Burj Dubai-Khalifa Brings Sexy Back to Tall Buildings

January 4, 2010

Just as Justin Timberlake brought sexy back, Burj Khalifa architects Skidmore, Owings & Merrill have declared that “tall buildings are back.” After 6 years of construction and $1.5 billion, the Burj Khalifa (or Burj Dubai as it was known 5 minutes ago) is now the world’s tallest building, standing at 828 meters or about half a mile high (2,717 feet to be exact). The inauguration took place today, where the height of the building was revealed to the public and a last minute name change.

Never one to be outdone, Dubai pulled out all the stops while constructing its 200-storey masterpiece. The Burj Khalifa, (re)named so after the ruler of Abu Dhabi (giving thanks for the bailout, are we?), holds the highest observation deck, swimming pool, elevator, restaurant and fountain in the world and is expected to house more than 12,000 residents. It is also the home of the extravagant Armani hotel, designed by Giorgio Armani himself. Not to mention that the building is so tall, that it’s actually 6 degrees lower at the top than at the bottom. I feel dizzy just thinking about it.

The building is a mix of residential and commercial space that is consistent with Dubai’s image of excess – the same kind of excess that landed the Gulf state in debt. But knowing that the world is easily distracted by large, shiny objects, Dubai couldn’t have picked a better time to unveil its new Burj. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, who recently celebrated the 4th anniversary of his accession to ruler of Dubai, is hoping to use the Burj to start the year off on a more positive note, rather than continue to focus on the financial crisis. (Now, if only the pesky press would stop writing about it?)

Thousands of people are expected to visit the Burj Khalifa in the upcoming months. The building staff predicts that 300 visitors will arrive daily and have set up tours for 30-minute intervals. Today alone there are 6 thousand visitors that have been invited from all over the world to experience the opening of the world’s tallest man-made, free-standing building, as thousands more watch from nearby locations. Looks like the Chicago-based Skidmore, Owings & Merrill are right; tall buildings are back.