Burj Khalifa
The 828-metre Dubai skyscraper that has been the world's tallest building since 2010.
Also known as: Burj Dubai
Opened in 2010, the Burj Khalifa is the tallest building and tallest free-standing structure on Earth, and holds several related height records.
What it is
The Burj Khalifa is a mixed-use skyscraper in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, standing 828 metres (2,717 ft) tall with 163 usable floors. It opened on 4 January 2010 and was designed by the architect Adrian Smith of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, with structural engineering by Bill Baker whose "buttressed core" system made the height possible.
Beyond being the tallest building, it holds the records for the tallest free-standing structure, the highest occupied floor, the highest outdoor observation deck, and the elevator with the longest travel distance. It was named after Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, then president of the UAE. Construction used about 330,000 cubic metres of concrete and 39,000 tonnes of steel rebar.
Related entries
Sources & further reading
- Burj Khalifa — official facts and figures — Emaar Properties (article)