Burj Khalifa in Dubai is the world’s tallest building, being an architectural jewel and a landmark for the entire U.A.E., and there is no other introduction one can make for this building. It is easy to recognize, and almost any individual in this world knows about it. Of course, there are plenty of facts and interesting historical aspects you might be interested in, too. Let’s see up next what’s the history behind the tallest building in the world.
How Burj Khalifa got its intriguing design
The core design used for Burj Khalifa is one of a dimetric projection. After several competitions and assessments, the building’s appearance was managed by the Chicago office of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM) with Adrian Smith FAIA, RIBA, consulting design partner. And at that time, even on paper, this looked like a futuristic and hard to achieve template for such a huge building. Still, with several reviews, modifications, and innovative approaches, the result was more than impressive. Burj Khalifa was designed with a lot of attention to detail, sustainability, and safety. And the most exciting fact about it is that it was created based on the most prominent Islamic structures. It has a Y shaped design so that plenty of sunlight enters the building.
How was Burj Khalifa constructed
As you might expect, the actual construction process of the building was somewhat challenging, and special arrangements for financing had to be arranged. The planning and design were essential, but at the same time, due to its height, the safety of the workers on site was more than important. The mighty structure was started back in 2004, and the overall process took around three years. But this wasn’t enough. The exterior of Burj Khalifa required an additional three years and the aid of more than 300 specialists to gain the appearance it has today. In 2010, Burj Khalifa was officially opened.
At the inauguration, Burj Khalifa was officially ranked as the tallest building in the world. Since 2010, this structure is the only one that exceeds the height of Taipei 101, in Taipei Taiwan. Of course, Burj Khalifa gained several other records, including the one for the world’s tallest freestanding structure, or the world’s highest occupied floor. But the one that we love the most is that Burj Khalifa is the only building in the world with the highest observation deck.
What is Burj Khalifa used for?
Of course, Burj Khalifa is the main landmark in the area, attracting many tourists yearly due to its impressive viewing deck. Besides this, the building has plenty of functionalities ranging from hotel accommodation to business venues. But there are plenty of other purposes people used Burj Khalifa for. As an example, it is a BASE-jumping station, a team of extreme sports enthusiasts who managed to jump from the tallest building in the world, both with and without authorization. It is believed that a jump from Burj Khalifa can get you a speed up to 220 km per hour and around 10 seconds to open your parachute in a 90-second jump.