The world's largest building Kingdom Tower with a height of 1007 meters is being built in Saudi Arabia, but while a kilometer-long skyscraper is being built, the world-famous "Khalifa Tower" in the UAE, which is 179 meters lower than the future Kingdom Tower, holds the palm. Also, the projects "Tower of Azerbaijan" in Azerbaijan (1050 m), "City of Silk" in Kuwait (1001 m) and Sky City in China (838 m) have entered the fight for the sky.
The tallest building in the world is considered the "Khalifa Tower" in Dubai, whose height is 828 m. This skyscraper can be seen from anywhere in Dubai, but you can appreciate the entire power of the building only by visiting its observation deck, located at an altitude of 452 m. The grand opening of the tower took place in January 2010. Interestingly, the $ 1.5 billion invested in its construction paid off in just a year.
The history of the creation of the "Khalifa Tower"
Sheikh of Dubai announced his intention to build the world's tallest skyscraper back in 2002. The skyscraper project was developed by the experienced architect Adrian Smith, an American by birth, who has previously had a chance to design high-rise buildings.
The construction of the Khalifa Tower lasted 6 years, from 2004 to 2010. The tower was being built very quickly, 1-2 floors a week. Up to 12 thousand workers were employed on its construction every day. A heat-resistant concrete grade was developed especially for the construction of the tower, which can withstand temperatures up to 50 degrees Celsius. This concrete was poured only at night, adding pieces of ice to the solution. When all 163 floors were ready, the assembly of the 180 meter high metal spire began. A year before the completion of construction, it was announced that the cost per square meter of residential and office space in the Khalifa Tower was $ 40,000.
The tower was originally called "Burj Dubai" ("Dubai Tower"), but its completion coincided with the global financial crisis, and the Sheikh of Dubai was forced to seek help from his neighbor, the emirate of Abu Dhabi. In gratitude for the multi-billion dollar support received, the tower was renamed "Burj Khalifa", in honor of the Emir of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahyan - the current President of the UAE.
What is inside the "Khalifa Tower"
The Khalifa Tower is the hub of Dubai's business life. Inside the building there are numerous parks, boulevards, offices, hotels, luxury apartments and shopping centers. The first 37 floors of the tower house a 304-room hotel designed by renowned designer Armani. From 45 to 108 floors are reserved for 900 luxurious well-appointed apartments. On the 80th floor there is a restaurant with 80 seats. On the other floors, there are numerous shopping centers and offices. Under the building there is a three-storey parking lot for 3000 cars.
It is noteworthy that the 100th and 101st floors of the Khalifa Tower were bought for personal use by the owner of a pharmaceutical empire from India, multibillionaire Dr. Shetty for $ 25 million. “There is currently no better address than the city of Dubai, Burj Khalifa, 100th floor,” Shetty said.
On the 124th floor of the Khalifa Tower, at a height of 452 m, there is an observation deck, which is the second highest after the observation deck of the World Financial Center in Shanghai. You can get to the observation deck by high-speed elevator, which can reach speeds of up to 10 m / s. The entire journey from the first floor to the observation deck will take no more than 1.5 minutes. There are 57 elevators in the "Khalifa Tower" in total, but only a service elevator can lift passengers from the first to the last floor, in other cases the elevators go with a transfer. The observation deck offers an unforgettable view of the surroundings.
Interesting facts about the "Khalifa Tower"
The Khalifa Tower has an asymmetrical shape that reduces the effect of swaying from the wind. The foundation of the tower is anchored in rocky ground. At the entrance to the Khalifa Tower, the following sign is installed: “I am the heart of the city and its inhabitants, the symbol of Dubai's brilliant dream. More than just a moment in time, I define a moment for future generations. I am Burj Khalifa."
The tower is covered with special panels that reflect the sun's rays and protect the building from overheating. Fire system "Khalifa Towers" is designed in such a way that it was possible to evacuate all its inhabitants in just 32 minutes.
The most powerful complex of singing fountains in the world, which reach a height of 100 meters, is located at the foot of the tower. At 8 pm, the fountains begin to dance to a pleasant melody, describing intricate figures in the air.
Several vending machines for the sale of gold bars have been installed in the Khalifa Tower. Anyone, having thrown a decent stack of banknotes into the machine, can become the owner of a gold bar weighing from 2.5 grams to 30 grams, with an image of a tower engraved on it.
