision=0|wiki=no}}, and it would be the world's tallest free-standing structure when completed.

===History of height increases===
Though unconfirmed, Burj Dubai has been rumoured to have undergone several height increases since its inception. Originally proposed as a virtual clone of the {{m to ft|560|abbr=yes|spell=0|precision=0|wiki=no}} [[Grollo Tower]] proposal for [[Melbourne]], [[Australia|Australia's]] [[Melbourne Docklands|Docklands waterfront development]], the tower was redesigned with an original design by Skidmore Owings and Merrill seen above and discussed below. This design should put it at approximately {{m to ft|705|abbr=yes|spell=0|precision=0|wiki=no}}. Contradictory information abounds regarding the official height of the building, which is to be expected, considering the building seeks to acquire the designation as the world's tallest structure upon completion in 2009. One website<ref>[http://www.burjdubaiskyscraper.com burjdubaiskyscraper.com]</ref> mentions a rumoured final height of {{m to ft|916|abbr=yes|spell=0|precision=0|wiki=no}} in a [[September 28]], [[2006]] posting, but this is contradicted by a [[September 20]], [[2006]] article listing a height over {{m to ft|940|abbr=yes|spell=0|precision=0|wiki=no}}.<ref>{{cite news | first= | last= | coauthors= | title=Builder: Dubai High-Rise World's Tallest | date= | publisher= | url =http://apnews.myway.com/article/20070722/D8QHBBEO0.html | work =AP News | pages = | accessdate = 2007-07-22 | language = }}</ref>

The design architect, Adrian Smith, felt that the upper-most section of the building did not culminate elegantly with the rest of the structure, so he sought and received approval to increase it to the currently planned height. It has been explicitly stated that this change did not include any added floors,<ref>{{PDFlink|[http://cityscape-online.com/PDF/CityScape_Daily_Day_2.pdf Cityscape Daily News]|264&nbsp;[[Kibibyte|KiB]]<!-- application/pdf, 270659 bytes -->}} ''Cityscape'', [[2005-09-18]], retrieved [[2006-05-05]]</ref>, which is fitting with Smith's attempts to make the crown more slender. However, the top of the tower will be a [[steel frame]] structure, unlike the lower portion's [[reinforced concrete]]. The developer, [[Emaar]], has stated this [[steel]] section may be extended to beat any other tower to the title of tallest; however, once the tower is complete the height cannot be changed.

===Competition with other projects===
Several other major projects in the region may vie for the title of tallest structure. These other projects are in various states of planning and/or construction.

One of Burj Dubai's potential competitors is the proposed [[Murjan Tower]], in [[Manama]], [[Bahrain]]. Designed by the [[Denmark|Danish]] architects [[Henning Larsen|Henning Larsens Tegnestue A/S]], it is expected to be {{m to ft|1022|abbr=yes|spell=0|precision=0|wiki=no}} in height with 200 floors.<ref>[http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=murjantower1-manama-bahrain Murjan Tower 1, Manama<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>

Also potentially competing with Burj Dubai is the proposed {{m to ft|1001|abbr=yes|spell=0|precision=0|wiki=no}} [[Madinat al-Hareer#Construction of Mubarak al-Kabir Tower|Burj Mubarak al-Kabir]] to be erected in [[Kuwait]] as part of a massive development project called [[Madinat al-Hareer]] (City of Silk). The project also includes an [[Olympic stadium]], residences, hotels, and retail facilities. However, the project may take 25 years to complete.<ref>[http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn8445 "Architects plan kilometre-high skyscraper"], by Will Knight, ''NewScientist.com'', [[December 9]], [[2005]], retrieved [[2006-03-25]]</ref>

Another proposed tower which may surpass the height of Burj Dubai, is [[Al Burj]], on a site near [[Dubai Marina]]. Speculation has suggested various heights between {{m to ft|700|abbr=yes|spell=0|precision=0|wiki=no}} and {{m to ft|1200|abbr=yes|spell=0|precision=0|wiki=no}}, but the developer is keeping the final height tightly under wraps. If built, it will be only {{km to mi|22|abbr=yes|spell=0|precision=0|wiki=yes}} from the Burj Dubai site.

==Architecture and design==
The tower is being constructed by a South Korean company, Samsung Engineering & Construction <ref name="Samsung E&C"> {{cite web | title = Samsung E&C | url = http://www.secc.co.kr/e_secc/product/skyscraper_klcc.asp | title = Samsung E&C Projects}} </ref> which also built the [[Petronas Twin Towers]] and the Taipei 101. The tower is designed by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, who also designed the Sears Tower in [[Chicago]] and the [[Freedom Tower]] in [[New York City]], among numerous other famous high-rises. The building resembles the bundled tube form of the Sears Tower, but is not a tube structure. The design of Burj Dubai is reminiscent of the [[Frank Lloyd Wright]] vision for [[The Illinois]], a mile high skyscraper designed for Chicago, [[Illinois]]. Burj Dubai is expected to rise to 150% of the height of the Sears Tower. Emaar has also engaged [[GHD Group|GHD]]<ref name="GHD Projects"> {{cite web | title = GHD Projects | url = http://www.ghd.com.au/aptrixpublishing.nsf/Content/BurjDubaiTower_prj | title = GHD Projects}} </ref>, an international multidisciplinary consulting firm, to assist with the design, review and assessment involved in the construction process. [[Image:Comparisonfinal001fx7.png|thumb|left|Supertall cross-section comparisons]]

The design of Burj Dubai is ostensibly derived from the patterning systems embodied in [[Islamic architecture]], with the triple-lobed footprint of the building based on an abstracted version of the desert flower [[hymenocallis]]
native to the region. The tower is composed of three elements arranged around a central core. As the tower rises from the flat desert base, [[Setback (architecture)|setbacks]] occur at each element in an upward spiralling pattern, decreasing the cross section of the tower as it reaches toward the sky. At the top, the central core emerges and is sculpted to form a finishing spire. A Y-shaped floor plan maximizes views of the [[Persian Gulf]]. Viewed from above or from the base, the form also evokes the [[Onion dome#Outside Russia|onion domes]] of Islamic architecture.

The exterior cladding of Burj Dubai will consist of reflective glazing with [[aluminium]] and textured [[stainless steel]] [[spandrel]] panels with vertical tubular fins of stainless steel. The cladding system is designed to withstand Dubai's extreme summer temperatures.

The interior will be decorated by [[Giorgio Armani]]. An Armani Hotel (the first of its kind) will occupy the lower 37 floors. Floors 45 through 108 will have 700 private [[apartment]]s on 64 floors (which, according to the developer, sold out within eight hours of going on sale). Corporate offices and suites will fill most of the remaining floors, except for a 123rd floor lobby and 124th floor (about {{convert|440|m|ft|0}}) indoor/outdoor [[Deck (building)|observation deck]]. The spire will also hold [[telecommunication|communications]] equipment. An outdoor [[zero-entry swimming pool]] will be located on the 78th floor of the tower.

It will also feature the world's fastest [[elevator]], rising and descending at {{convert|18|m:s|mi:h|0|abbr=on}}.<ref>[http://www.burjdubaiskyscraper.com/articles/burj-elevator.html Burj Dubai will have world's highest elevator installation], by Moushumi Das Chaudhry, ''BurjDubaiSkyscraper'', [[2006-03-12]], retrieved [[2006-03-25]]</ref> The world's current fastest elevator (in the Taipei 101) travels at {{convert|16.83|m:s|mi:h|1|abbr=on}}. Engineers had considered installing the world's first triple-decker elevators, but the final design calls for [[double-deck elevator]]s.<ref name="emporis"> {{cite web | title = Burj Dubai, Dubai, at emporis.com | url = http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=burjdubai-dubai-unitedarabemirates | accessdate = 2007-05-23}}</ref> A total of 56 elevators will be installed that can carry 42 people at a time. <ref name="elevator">[http://www.emaar.com/MediaCenter/PressReleases/2007July21.asp Burj Dubai reaches a record high]. ''EMAAR'', [[2007-07-21]], retrieved [[2007-07-23]]</ref>

Engineers rotated the building 120 degrees from its original layout to reduce stress from prevailing winds. Over {{m3 to yd3|45000|abbr=yes|spell=0|precision=-2|wiki=yes}} of concrete, weighing more than {{convert|110000|t|ST LT|-3|lk=on}} were used to construct the concrete and steel foundation, which features 192 piles buried more than {{m to ft|50|abbr=yes|spell=0|precision=0|wiki=no}} deep.<ref name="emporis"/>

==Purpose==
Burj Dubai has been designed to be the centerpiece of a large-scale, mixed-use development that will include 30,000 homes, nine hotels such as the [[Burj Dubai Lake Hotel & Serviced Apartments]], {{km2 to mi2|0.03|abbr=yes|spell=0|precision=2|wiki=no}} of parkland, at least 19 residential towers, the [[Dubai Mall]], and the {{km2 to mi2|0.12|abbr=yes|spell=0|precision=2|wiki=no}} man-made Burj Dubai Lake. Burj Dubai will cost [[United States dollar|US$]] 800 million to build and the entire {{km2 to mi2|2|abbr=yes|spell=0|precision=2|wiki=no}} development will cost around US$ 20&nbsp;billion.

The silvery glass-sheathed concrete building will give the title of Earth's tallest free-standing structure to the [[Middle East]] — a title not held by the region since 1311 AD when [[Lincoln Cathedral]] in [[England]] surpassed the height of the [[Great Pyramid of Giza]], which had held the title for almost four [[Millennium|millennia]].

The decision to build Burj Dubai is reportedly based on the government's decision to diversify from a trade-based economy to one that is service- and tourism-oriented. According to officials, it is necessary for projects like Burj Dubai to be built in the city to garner more international recognition, and hence investment. "He <nowiki>[</nowiki>[[Sheikh]] [[Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum]]<nowiki>]</nowiki> wanted to put Dubai on the map with something really sensational," said Jacqui Josephson, a tourism and VIP delegations executive at [[Nakheel Properties]].<ref>[http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-dubai13oct13,0,5107518.story?page=1&coll=la-home-headlines "In Dubai, the Sky's No Limit"], by Megan K. Stack, ''Los Angeles Times'', [[2005-10-13]], retrieved [[2006-03-26]]</ref>

==Construction==
[[Image:Burj Dubai in Skyline on 24 December 2007.jpg|thumb|right|Burj Dubai in December 2007]]
Burj Dubai is made from reinforced concrete. As construction of the tower progresses, it becomes increasingly difficult to vertically pump the thousands of cubic metres of concrete that are required. The previous record for pumping concrete on any project was set during the extension of the Riva del Garda Hydroelectric Power Plant in [[Italy]] in 1994, when concrete was pumped to a height of {{m to ft|532|abbr=yes|spell=0|precision=0|wiki=no}}. Burj Dubai now holds this record as of [[August 19]], [[2007]], as it has a height of {{m to ft|536.1|abbr=yes|spell=0|precision=0|wiki=no}}, to hold the record for concrete pumping on any project; and as of [[October 2]], [[2007]] concrete was pumped to a delivery height of {{m to ft|588|abbr=yes|spell=0|precision=0|wiki=no}}.<ref name="Putzmeister">{{cite web | title = Putzmeister | url = http://www.putzmeister.de/cps/rde/xchg/SID-3C6E00FC-8269E805/pm_online/hs.xsl/5933_ENU_HTML.htm | title = Putzmeister AG - News - Burj Dubai}} </ref>.

Special mixes of concrete are made to withstand the extreme pressures of the massive weight of the tower; each batch of concrete is tested and checked to see whether it can withstand certain pressures. The head of Concrete Quality Checking on the Burj Dubai project is Alam Feroze, who is in charge of concrete on the whole project. The concrete pumps, pipelines and booms are provided by Putzmeister AG, of [[Aichtal]], [[Germany]].

As the consistency of the concrete on the project is essential, it was difficult to create a concrete that could withstand the thousands of tonnes bearing down on it, but also to withstand [[Persian Gulf|Gulf]] temperatures that can reach {{C to F|50|precision=0|wiki=yes}}. To combat this problem, the concrete is not poured during the day. Instead, ice is added to the mixture and it is poured at night when it is cooler and the humidity is higher. A cooler concrete mixture cures evenly throughout and therefore is less likely to set too quickly and crack. Any significant cracks could put the whole project in jeopardy.

===Labour controversy===
{{Further|[[Human rights in the United Arab Emirates]]}}
Burj Dubai is being built primarily by [[Immigration|immigrant]] engineers and workers from [[Pakistan]], [[India]], [[Bangladesh]], [[People's Republic of China|China]] and the [[Philippines]].<ref name="breitbart" /> Press reports indicate that skilled [[carpenter]]s at the site earn US[[United States dollar|$]]7.60 ([[Pound sterling|£]]4.34)/day, and laborers earn US$4.00 (£2.84).<ref name="breitbart">[http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/03/22/D8GGPJJG3.html "Workers Riot at Site of Dubai Skyscraper"], Jim Krane, ''breitbart.com'', [[2006-03-22]], retrieved [[March 24]], [[2006]]</ref><ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,,1737180,00.html Riot by migrant workers halts construction of Dubai skyscraper], by Brian Whitaker and agencies, ''The Guardian'', [[2006-03-23]], retrieved [[2006-03-25]]</ref> [[Trade union|Unions]] were forbidden in the United Arab Emirates up until recently, when the government announced steps to allow construction unions.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4861540.stm "UAE to allow construction unions"], ''BBC News'', [[2006-03-30]], retrieved [[2006-04-20]]</ref>
On [[March 21]], [[2006]], workers upset over low wages and poor working conditions rioted, damaging cars, offices, computers, and construction equipment. A Dubai Interior Ministry official said the rioters caused approximately US$1m (£488k) in damage. Most workers returned the following day but refused to work. Workers building a new [[Airport terminal|terminal]] at [[Dubai International Airport]] also joined that day's [[strike action]].

The [[United Arab Emirates dirham]]'s close connection with the low US Dollar, and the increased cost-of-living in the region, has made it increasingly difficult for immigrant construction workers to survive on their wages. An offer by the UAE government in June 2007 to fly home illegal immigrant workers free-of-charge, with no questions asked, was met with overwhelming demand, further threatening the supply of workers on the Burj Dubai and other Dubai construction projects.

==Gallery==
<center><gallery>
Image:Burj2.jpg|<center>[[2006-02-01]]</center>
Image:20060829_Burj_Dubai.jpg|<center>[[2006-08-29]]</center>
Image:84floors.jpg|<center>[[2006-11-11]]</center>
Image:Burjdubaijanuary07.jpg|<center>[[2007-01-02]]</center>
Image:Burjdubaifeb2107.jpg|<center>[[2007-03-21]]</center>
Image:Burjdubaimay07.jpg|<center>[[2007-05-07]]</center>
Image:Burj.jpg|<center>[[2007-07-15]]</center>
Image:Burjdubaiaug92007.jpg|<center>[[2007-08-09]]</center>
Image:BurjDubai22.08.07.jpg|<center>[[2007-08-22]]</center>
Image:SmallDiagram.jpg|<center>[[September 2007]]</center>
Image:Burjdubai oct07.jpg|<center>[[2007-10-14]]</center>
Image:Burj1217.jpg|<center>[[2007-12-17]]</center>
Image:BurjDubai080203.JPG|<center>[[2008-02-03]]</center>

</gallery></center>

==See also==
*[[Skyscraper design and construction]]
*[[List of buildings with 100 floors or more]]
*[[List of tallest buildings and structures in the world]]
*[[List of tallest buildings in Dubai]]
*[[List of tallest towers in Southwest Asia]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
<!-- do not add links to blogs or other unofficial pages, there are enough links now -->
{{Commons}}
*[http://www.burjdubai.com/ Official website]
*[http://www.smithgill.com/ Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture - official website]
*[http://www.som.com/ Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP - official website]
*[http://www.burjdubaiskyscraper.com/ Burj Dubai Skyscraper]—Construction photos & Information
*[http://www.designbuild-network.com/projects/burj/ Burj Dubai]—Project Information from Design Build Network
*[http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=burjdubai-dubai-unitedarabemirates Emporis page on Burj Dubai]
*[http://www.skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=7787 SkyscraperPage Burj Dubai]
*{{PDFlink|[http://www.structuremag.org/archives/2006/June-2006/SF-Wind-Engineering-Burj-Dubai-Tower-June-06.pdf "The Burj Dubai Tower Wind Engineering"]|597&nbsp;[[Kibibyte|KiB]]<!-- application/pdf, 611419 bytes -->}} (Irwin, Baker, June 2006) [http://www.STRUCTUREmag.org STRUCTURE magazine]
*{{PDFlink|[http://www.structuremag.org/archives/2006/Nov-2006/F-Burj-Dubai-Tower-Irwin-etal-Nov_06.pdf "The Burj Dubai Tower - Wind Channel Testing of Cladding and Pedestrian Level"]|620&nbsp;[[Kibibyte|KiB]]<!-- application/pdf, 635029 bytes -->}} (Erwin, etal, November 2006) [http://www.STRUCTUREmag.org STRUCTURE magazine]
*[http://www.otis.com/corp/c1-projects.html Otis Worldwide, Signature Projects]—Information on the project's elevators at the Otis Elevator Company
*[http://www.rwdi.com/project_profiles/burj_dubai/ Wind and Other Studies] performed by [[RWDI]]
*[http://www.arabianbusiness.com/burj_dubai/ Burj Dubai - World's Tallest Building, History, Facts & Pictures - ArabianBusiness.com]

{{start box}}
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[[Category:Buildings under construction]]
[[Category:Skyscrapers in Dubai]]
[[Category:Building projects]]
[[Category:Skyscrapers over 350 meters]]

[[ar:برج دبي]]
[[bg:Бурж Дубай]]
[[ca:Burj Dubai]]
[[cs:Burdž Dubaj]]
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[[ko:부르즈 두바이]]
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[[he:בורג' דובאי]]
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[[ru:Бурдж Дубай]]
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[[ur:برج دبئی]]
[[zh-yue:杜拜塔]]
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Revision as of 08:27, 19 February 2008

Template:Building under construction

Burj Dubai
File:Burj Dubai.jpg
General information
Estimated completion30 December 2008 [2]
OpeningSeptember 2009 (est.)
Height
Antenna spire~Template:M to ft
Roof~Template:M to ft
Top floor~Template:M to ft
Technical details
Floor count164 [1]
Floor areaTemplate:M2 to ft2
Design and construction
Architect(s)United States Skidmore, Owings and Merrill
DeveloperUnited Arab Emirates Emaar

Burj Dubai (Arabic: برج دبي "Dubai Tower") is a supertall skyscraper currently under construction in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. When it is completed in late 2008, it is predicted to be the tallest man-made structure in the world. Scheduled for occupancy in September 2009, the building is part of a Template:Km2 to mi2 development called 'Downtown Dubai' and is located at the "First Interchange" (aka "Defence Roundabout") along Sheikh Zayed Road at Doha Street.

The tower's architect is Adrian Smith[3] who worked with Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (SOM) until 2006.[4] SOM is the architecture and engineering firm in charge of the project.[3] The primary builder is Samsung Engineering & Construction, along with Besix and Arabtec.[5] Third party peer review has been performed by CBM Engineers.

The total budget for the Burj Dubai project is about $4.1 billion US and for the entire new 'Downtown Dubai', $20 billion US.

Height

Current height and timeline of events

As of 5 February 2008, Burj Dubai has reached a height of Template:M to ft, with 159 completed floors.[6]

Burj Dubai's last two milestones will be to surpass the Template:M to ft height of the KVLY-TV Mast in North Dakota, United States to become the world's tallest structure and to pass the Warsaw radio mast in Gąbin, Poland (Template:M to ft until it collapsed in 1991) to become the world's tallest structure of any type ever built.

Current records

Note: As indicated above, the CTBUH does not recognise records for buildings still under construction, therefore some of those records are unofficial:


Projected height

Projected height of the completed Burj Dubai, compared to the height of some other well known tall buildings.

The projected final height of Burj Dubai is officially being kept a secret due to competition from other buildings under construction or proposed; however, figures released by a contractor on the project have suggested a height of around Template:M to ft.[11] Based on this height, the total number of habitable floors is expected to be around 162. However, when pressed for a more precise figure, the project manager merely repeated that he was able only to guarantee that the final height would be higher than Template:M to ft, and it would be the world's tallest free-standing structure when completed.

History of height increases

Though unconfirmed, Burj Dubai has been rumoured to have undergone several height increases since its inception. Originally proposed as a virtual clone of the Template:M to ft Grollo Tower proposal for Melbourne, Australia's Docklands waterfront development, the tower was redesigned with an original design by Skidmore Owings and Merrill seen above and discussed below. This design should put it at approximately Template:M to ft. Contradictory information abounds regarding the official height of the building, which is to be expected, considering the building seeks to acquire the designation as the world's tallest structure upon completion in 2009. One website[12] mentions a rumoured final height of Template:M to ft in a September 28, 2006 posting, but this is contradicted by a September 20, 2006 article listing a height over Template:M to ft.[13]

The design architect, Adrian Smith, felt that the upper-most section of the building did not culminate elegantly with the rest of the structure, so he sought and received approval to increase it to the currently planned height. It has been explicitly stated that this change did not include any added floors,[14], which is fitting with Smith's attempts to make the crown more slender. However, the top of the tower will be a steel frame structure, unlike the lower portion's reinforced concrete. The developer, Emaar, has stated this steel section may be extended to beat any other tower to the title of tallest; however, once the tower is complete the height cannot be changed.

Competition with other projects

Several other major projects in the region may vie for the title of tallest structure. These other projects are in various states of planning and/or construction.

One of Burj Dubai's potential competitors is the proposed Murjan Tower, in Manama, Bahrain. Designed by the Danish architects Henning Larsens Tegnestue A/S, it is expected to be Template:M to ft in height with 200 floors.[15]

Also potentially competing with Burj Dubai is the proposed Template:M to ft Burj Mubarak al-Kabir to be erected in Kuwait as part of a massive development project called Madinat al-Hareer (City of Silk). The project also includes an Olympic stadium, residences, hotels, and retail facilities. However, the project may take 25 years to complete.[16]

Another proposed tower which may surpass the height of Burj Dubai, is Al Burj, on a site near Dubai Marina. Speculation has suggested various heights between Template:M to ft and Template:M to ft, but the developer is keeping the final height tightly under wraps. If built, it will be only Template:Km to mi from the Burj Dubai site.

Architecture and design

The tower is being constructed by a South Korean company, Samsung Engineering & Construction [17] which also built the Petronas Twin Towers and the Taipei 101. The tower is designed by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, who also designed the Sears Tower in Chicago and the Freedom Tower in New York City, among numerous other famous high-rises. The building resembles the bundled tube form of the Sears Tower, but is not a tube structure. The design of Burj Dubai is reminiscent of the Frank Lloyd Wright vision for The Illinois, a mile high skyscraper designed for Chicago, Illinois. Burj Dubai is expected to rise to 150% of the height of the Sears Tower. Emaar has also engaged GHD[18], an international multidisciplinary consulting firm, to assist with the design, review and assessment involved in the construction process.

Supertall cross-section comparisons

The design of Burj Dubai is ostensibly derived from the patterning systems embodied in Islamic architecture, with the triple-lobed footprint of the building based on an abstracted version of the desert flower hymenocallis native to the region. The tower is composed of three elements arranged around a central core. As the tower rises from the flat desert base, setbacks occur at each element in an upward spiralling pattern, decreasing the cross section of the tower as it reaches toward the sky. At the top, the central core emerges and is sculpted to form a finishing spire. A Y-shaped floor plan maximizes views of the Persian Gulf. Viewed from above or from the base, the form also evokes the onion domes of Islamic architecture.

The exterior cladding of Burj Dubai will consist of reflective glazing with aluminium and textured stainless steel spandrel panels with vertical tubular fins of stainless steel. The cladding system is designed to withstand Dubai's extreme summer temperatures.

The interior will be decorated by Giorgio Armani. An Armani Hotel (the first of its kind) will occupy the lower 37 floors. Floors 45 through 108 will have 700 private apartments on 64 floors (which, according to the developer, sold out within eight hours of going on sale). Corporate offices and suites will fill most of the remaining floors, except for a 123rd floor lobby and 124th floor (about 440 metres (1,444 ft)) indoor/outdoor observation deck. The spire will also hold communications equipment. An outdoor zero-entry swimming pool will be located on the 78th floor of the tower.

It will also feature the world's fastest elevator, rising and descending at 18 m:s[convert: unknown unit].[19] The world's current fastest elevator (in the Taipei 101) travels at 16.83 m:s[convert: unknown unit]. Engineers had considered installing the world's first triple-decker elevators, but the final design calls for double-deck elevators.[20] A total of 56 elevators will be installed that can carry 42 people at a time. [21]

Engineers rotated the building 120 degrees from its original layout to reduce stress from prevailing winds. Over Template:M3 to yd3 of concrete, weighing more than 110,000 tonnes (121,000 short tons; 108,000 long tons) were used to construct the concrete and steel foundation, which features 192 piles buried more than Template:M to ft deep.[20]

Purpose

Burj Dubai has been designed to be the centerpiece of a large-scale, mixed-use development that will include 30,000 homes, nine hotels such as the Burj Dubai Lake Hotel & Serviced Apartments, Template:Km2 to mi2 of parkland, at least 19 residential towers, the Dubai Mall, and the Template:Km2 to mi2 man-made Burj Dubai Lake. Burj Dubai will cost US$ 800 million to build and the entire Template:Km2 to mi2 development will cost around US$ 20 billion.

The silvery glass-sheathed concrete building will give the title of Earth's tallest free-standing structure to the Middle East — a title not held by the region since 1311 AD when Lincoln Cathedral in England surpassed the height of the Great Pyramid of Giza, which had held the title for almost four millennia.

The decision to build Burj Dubai is reportedly based on the government's decision to diversify from a trade-based economy to one that is service- and tourism-oriented. According to officials, it is necessary for projects like Burj Dubai to be built in the city to garner more international recognition, and hence investment. "He [Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum] wanted to put Dubai on the map with something really sensational," said Jacqui Josephson, a tourism and VIP delegations executive at Nakheel Properties.[22]

Construction

File:Burj Dubai in Skyline on 24 December 2007.jpg
Burj Dubai in December 2007

Burj Dubai is made from reinforced concrete. As construction of the tower progresses, it becomes increasingly difficult to vertically pump the thousands of cubic metres of concrete that are required. The previous record for pumping concrete on any project was set during the extension of the Riva del Garda Hydroelectric Power Plant in Italy in 1994, when concrete was pumped to a height of Template:M to ft. Burj Dubai now holds this record as of August 19, 2007, as it has a height of Template:M to ft, to hold the record for concrete pumping on any project; and as of October 2, 2007 concrete was pumped to a delivery height of Template:M to ft.[23].

Special mixes of concrete are made to withstand the extreme pressures of the massive weight of the tower; each batch of concrete is tested and checked to see whether it can withstand certain pressures. The head of Concrete Quality Checking on the Burj Dubai project is Alam Feroze, who is in charge of concrete on the whole project. The concrete pumps, pipelines and booms are provided by Putzmeister AG, of Aichtal, Germany.

As the consistency of the concrete on the project is essential, it was difficult to create a concrete that could withstand the thousands of tonnes bearing down on it, but also to withstand Gulf temperatures that can reach Template:C to F. To combat this problem, the concrete is not poured during the day. Instead, ice is added to the mixture and it is poured at night when it is cooler and the humidity is higher. A cooler concrete mixture cures evenly throughout and therefore is less likely to set too quickly and crack. Any significant cracks could put the whole project in jeopardy.

Labour controversy

Further information: [[:Human rights in the United Arab Emirates]]

Burj Dubai is being built primarily by immigrant engineers and workers from Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, China and the Philippines.[24] Press reports indicate that skilled carpenters at the site earn US$7.60 (£4.34)/day, and laborers earn US$4.00 (£2.84).[24][25] Unions were forbidden in the United Arab Emirates up until recently, when the government announced steps to allow construction unions.[26] On March 21, 2006, workers upset over low wages and poor working conditions rioted, damaging cars, offices, computers, and construction equipment. A Dubai Interior Ministry official said the rioters caused approximately US$1m (£488k) in damage. Most workers returned the following day but refused to work. Workers building a new terminal at Dubai International Airport also joined that day's strike action.

The United Arab Emirates dirham's close connection with the low US Dollar, and the increased cost-of-living in the region, has made it increasingly difficult for immigrant construction workers to survive on their wages. An offer by the UAE government in June 2007 to fly home illegal immigrant workers free-of-charge, with no questions asked, was met with overwhelming demand, further threatening the supply of workers on the Burj Dubai and other Dubai construction projects.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Detailed plans of the spire".
  2. ^ "Burj Dubai Skyscraper (Photos)". Retrieved 2007-07-08.
  3. ^ a b "EMAAR Press Release - Burj Dubai reaches a record high, Dubai, UAE, July 21, 2007". Retrieved 2008-01-02.
  4. ^ "Architect Magazine: Adrian Smith Leaves SOM, Longtime Skidmore partner bucks retirement to start new firm".
  5. ^ Burj Dubai - SkyscraperPage.com
  6. ^ a b "Burj Dubai Official Website". Emaar. Retrieved 2008-01-02.
  7. ^ Burj Dubai:Unimix sets record for concrete pumping
  8. ^ "Burj Dubai Height Overtakes Taipei 101". skyscrapernews.com. Retrieved 2007-07-22.
  9. ^ "CN Tower dethroned by Dubai building". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. 2007-09-12. Retrieved 2007-09-13.
  10. ^ Putzmeister - History - 1994 - World record: 532 m
  11. ^ Project information, doka- The Formwork Experts, retrieved 2006-05-04
  12. ^ burjdubaiskyscraper.com
  13. ^ "Builder: Dubai High-Rise World's Tallest". AP News. Retrieved 2007-07-22. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  14. ^ Template:PDFlink Cityscape, 2005-09-18, retrieved 2006-05-05
  15. ^ Murjan Tower 1, Manama
  16. ^ "Architects plan kilometre-high skyscraper", by Will Knight, NewScientist.com, December 9, 2005, retrieved 2006-03-25
  17. ^ "Samsung E&C Projects".
  18. ^ "GHD Projects".
  19. ^ Burj Dubai will have world's highest elevator installation, by Moushumi Das Chaudhry, BurjDubaiSkyscraper, 2006-03-12, retrieved 2006-03-25
  20. ^ a b "Burj Dubai, Dubai, at emporis.com". Retrieved 2007-05-23.
  21. ^ Burj Dubai reaches a record high. EMAAR, 2007-07-21, retrieved 2007-07-23
  22. ^ "In Dubai, the Sky's No Limit", by Megan K. Stack, Los Angeles Times, 2005-10-13, retrieved 2006-03-26
  23. ^ "Putzmeister AG - News - Burj Dubai".
  24. ^ a b "Workers Riot at Site of Dubai Skyscraper", Jim Krane, breitbart.com, 2006-03-22, retrieved March 24, 2006
  25. ^ Riot by migrant workers halts construction of Dubai skyscraper, by Brian Whitaker and agencies, The Guardian, 2006-03-23, retrieved 2006-03-25
  26. ^ "UAE to allow construction unions", BBC News, 2006-03-30, retrieved 2006-04-20
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sandbox/Archive2.
Preceded by World's tallest free-standing structure
(under construction)
2007- 		Succeeded by
Preceded by World's tallest building
(under construction)
2007- 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Building with the most floors
(under construction)
2007- 		Succeeded by

25°11′49.7″N 55°16′26.8″E / 25.197139°N 55.274111°E / 25.197139; 55.274111

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