Human nature is rather predictable in one sense: When given the chance, it aspires for bigger, higher, and more importantly, better. This observation holds true for science, and it does so for art - two seemingly distinct but rather interlinked concepts. Then it is no wonder that the same can be said for architecture, which is a perfectly balanced combination of science and art. It comes as no surprise that as civilization has progressed, as have achievements in architecture, and they all have aimed to produce the most memorable work. A piece of artwork that will awe people whenever they glance upon it, and a scientific miracle that will make jaws drop - that has been a goal for so long. And that goal has - for the time being - achieved in the form of an elegant building that soars above the clouds. The result is Burj Khalifa (or Khalifa Tower), the new landmark of Dubai.
Burj Khalifa, originally known as Burj Dubai during its construction, is the tallest man-made structure in the world, standing a whopping 829.8 meters in Dubai (one of seven emirates making up UAE and arguably the most famous of them thanks to prominent construction projects and the Emirates airline). This height makes the building a megatall - above 600 meters - as opposed to supertall, which is a title reserved for buildings above 300 meters in height. Although part of a much larger mixed-use project aimed at generating interest in Dubai, the sheer size of the building ensures that it stays the centerpiece of the development. This rather lavish vanity project was initiated to create a diversification from oil-based economies of the Gulf countries and to expand tourism and services in Dubai.
The construction of the tower - carried out by Samsung Engineering & Construction of South Korea - took a little over five years, from ground breaking in September 2004 to its official opening in January 2010. Designed by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill of Chicago, colloquially known as SOM, the building shares its chief architect - one Adrian Smith - with other famous buildings including Jin Mao tower in Shanghai and Trump International Hotel and Tower in Chicago, both supertalls.
The design firm SOM itself is no stranger to skyscrapers, as its 78 year history is dotted with testaments to mankind's fascination with heights, such as Willis Tower (formerly Sears Tower) and the One World Trade Center (that has been built after the destruction of the WTC towers in 2001 attacks). Formed in 1936 by Louis Skidmore and Nathaniel Owings and soon joined by John Merrill, SOM has been a prominent architectural firm that has specialized in skyscrapers built in the international style, recognized from their rather boxy shapes ad liberal use of glass facades. Having emerged in the 20s and 30s, international style relies on rectilinear forms, taut plane surfaces sans ornamentation, open and airy interiors and the use of cantilevered construction. However, Burj Khalifa is not without its local inspirations; Islamic architecture, and in particular the spiral minaret that gets slender as it rises above the ground, has influenced the architects when designing an icon that would feel home at Dubai. In total, there are 27 setbacks that make the tower slimmer as it rises, with the building cross section significantly smaller on the upper floors.
Building upon the accomplishments of earlier structures, Burj Khalifa has both mastered and perfected international style at once, and while doing so, it also broke several other records in addition to the tallest building title. Burj Khalifa currently is the structure with the most floors (163 floors) and the highest occupied floor at 584.5 meters. It also features the world's highest nightclub (on floor 144) and restaurant (on floor 122).
All these numbers attest to a marvel designed by SOM and built by Samsung, although the vanity behind the unfathomable numbers belongs to the Dubai Emir. In fact, the top 244 meters of the tower are nothing but so called "vanity space", without which the building would lose no usable floor space. The spire itself weighs over 4000 tonnes, and a total of 142000 square meters of cladding was used to clad the building and shield it against the harsh Dubai climate.
The vanity does not end there, of course, as more than 1000 pieces of art have been used to decorate the interiors of the building. This of course, comes as no surprise, as the building is a challenge to both the world and to the laws of physics, and a symbol ofDubai's rise as a house of global economy. For Dubai, this piece of architecture is not a pinnacle, but just the beginning.
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