Burj Dubai
Burj Dubai (Arabic: برج دبي “Dubai Tower”) is a skyscraper under construction in the Business Bay district of Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and is the tallest man-made structure ever built on the planet, despite being incomplete. Construction began on September 21, 2004 and is expected to be completed and ready for occupation in September 2009.
The building is part of the 2 km2 (0.8 sq mi) development called “Downtown Dubai”, at the “First Interchange” (aka “Defence Roundabout”) along Sheikh Zayed Road at Doha Street. The tower’s architect is Adrian Smith who worked with Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (SOM) until 2006. The architecture and engineering firm SOM is in charge of the project. The primary builders are Samsung Engineering & Construction and Besix along with Arabtec. Turner Construction Company was chosen as the construction manager.
The total budget for the Burj Dubai project is about US$4.1 billion and for the entire new ‘Downtown Dubai’, US$20 billion. Mohamed Ali Alabbar, the CEO of Emaar Properties, speaking at the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat 8th World Congress, said that the price of office space at Burj Dubai had reached $4,000 per sq ft (over $43,000 per sq m) and that the Armani Residences, also in Burj Dubai, were selling for $3,500 per sq ft (over $37,500 per sq m).
Current height
As of September 1, 2008, Burj Dubai had reached a height of 688 m (2,257 ft), with 160 completed floors, becoming the tallest man-made structure of any kind ever built on the planet. Although fan websites report that the tower has risen higher since that time to a height of (694.5 m (2,279 ft)), no official height increase has been reported.
World Amazing Pictures 