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103
Global
Height rank
Height rank
Burj Al Arab
Dubai
-
Metrics
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Height
321.0 m / 1,053 ft
Floors
56
Official Name
The current legal building name.
Burj Al Arab
Other Names
Other names the building has commonly been known as, including former names, common informal names, local names, etc.
Burj Al Arab Hotel, Chicago Beach Hotel & Resort
Type
CTBUH collects data on two major types of tall structures: 'Buildings' and 'Telecommunications / Observation Towers.' A 'Building' is a structure where at least 50% of the height is occupied by usable floor area. A 'Telecommunications / Observation Tower' is a structure where less than 50% of the structure's height is occupied by usable floor area. Only 'Buildings' are eligible for the CTBUH 'Tallest Buildings' lists.
Building
Status
Completed
Architecturally Topped Out
Structurally Topped Out
Under Construction
Proposed
On Hold
Never Completed
Vision
Competition Entry
Canceled
Proposed Renovation
Under Renovation
Renovated
Under Demolition
Demolished
Completed, 1999
Country
The CTBUH follows the United Nations's definition of Country, and thus uses the lists and codes established by that organization.
City
The CTBUH follows the United Nations's definition of City, and thus uses the lists and codes established by that organization.
Function
A single-function tall building is defined as one where 85% or more of its usable floor area is dedicated to a single usage. Thus a building with 90% office floor area would be said to be an "office" building, irrespective of other minor functions it may also contain.
A mixed-use tall building contains two or more functions (or uses), where each of the functions occupy a significant proportion of the tower's total space. Support areas such as car parks and mechanical plant space do not constitute mixed-use functions. Functions are denoted on CTBUH "Tallest Building" lists in descending order, e.g., "hotel/office" indicates hotel function above office function.
A mixed-use tall building contains two or more functions (or uses), where each of the functions occupy a significant proportion of the tower's total space. Support areas such as car parks and mechanical plant space do not constitute mixed-use functions. Functions are denoted on CTBUH "Tallest Building" lists in descending order, e.g., "hotel/office" indicates hotel function above office function.
hotel
Structural Material
Steel
Both the main vertical/lateral structural elements and the floor spanning systems are constructed from steel. Note that a building of steel construction with a floor system of concrete planks or concrete slab on top of steel beams is still considered a “steel” structure as the concrete elements are not acting as the primary structure.
Reinforced Concrete
Both the main vertical/lateral structural elements and the floor spanning systems are constructed from concrete which has been cast in place and utilizes steel reinforcement bars.
Precast Concrete
Both the main vertical/lateral structural elements and the floor spanning system are constructed from steel reinforced concrete which has been precast as individual components and assembled together on-site.
Mixed-Structure
Utilizes distinct systems (e.g. steel, concrete, timber), one on top of the other. For example, a steel/concrete indicates a steel structural system located on top of a concrete structural system, with the opposite true of concrete/steel.
Composite
A combination of materials (e.g. steel, concrete, timber) are used together in the main structural elements. Examples include buildings which utilize: steel columns with a floor system of reinforced concrete beams; a steel frame system with a concrete core; concrete-encased steel columns; concrete-filled steel tubes; etc. Where known, the CTBUH database breaks out the materials used in a composite building’s core, columns, and floor spanning separately.
Both the main vertical/lateral structural elements and the floor spanning systems are constructed from steel. Note that a building of steel construction with a floor system of concrete planks or concrete slab on top of steel beams is still considered a “steel” structure as the concrete elements are not acting as the primary structure.
Reinforced Concrete
Both the main vertical/lateral structural elements and the floor spanning systems are constructed from concrete which has been cast in place and utilizes steel reinforcement bars.
Precast Concrete
Both the main vertical/lateral structural elements and the floor spanning system are constructed from steel reinforced concrete which has been precast as individual components and assembled together on-site.
Mixed-Structure
Utilizes distinct systems (e.g. steel, concrete, timber), one on top of the other. For example, a steel/concrete indicates a steel structural system located on top of a concrete structural system, with the opposite true of concrete/steel.
Composite
A combination of materials (e.g. steel, concrete, timber) are used together in the main structural elements. Examples include buildings which utilize: steel columns with a floor system of reinforced concrete beams; a steel frame system with a concrete core; concrete-encased steel columns; concrete-filled steel tubes; etc. Where known, the CTBUH database breaks out the materials used in a composite building’s core, columns, and floor spanning separately.
composite
Official Website
Height
Architectural
Height is measured from the level of the lowest, significant, open-air, pedestrian entrance to the architectural top of the building, including spires, but not including antennae, signage, flag poles or other functional-technical equipment. This measurement is the most widely utilized and is employed to define the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) rankings of the "World's Tallest Buildings."
321.0 m / 1,053 ft
To Tip
Height is measured from the level of the lowest, significant, open-air, pedestrian entrance to the highest point of the building, irrespective of material or function of the highest element (i.e., including antennae, flagpoles, signage and other functional-technical equipment).
321.0 m / 1,053 ft
Occupied
Height is measured from the level of the lowest, significant, open-air, pedestrian entrance to the highest occupied floor within the building.
197.5 m / 648 ft
Helipad
Height, measured from the level of the lowest, significant, open-air, pedestrian entrance, to the building's helipad.
210.0 m / 689 ft
Floors Above Ground
The number of floors above ground should include the ground floor level and be the number of main floors above ground, including any significant mezzanine floors and major mechanical plant floors. Mechanical mezzanines should not be included if they have a significantly smaller floor area than the major floors below. Similarly, mechanical penthouses or plant rooms protruding above the general roof area should not be counted. Note: CTBUH floor counts may differ from published accounts, as it is common in some regions of the world for certain floor levels not to be included (e.g., the level 4, 14, 24, etc. in Hong Kong).
56
Floors Below Ground
The number of floors below ground should include all major floors located below the ground floor level.
3
# of Hotel Rooms
Number of Hotel Rooms refers to the total number of hotel rooms contained within a particular building.
202
# of Elevators
Number of Elevators refers to the total number of elevator cars (not shafts) contained within a particular building (including public, private and freight elevators).
18
Top Elevator Speed
Top Elevator Speed refers to the top speed capable of being achieved by an elevator within a particular building, measured in meters per second.
7 m/s
Tower GFA
Tower GFA refers to the total gross floor area within the tower footprint, not including adjoining podiums, connected buildings or other towers within the development.
120,000 m² / 1,291,669 ft²
Rankings
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By function
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-
By material
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#
103
Tallest in the World
#
22
Tallest in
Middle East
#
20
Tallest in
United Arab Emirates
#
17
Tallest in
Dubai
#
5
Tallest Hotel Building in the World
#
5
Tallest Hotel Building in
Middle East
#
5
Tallest Hotel Building in
United Arab Emirates
#
5
Tallest Hotel Building in
Dubai
#
59
Tallest Composite Building in the World
#
3
Tallest Composite Building in
Middle East
#
3
Tallest Composite Building in
United Arab Emirates
#
3
Tallest Composite Building in
Dubai
Construction Schedule
Other Consultant
Other Consultant refers to other organizations which provided significant consultation services for a building project (e.g. wind consultants, environmental consultants, fire and life safety consultants, etc).
Other Consultant refers to other organizations which provided significant consultation services for a building project (e.g. wind consultants, environmental consultants, fire and life safety consultants, etc).
Material Supplier
Material Supplier refers to organizations which supplied significant systems/materials for a building project (e.g. elevator suppliers, facade suppliers, etc).
Material Supplier refers to organizations which supplied significant systems/materials for a building project (e.g. elevator suppliers, facade suppliers, etc).
Cladding
Construction Hoists
Elevator
Paint/Coating
Sealants
You must be a CTBUH Member to view this resource.
Owner/Developer
Jumeirah Group International
Architect
Design
Usually involved in the front end design, with a "typical" condition being that of a leadership role through either Schematic Design or Design Development, and then a monitoring role through the CD and CA phases.
Atkins
Structural Engineer
Design
The Design Engineer is usually involved in the front end design, typically taking the leadership role in the Schematic Design and Design Development, and then a monitoring role through the CD and CA phases.
Atkins; e.Construct
MEP Engineer
Design
The Design Engineer is usually involved in the front end design, typically taking the leadership role in the Schematic Design and Design Development, and then a monitoring role through the CD and CA phases.
Atkins
Main Contractor
The main contractor is the supervisory contractor of all construction work on a project, management of sub-contractors and vendors, etc. May be referred to as "Construction Manager," however, for consistency CTBUH uses the term "Main Contractor" exclusively.
The main contractor is the supervisory contractor of all construction work on a project, management of sub-contractors and vendors, etc. May be referred to as "Construction Manager," however, for consistency CTBUH uses the term "Main Contractor" exclusively.
Al Habtoor Group; Murray & Roberts; Arabtec
Other Consultant
Other Consultant refers to other organizations which provided significant consultation services for a building project (e.g. wind consultants, environmental consultants, fire and life safety consultants, etc).
Other Consultant refers to other organizations which provided significant consultation services for a building project (e.g. wind consultants, environmental consultants, fire and life safety consultants, etc).
Landscape
Admares
Wind
BMT Fluid Mechanics Ltd.
Material Supplier
Material Supplier refers to organizations which supplied significant systems/materials for a building project (e.g. elevator suppliers, facade suppliers, etc).
Material Supplier refers to organizations which supplied significant systems/materials for a building project (e.g. elevator suppliers, facade suppliers, etc).
Cladding
Construction Hoists
Elevator
Mitsubishi Elevator and Escalator; Otis Elevator Company
Paint/Coating
Jotun; AkzoNobel
Sealants
Steel
Eversendai Engineering Qatar
CTBUH Initiatives
CTBUH Study Examines Tallest Buildings with Dampers
22 August 2018 - CTBUH Research
Social Networking Events, CTBUH 8th World Congress
2 March 2008 - Event
Research
11 October 2019
Tall Buildings in Numbers: 50 Years of Tall Building Evolution
CTBUH Research
The default image of the skyscraper for the past 50 years in the public imagination has likely been the extruded, rectilinear corporate “box,” derived from...
About Burj Al Arab
When construction began on the private island upon which Burj Al Arab would be built, Dubai was a very different place. In the late 1990’s, the rapid pace of construction which developed one of the world’s most impressive skylines was just in its very early stages, and as such, the Burj Al Arab is regarded as one of the first key landmarks of modern Dubai. When opened in 1999, Burj Al Arab was advertised as the world’s first and only 7 star hotel, offering a luxury experience that was truly unique.
Inspired by the shape of a sail boat about to head into the Persian Gulf, the triangular shaped building’s design began with intent to create a recognizable landmark for the emerging city. Upon completion, Burj Al Arab was the world’s tallest hotel and included the world’s tallest atrium which rises 182 meters through the interior of the building. The atrium is aligned to the building’s southern exposure and is separated from the outside by a glass fiber screen attached to the building through a network of steel cables. The screen reduces solar heat gain through the elimination of windows while still allowing for diffused light to enter the atrium space. The screen is designed to flex with the wind loads of the building’s coastal location and is coated with Teflon, a non-stick coating often used in kitchenware which prevents dust and dirt from adhering to the screen in the desert environment where wind-blown sand is common.
The guest rooms are aligned in a wedge formation flanking the atrium and facing out into the gulf, while 9 restaurants and lounges are spread throughout the structure, including on the uppermost floor. The main roofline includes a helipad which can guests may use to travel to and from the building. The occupiable space of Burj Al Arab is set within an external structural system built within a composite frame and includes six large diagonal steel trusses, each one as long as a football field. Because of the location positioned into the gulf, the foundation is only made up of friction piles extending 45 meters into the sand below the island, in contrast to bedrock which often anchors supertall buildings.
In early 2016, the private island was expanded 10,000 square meters in size through the use of a steel deck attached to piles driven into the seabed. The northward extension was built in modular form using six individual pieces constructed in Finland and sent by ship 8,000 nautical miles to the Burj Al Arab.
As Dubai has continued to build up around the Burj Al Arab, it has lost its title of world’s tallest hotel multiple times to nearby towers. As the skyline continues to expand Burj Al Arab will remain a key landmark that will not only be intrinsically part of Dubai’s world image, but it will also serve a reminder of the transition era when Dubai emerged into the city it is today.
Research
11 October 2019
Tall Buildings in Numbers: 50 Years of Tall Building Evolution
The default image of the skyscraper for the past 50 years in the public imagination has likely been the extruded, rectilinear corporate “box,” derived from...
17 October 2016
Paints in Extreme Exposures: Long-Term Durability and Cost Savings Throughout Building Life Cycle
A protective coating is applied as a long term anti-corrosion method in steel protection; it can save the operation costs of buildings across entire life...
11 June 2014
In this installment of Tall Buildings in Numbers, CTBUH considers how helipads are used on skyscrapers, and which are the highest in the world. The...
CTBUH Initiatives
22 August 2018
CTBUH Study Examines Tallest Buildings with Dampers
CTBUH has released a Tall Buildings in Numbers (TBIN) interactive data study on the world's tallest buildings with dampers.
5 March 2008
Social Networking Events, CTBUH 8th World Congress
There were many social networking opportunities at the Congress including a golf outing, networking lunches, and a grand dinner.
4 March 2008
Technical Tours, CTBUH 8th World Congress
Tours to experience five seminal projects in Dubai including the Burj Dubai, the Emirates Towers, the Index Tower, the Burj Al Arab and Palm Jumeirah.
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