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- \n\t\t\t\tWhat is the Burj Khalifa? \n \n
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Burj Khalifa
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- Guinness World Records - Burj Khalifa: The tallest building in the world \n
- Globalseurity.org - Burj Khalifa \n
- Official Site of Burj Khalifa \n
- CNN Travel - Dubai's Burj Khalifa: Inside the world's tallest building \n
- Art in Context - Burj Khalifa - Looking at the World\u2019s Tallest Building in Dubai \n
Our editors will review what you\u2019ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.
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- Guinness World Records - Burj Khalifa: The tallest building in the world \n
- Globalseurity.org - Burj Khalifa \n
- Official Site of Burj Khalifa \n
- CNN Travel - Dubai's Burj Khalifa: Inside the world's tallest building \n
- Art in Context - Burj Khalifa - Looking at the World\u2019s Tallest Building in Dubai \n
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\n\t\t\tRecent News
\n\n\t\tWhat is the Burj Khalifa?
The Burj Khalifa is a mixed-use skyscraper located in Dubai, U.A.E. It is the world\u2019s tallest building, according to all three of the main criteria by which such buildings are judged. The Burj Khalifa was officially named to honour the president of the neighbouring emirate of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Khal\u012bfah ibn Z\u0101yid \u0100l Nahy\u0101n.
How long did it take for the Burj Khalifa to be built?
The Burj Khalifa took six years to build. Foundational excavation work commenced in January 2004, and the tower was formally opened on January 4, 2010. However, the opening took place before the interior was completed.
What was the Burj Khalifa built for?
The Burj Khalifa was built to house a variety of commercial, residential, and hospitality ventures. These include a hotel and luxury residences designed by Italian fashion designer Giorgio Armani, in addition to office space, observation decks, restaurants, and health facilities.
What other famous buildings have the architects of the Burj Khalifa designed?
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill designed the Burj Khalifa. Among its many other architectural achievements, the firm can be credited with designing the John Hancock Center and the Willis Tower (formerly the Sears Tower) in Chicago, as well as One World Trade Center in New York City.
How many world records does the Burj Khalifa hold?
At the time of its completion, the Burj Khalifa held a total of eight world records, including those for the tallest building, the longest elevator travel distance, and the highest habitable floor.
Burj Khalifa, mixed-use skyscraper in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, that is the world\u2019s tallest building, according to all three of the main criteria by which such buildings are judged (see Researcher\u2019s Note: Heights of Buildings). Burj Khalifa (\u201cKhalifa Tower\u201d), known during construction as Burj Dubai, was officially named to honour the leader of the neighbouring emirate of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Khalifa ibn Zayed Al Nahyan. Although the tower was formally opened on January 4, 2010, the entirety of the interior was not complete at that time. Built to house a variety of commercial, residential, and hospitality ventures, the tower\u2014whose intended height remained a closely guarded secret throughout its construction\u2014reached completion at 163 floors and a height of 2,717 feet (828 metres). It was designed by the Chicago-based architectural firm of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. Adrian Smith served as architect, and William F. Baker served as structural engineer.
The building, modular in plan, is laid out on a three-lobed footprint that is an abstract rendering of the local Hymenocallis flower. The Y-shaped plan plays a central role in the reduction of wind forces on the tower. A hexagonal central core is buttressed by a series of wings, each with its own concrete core and perimeter columns. As the tower increases in height, the wings step back in a spiral configuration, changing the building\u2019s shape at each tier and so reducing the effect of the wind on the building. The central core emerges at the tower\u2019s top and is finished with a spire, which reaches more than 700 feet (200 metres). The spire was constructed inside the tower and hoisted to its final position using a hydraulic pump. At the foundational level, the tower is supported by a reinforced concrete mat nearly 13 feet (4 metres) thick, itself supported by concrete piles 5 feet (1.5 metres) in diameter. A three-story podium anchors the tower in place; the podium and two-story basement alone measure some 2,000,000 square feet (186,000 square metres) in their own right. The tower\u2019s exterior cladding is made up of aluminum and stainless-steel panels, vertical stainless-steel tubular fins, and more than 28,000 hand-cut glass panels. A public observation deck, called \u201cAt the Top,\u201d is located on the 124th floor.
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Upon its inauguration in January 2010, Burj Khalifa easily surpassed the Taipei 101 (Taipei Financial Center) building in Taipei, Taiwan, which measured 1,667 feet (508 metres), as the world\u2019s tallest building. At the same time, Burj Khalifa broke numerous other records, including the world\u2019s tallest freestanding structure, the world\u2019s highest occupied floor, and the world\u2019s highest outdoor observation deck.