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The Burj Dubai (Arabic for Dubai Constellation) is a
skyscraper under construction since April 2005 in Dubai,
United Arab Emirates.
The final height of the Burj Dubai is being kept secret
due to competition thought there are some rumors that
hint at 808 meters (2650 ft).
The total number of habitable floors is rumored to be
around 162. By August 2006, the Burj Dubai was 66 stories
and 230 meters tall.The Burj Dubai is expected to be finished
in 2008 and will most likely become the tallest building
in the world. It will take that title from Taipei 101
in Taiwan and other proposals like the Freedom Tower at
New York City's World Trade Center and the Shanghai World
Financial Center. It will also become the world's tallest
structure, beating the tallest freestanding structure
on land, the Toronto CN Tower and the guyed KVLY-TV mast
in North Dakota.
It is not known for certain but some sources claim that
the Burj Dubai has been subjected to several height changes
since it began. It was originally meant to be a clone
of the 560 meters tall Grollo Tower proposal from Australia.
However, the tower was very soon redesigned to the Skidmore
Owings and Merril design that it currently sports. This
design was originally drafted at 750 meters. The chief
architect, Adrian Smith, did not like the design of the
top of the building. He made some modifications that were
met with approval; this resulted in an increase from the
previously planned height. The increase in height however
was not meant to add more floors to the building.
Its only purpose was to accommodate the changes made
by Adrian Smith in order to make the top of building look
more slender. As per the current plans, the top of Burj
Dubai, starting from the 156th floor upwards, from a height
of 575 meters to the top will be a steel frame structure
and will not use concrete like the lower portion.
The developer, Emaar, has hinted that this steel section
at the top may be extended for the sole purpose of beating
any other tower and claim the title of the tallest building
in the world.
The Burj Dubai will include 30,000 homes, 9 hotels,
6 acres of parkland, 19 residential towers, and a 12-hectare
Burj Dubai Lake. The cost of developing the Burj Dubai
will be approximately US$ 8 billion and will cover an
area of 22 million square feet.
Dubai is already home to the tallest hotel, the Burj
al-Arab, the world's largest man-made marina, the Dubai
Marina, and the world's largest artificial island, The
Palm.
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