When I told bloggers to write about incredible architectural feats, I was hoping someone would write about the Burj Khalifa. Blogger Evan expresses amazement for the construction of the Burj Khalifa and what makes its existence so revolutionary. –Ed. Roman Rickwood
By Evan Spry
In just six years, the most iconic modern feat of architectural engineering was built up and opened, piercing its way to the top of every international height list while simultaneously winning world records. The handshake between Western and Arabic powers led to the creation of the sleekest skyscraper in the world, the Burj Khalifa. This symbol of Middle-Eastern power has dominated the Dubai skyline since its opening in 2010. I know that for me personally, when I was a kid, this skyscraper was one of the only things I could confidently say was from the Middle East. Not only was the Burj Khalifa outstanding visually and technically, it was also outstanding construction-wise. The foundation alone had 45,000 m³ of concrete poured, “weighing more than 110,000 tonnes…that’s equivalent to 18 Olympic sized swimming pools” (commercialinteriordesign.com). The Burj Khalifa was also heavily featured in Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol. The Burj Khalifa is unique–from how it was constructed to how it was named.
Name
The direct translation of Burj Khalifa is Khalifa Tower. Formerly, the tower was known as Burj Dubai or Dubai Tower but was changed to Burj Khalifa when the tower officially opened. The name Khalifa is derived from Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Maktoum, who is the president of Abu Dhabi as well as the United Arab Emirates. According to thetowerinfo.com, “Burj Khalifa and other construction projects in Dubai were once on the verge of halting” due to lack of funds. “[N]eighbor Adu Dhabi provided funds to Dubai in the hard time, this is the main reason for Dubai . . .renam[ing] the tower Burj Khalifa.” In addition, the word Khalifa carries Islamic importance. “It means Islamic world’s supreme leader” (thetowerinfo.com).
Height
The height of the Burj Khalifa, free-standing at a whopping 2,717 feet or 828 meters, is what gives the building its status and prowess. Initially, before 2010, the height of the Burj Khalifa was kept a secret so that potential competitors could be prevented from surpassing it. Eventually, the owner of the tower publicly claimed it was 828 meters tall, making it the tallest building in the world in all categories. Since then, the tower has held the title of World’s Tallest Building, Tallest Free-Standing Structure, and Highest Number of Stories in the World (burjkhalifa.ae). The highest floor in the building is the 154th, which is 1,916 feet from the ground. However, this floor is blocked from the public. I wonder what kind of secret organization operates and owns the top floor. In my opinion, it’s the illuminati. Think about it, why else would a company be located at the top floor of the tallest building in the world? To throw its enemies off! I’m just kidding, you can easily look up who owns the top floor, and it’s just some rich dude, still a little weird though. Anyways, for the public, the highest of the three observation decks is on the 148th floor. This observation deck is 1,820 feet from the ground. It’s the second highest observation deck in the world, trailing behind China’s Shanghai Tower, which is 2,073 feet high. I’m sure you’ll need the same amount of adult diapers when peering over the edges of both decks.
Architecture
Inspired by the Arabian desert’s beautiful hymenocallis flower, the footprint of the Burj Khalifa is triple-lobed with three elements arranged around the central core. The structure of the building is Y-shaped, which “provides an inherently stable configuration for the structure” (burjkhalifa.ae). This intricate architectural design has allowed the Burj Khalifa to remain the tallest building in the world ever since it broke the record over a decade ago. The tower has faced setbacks in regards to expanding upwards because of the upward spiral design that makes the tower decrease in mass as it gets taller. Even though the tower may not be able to expand in height when competition presents itself, the Burj Khalifa will always be the best looking for its height.
In conclusion, the tallest tower in the world, the Burj Khalifa is not only unique and interesting in its height but also in its name, location, history, architecture, and construction. This skyscraper is a sign of Arabian pride and power and has been able to infiltrate the minds of most western communities in a positive way. I believe that the construction of the Burj Khalifa was also an important diplomatic event as it was a giant cooperative effort between both American architecture companies and Arabian property developers in the post 9-11 era.
Architectural Achievements Editor: Roman Rickwood
Sources:
https://www.burjkhalifa.ae/en/the-tower/design-construction/