World's tallest tower opening confirmed for January 4

Dubai : The world's tallest tower, Burj Dubai, will be inaugurated on January 4, WAM reported yesterday.

The definite height of the building is still unknown, but it is understood that the tower will reach more than 800 metres.

The inauguration will take place under the patronage of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, on January 4, the fourth anniversary of the accession of Shaikh Mohammad. The Burj Dubai is the tallest man-made structure ever built. Its construction began on September 21, 2004.

The building is part of the flagship development ‘Downtown Burj Dubai' along Shaikh Zayed Road, near Dubai's main business district.

In charge

The tower's architect was Adrian Smith, who worked with Skidmore, Owings and Merrill until 2006. The Chicago-based architecture and engineering firm SOM was in charge of the project.

The primary builder is South Korean Samsung Engineering & Construction, which also built the Taipei 101 and Petronas Twin Towers.

Turner Construction Company was chosen as the construction manager. The total budget for the Burj Dubai project is about $4.1 billion (Dh15.1 billion).

The primary structural system of the tower is reinforced concrete.

Burj Dubai's construction has used 330,000 cubic metres of concrete and 39,000 tonnes of steel rebar, and has taken 22 million man-hours.