Burj Dubai Skyscraper
Soon to become the tallest building in the world the burj dubai skyscraper is under heavy construction and is set to be completed mid 2009. It will replace Petronas Towers during construction and will overtake Taipei 101 as the tallest building in the world.
The final height and floor numbers are still only known to the chosen few but it is estimated 195 floors with a height of 808m/2651 ft but I wouldnt be surprised if it did end up being closer to 200 floors. Just so you stop wondering "Burj" is Arabic for "Tower".
Designed by Skimore, Owings, & Merrill it will cost a massive $800,000,000.00, and replaces a plan to reuse the design for Grollo Tower, which was proposed in Melbourne a few years earlier.
It will have a triple lobbed footprint and will resamble an abstracted desert flower which is native to the region.
The site of the tower will be on a man-made lake which is designed to wrap around the tower and to provide dramatic views of it.
Engineers working on the design considered installing triple-decker elevators, which would have been the first in the world. The actual building will use double-decker elevators instead.
The tower will be a mixture of residential and business with a propsed observation deck and private club also included within the plans of the building.
Architect - Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP
Developer - EMAAR Properties
Contractor - Samsung Constructions / BESIX / Arabtec
Construction - Steel Re-enforced Concrete / Steel Spire
Rendering - UV Solar Glass / Aluminium / Stainless Steel
Volume - 517,240 sq/m est
Floors - 181 - 216 est
Height - 808m - 1011m est