The Burj Khalifa is a megatall skyscraper in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and the world’s tallest structure at 829.8 metres (2,722 feet). Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, it has held the title of world’s tallest building since topping out in 2009, surpassing Taipei 101.
Construction began in 2004, with the exterior completed in 2009 and the building opened in 2010 as the centrepiece of Downtown Dubai. The primary structure is reinforced concrete, with some structural steel salvaged from the demolished Palace of the Republic in East Berlin. Originally named Burj Dubai, it was renamed after Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, then president of the United Arab Emirates, who organised federal financial support after developer Emaar Properties faced difficulties during the Great Recession. The design draws from Islamic architecture of the region, including the Great Mosque of Samarra. Its Y-shaped tripartite floor plan optimises residential and hotel space, while a buttressed central core supports the building’s height. The structure features cladding designed to withstand Dubai’s extreme summer heat, 57 elevators and 8 escalators.
