Last Friday (March 19, 2007) there was a news report that Al Burj, a high-rise planned in Dubai by Nakheel, will reach 1,200 meters. According to some rumors the initial height was 1,600 meters, but was scaled back.
Apparently two other similar projects exist in the Gulf region: Mubarak al-Kabeer Tower (Kuwait, 1,001 m) and Murjan Tower (Bahrain, 1,022 m).
This is huge. Even Burj Dubai looks small. Gherkin in London on the right.
Al Burj is enormous and impressive, but not beautiful. Skyscrapers should be like sculptures. Modern art with natural forms. However combining these complex structures with engineering is not an easy task and therefore radical designs can be found from smaller scale projects.
Well this is excellent. You have one of the richest nations in the wold using your money wisely, first these are like 15% Arabs living in this country the rest are from Malaysia and India and places where they can get people to move in and work on there big projects. Also they are living in a desert they don’t need to cut down trees they can build out in however they like. The world is extremely impressive. If you have all that money why wouldn’t you spend it on luxury for your people and I’m Saudi Arabian and i know that these UAE’s are not screwing there people over because everyone is living good. If you had the money you would probably try to be top dogg in everything Ive been there and they are driving Ferrari’s and Lamborghini’s all over so the people are doing good the government is doing good and there happy living in 120F summers so let them live in peace eventually all the oil business will decrease and the will have tourism as they’re number one thing and also they are expanding in business’s.
hi evryone,
im just 15 y.o but i definitely like all of dubai’s massive construction projects.. someday, i hope i could be someone who’s designing the tallest building ever attemted by man.. especially for dubai only.. this place is a record breaking thing! as you could see, dubai has transformed by the mid ’90s.. i hope i could personaly see the towers, someday.. let’s have a cheer for dubai’s incredible success..
if you would put solar panels all over the building, you wouldn’t even have enough power for the building itself, and it would be very expensive. Turbines is an option but difficult to handle, and never done at such heights.
As an Architect i feel that this building looks totally out of proportion, I really do not believe that it will look anything like this!
I agree that it is rather childish to keep going up higher and higher, who is going to fill these properties? It is a lot of fun though and as it is not my tax money being wasted, so I think that they should continue to go higher just because they can.
By the way i am Jewish and object to the comments by Casperitus regarding Israel. Ultimately there is a higher power who will decide if Israel is on “arab land” let us not forget that it is G-d who owns all the land on Earth and not the arabs or americans or even the israelis.
I also find it amusing that anyone would beleive that the West is jealous of Dubai, honestly bloody really if the US wanted to build a 10 mile high building they would do it, it only takes money and I doubt very much that Dubai has more cash then the US!!!
Anyway what has all this to do with the building????
hi all I’m an Emirati and ummm…i read one of the comments that said ” but basically it’s oil money in the hands of too few who are way too rich.” not all Emiratis are rich some are suffering and the government is trying its hardest to help those people.
In another comment:
” also find it amusing that anyone would believe that the West is jealous of Dubai, honestly bloody really if the US wanted to build a 10 mile high building they would do it, it only takes money and I doubt very much that Dubai has more cash than the US!!!”
i was shocked because it was said in the news that the US has lots of dept that it hasten payed well guess which three countries it owes money the most Kuwait, KSA, and last but not least UAE and if these three countries decide to make a tower that reaches earth’s atmosphere who is there to stop them but God? Everyone who commented please answer that Q.
Another thing i picked up in the same comment :
“Ultimately there is a higher power who will decide if Israel is on “Arab land” let us not forget that it is G-d who owns all the land on Earth and not the Arabs or Americans or even the Israelis.”
Whoever wrote this is correct; there is no “Arab land” or Israeli land we all go back to Adam and Eve so we are all brothers and sisters.
that wasn’t the point the point is the UAE is just trying ensure its people that they can have some pocket-money by building stuff and the only question i have is did the UK start construction
and I’m sorry I’m a bad speller I’m 14
everybody and everyone loves dubai for its natrual beauty and infrastructure but there are certain flaws to this so called jewel of the desert. many people from different countries come here to try their luck with either getting a job or instead getting a residence. the fact of the matter is that the administrative level of thinking is pathetically slow as compared to any other country. with due respect to one and all I dont see any difference between dubai and indias favourite city bombay. these two destinations have very much similar features that go hand in hand. both places are crowded, there is major construction that obstructs day to day traffic which causes a major ruck, there is more infestation from other countries coming and making a place for themselves and a few locals resulting in migrating to other parts of the country. i dont mean to harm or insult the economy of dubai or bombay, but fact is fact. according to a recent survey there is not one single storm drain in dubai. whenever that a sewage line chokes up the remains is spilt on roads and it would take as long as a week for the administration to decide what the problem is. i recently happened to hear that a citizen from india had come to dubai on a visit and wished to apply for a decent job but in return the poor blokes visit visa expired and he had to go back empty handed. how much time does it actually take for a company to hire an individual? what are the so called qualities are they looking for? does it have to take 3 damn months for a person to get a response from an interview that he or she attended 2 months ago? well ! in other countries i have noticed that if you are indeed looking for a job then you have to attend an interview which would consist of various rounds which actually have no sense at all, believe me when i say this. is the administration of dubai really loking forth to boost its billion dollar economy that high so that they could spend money on such high rise towers? i have a better option, incase if any person with due respect for the poor country reads this ” please stop investing your hard earned money in dubai ” instead look at the neighbouring country like africa where people have no proper food nor a piece of cloth to cover themselves. Please take pity on these unfortunate people and give them a life that they all starve for. in the end i would like to say that ” try putting yourself in the other persons shoes. if you think it hurts you, most probably it may be hurting the other person too ”
Thanks a million.
Hi..
These comments have really been entertaining and diverse, It’s really intresting to see how so many topics and discussions have sprung up from a story of one of Dubai to-be towers. I just wanted to add something to all this.
@ Mohammed: ??? ????? ???? ????? ? ???? ???? ????
@ Poly: You didn’t make sense when you said that God Almighty will decide whose land that place is. That is because right after you stated that you went on to say that the land belongs to no one except God, Let’s put that aside, I will say something and just think of it,
” 1800′s: Jews are scatttered around the world with no actual country they can call home, They were sent from Europe in ships to the Americas where many were rejected and sent back, For fear of over population I do not think so as the new world was largely uninhabited and was looking for immigrants, Why were they rejected wherever they went? How were the U.S going to get rid of the jewish that were trying to get in in swarms? Along come the jews claiming that they actually do have a homeland, Where? In the Islamic country of Palistine, Then the U.S government went, “ah, that is a good idea. Let’s bomb the hell out of Palistine with civillians as fair targets. Until they surrender their identities to the new Jewish state of Israel.” Now countless arabs have died in an attempt to save their land from invaders that claim the Torah ( The Holy Book bestowed upon Moses) indicates that this piece of land belongs to them.
The aftermath: The Gaza Strip is the only surviving piece of land not controlled by the Jewish. The people of Palestine are divided and forever scarred by the invasion. The invasion has not stopped and people are dying constantly. Isn’t this what the U.S is spending billions on?
You know I just want you to think about that with an open mind and forgetting everything else.
@ Sandeep: I adore the way you compare Dubai and Bombay that they both have alot of traffic. No offense but I feel you are very naive about how evil traffic can be all over the world. If you were on the Canadian 401 Highway during the rush hour period with frozen conditions and a broken down truck further down the lane you would wish you were back in Dubai. I also feel that you are naive about other things. Do you actually think western and european investors would choose to give away their money to african governments instead of investing it in the fastest growing economy in the world. This is business and its all about capital. By the way Dubai does care about Africa and it’s struggles:
http://www.gulfnews.com/indepth/dubaicares/index.html
I think enough is said for now, By the way I am an Emirati. You probably already figured it out from the arabic at the beginning,
LOL i am from dubai and i just stumbled here to see your comments, guys relax dubai and arabia is increasing, we have to go through each and everything, why you all dont see where dubai was 20 yrs back and where its now?
but Burj Dubai truly reflects Islamic Architecture and Engg to its highest level achieved by mankind
Khuda Hafiz
Whats happening in Dubai is really spectacular, we can all admit it. This blog is very interesting, I have a few comments for all. I hope to get responses. I have a physics degree and a civil engineering degree and i am a project manager for very large construction projects, so I know a thing or two about this stuff.
comment to Zoeb Khan: “Islamic Architecture and Eng [ineering]” Thats American architecture and engineering that designed Burj Dubai, as most of all the other towers in Dubai. Everything in Dubai is designed, engineered, and constructed by American, Australian, and UK companies. The arabs just finance it.
There was also some talk about USA being jealous of Dubai. I guess its not so obvious but: Dubai = USA!! doesnt anyone realise that? The UAE Dirhams are pegged to the US dollar, wonder why? The arabs have the money, so America is over there showing them how to spend it, and essentially making it their home away from home. I think someone made the comment earlier that only a small percentage of people living in Dubai are actually arab, which is true (from what I hear). Dubai is a very Westernized area. Making it more so apparent that it is really just another territory of the Western world.
I know the height makes it look like it will fall, but I am sure the engineers thought of that. Usually there are long anchors that go into the ground (probaby ~100M) that hold the building down, from tipping. Also there are ballasts, (like pendulums) that counteract any swaying.
Someone made a comment about building green. UAE just adopted USA’s (coincidence??) Green Building Rating scheme LEED (Leader in Engergy and Environmental Desisng). Every building that is built now has to be Silver rated, so they are making an attempt. But then again, whats a green building in the desert?? its not a sustainable land without massive life support, which essentially uses a lot of energy. Seawater cooling doesn’t save energy, only saves water, which the desert needs. But it only works if its right on the water. Solar barely does anything. Hard to incorporate wind into a tower, although it can be done and should be more often, just aids as natural ventilation rather than using a fan. The arabs dont want to buil anything underground, because it cant be seen, they are building trophies out there.
The fact is that 90% of all these projects arent even financially feasible, meaning they dont make money. We dont build these towers for love, we build them to sell out the floors and make a profit. Who is going to buy the mile high floor? Would you want to take a 10 minute elevator ride to your office everyday? NYC would never make anything like this because it makes no money, its a waste. But this isnt necessarily a bad thing, its a great time for architects and engineers to get a chance to do some of the things they would never have been able to do otherwise. There have been some of the greatest designs and concepts put on the table, but due to profitablity issues they were never built. This is not the case in Dubai, Jeddah, or Abu Dhabi.
So jerric, keep the dream of becoming a great architect /engineer to work in Dubai, its a great experience to be a part of. As ridiculous as all of these towers and developments like the palms and world islands seem, they are still happening. I couldnt imagine a better place to be for an engineer or architect.
Besides whats all the fuss of this Al Burj when in Jeddah they are already designing the Mile High Tower. (1600m) I know the engineering firm that has already begun design of the foundation.
Please provide comments, as this page is very informative and educational to me. I value all feedback.
im quoting andrew here also, “if you think of it- it a good way to produce energy, imagine all the solar panels that can go on a building like that? u can make enough energy for the entire city.” Andrew there is no way that would be able to power the entire city, you would be lucky if you could get enough power to power the building, and I mean you would have to be damn lucky….
Other than that it seems like Dubai is a real life version of the game SimCity for the rich as mofos over there. I can’t really comment on the human rights issue I don’t know enough.
These kind of buildings are usefull, but are very expensive in Dubai… I know, I’ve been there, tho it’s not the problem for me, it could be the problem to some ppl… The prices are very untolerant and very few ppl can afford an apartment… Such high buildings are not built for human needs, but for money and competeng with other leading companies for the most tallest building…. I’m totally fine with the Eiffel Tower because it’s the most beautifull one and totally OK with the Petronas Towers… They are the B*E*S*T!!!!
The Al-Burj may be a technological wonder, but you gotta admit it looks ridiculous!
Looks almost as if the whole thing was made out of LEGO blocks or something!
What is wrong with letting the big boys have erection contests? I’ve never been hired by a poor person, and neither have you. I encourage the rich spend to the limit of their ability. Some of it will eventually filter its way into our pockets, so we can buy more electricity to surf the web.
To the 14-years-old architect. If the ground does not move and the wind is diverted, a mile-high piece of spaghetti would be safe (until dinner time).
It’s not a waste of money, rly, everyone build things to make money of it theese days, so rly doubt its a waste of money.
After Being the World’s Tallest Building, Now Burj Dubai has got the title of having the most floors, Currently is has got 160+ floores. This is the World’s largest floors a building have.
Funny how the topic of the tallest building in the world became the forum for political and racist debate. Who cares how the oil rich people spend their money. If it wasn’t for the oil greedy nations consuming the oil there would not be rich oil nations.
Lets see the people of Dubai build the tallest and the best if thats what they want. I drive a car and use both petrol and LPG if it comes from the Middle East or Bass strait who cares. Good on the Arab States for competing against each other for the tallest and the best. Maybe they will employ European and Australian people to design and build, thats their choice, not anyone else’s.
Brendan, thanks for all the wonderful info. I believe you summed it up for us. And as for Casperitus stick to your pyramids!!!
Lets just be happy that SOMEONE is going to build a very tall building and not make it seem like some ‘architecture- olympics’. ITs funny how ppl take the chance to attack other cultures in a topic that is actually quite unrelated.It Just shows that there is so much hidden animosity.Maybe we should save those comments a for another appropriate forum. (Im only forcing myself to not say a shit load of NEGATIVE things about USA-trying very hard not to … and im neither arab nor caucasian.) But Anyhow- iTs very exciting to have a structures in seemingly ridiculous altitudes hope there will be more to come:)
i am really surprised about all the comments that i read above. and i have a question to a lot of the genius people that like to criticize the professional hard work of designers and engineers, without knowing the internal facts and the real circumstances of the project. my question for you my dears is… do you think that with all the money that this project will take for them to be done, they didn’t already thought about all the details that you in your limited minds are trying to show us? be real people!!!!! is nothing more than your insignificant opinion. by the way you could be wrong. to make sure, go back to the books and study about the project for about a year or so and then come up with something better to say. thank you. lol
Comment to Pablo: Can you pleas enlighten?? If you know anything of this project it would be a great contribution to this page. I would really like to learn, thank you.
Just a response to one of your comments “…..they didn’t already thought about all the details..” As I stated earlier I am a project manager for very large construction projects like this. As scary as it sounds, ‘they’ haven’t always thought about every detail; especially in Dubai where projects are fast-tracked at break neck speed and nobody has time to think beyond there specific assignment .
Anyone ever build a tower of blocks just straight up? (that’s what the one on the far left looks like.) Have you noticed that eventually when you get too high it starts to crumble?
Hi guys, I read these comments and I am impressed of how much this vision – building provoked you! And here I come next!
Some people do like the tower exposed above, some others not. From what the available computer-generated pictures can show, I don’t like it. I am an art person and for me beauty is essential in architecture but, of course, for those who build such buildings, the profit comes first.
It would be more descriptive but it’s not nice to say “idiots” although some broadminded above expressed some quite ridiculous opinions such as “Al Burj will not stand” or someone else is convinced that only Americans architects are valid, the others are rubbish. What incompetence!
On the other hand, some others are wiser and it may be useful for someone to read them.
I would like to tell a few things to the fans of “tall architecture”. I am a European and the only way to visit some tall skyscrapers is to travel over oceans.
Wonder why in Asia and the “younger” countries/continents like USA and Australia building up is encouraged by their authorities while in Europe they prefer to build horizontally? There are cities in Europe rich enough to build some nice skyscrapers, aren’t they? So why Europe is struggling? It would be in our benefit considering the lack of land in the small countries of Europe, but it seems like the old continent has still old mentalities and I think this is one of the reasons. There are some movements going on in Moscow, Istanbul or London, Frankfurt already stands out. But European authorities hardly approve skyscrapers to be build and many people here dislike them too. They just want to be traditional; they love their old and dump buildings which hardly can be used. And you see in a middle of the modern city a 1 – 200 years old and horrible building which hardly can be used. And when to knock them down to make some space, everyone is screaming: No! That’s our national treasure and identity!
I lived in London last year and there are some nice pieces of architecture such us the Swiss Building, known as the Gherkin, you can see it above in the diagram, is the lowest one. Architects in London are in a real trouble if they want to design skyscrapers as they must be aware of important buildings and structures which must not be “covered” by big bloody towers. And when they manage to stay away of these national spotlights (and I don’t doubt their value) people protest against high rise structures and stand in the way. In this conditions, no wonder why Europe is still low rice. No worries, it will get taller in the future, when we’ll be old and retired and we’ll have lots of free time to admire skyscrapers.
Oh well, back to Dubai. Magnificent skyline, isn’t it? But that’s not all. Western engineers are working out new technologies and materials that can sustain much taller buildings that Al Burj or any structure in the world based on steel. And if we are lucky enough and the Middle East doesn’t run out of oil soon, not only Dubai but our entire planet will go even higher, even space elevators are in engineers’ vision. Have you heard of that? It’s just a matter of time, resources and peace, because war only knocks down.
Feedback welcomed.
Thanks.
are you kidding me?! ive been to the bottom of the gherkin, and its huge. i cant even imagine how big this tower is!
As the design for this tower has been finally unveiled, the discussion can continue here.