En 1994 se inició la construcción del Burj Al Arab (en idioma árabe: برج العرب, “Torre arábica”) que se inauguró oficialmente el 1 de diciembre de 1999. El Burj Al Arab, el máximo exponente del lujo, se levanta en un sitio donde solo 34 años antes habia llegado la luz electrica por primera vez (la primera bombilla se instalò en 1960). En sólo una generación, la ciudad de Dubai ha pasado de la arena del desierto al cielo. En 1950, la ciudad no era muy diferente al Dubai de 1820, cuando era denominado Al Wasl. La generacion anterior de los modernos universitarios de hoy tenía solo dos escuelas que enseñaban exclusivamente el Corán.

“Vivir hoy en Dubai es como vivir en una especie de sueño. Sabes que te tocará despertar, pero no eres tú el que decide cuándo”, cuenta un habitante de Dubai, de naciolidad Italiana. En Dubai todo es gigante y, lo más increíble, ayer no existía: el desierto es lo unico que no ha cambiado. Es el único lugar del mundo donde se puede ver la puesta del sol dos veces en el mismo día: la primera vez desde la playa de Jumeirah Free Beach y la segunda desde el Observation Deck del Burj Khalifa (برج خليفة, Torre Khalifa en árabe, pronunciado [bʊɾʤ χalifæ]), hoy en dia la estructura más alta construida con 828 metros de altura. Para ello basta con coger un ascensor que en un minuto salva un desnivel de casi 800 metros. En el piso 124 del Burj Khalifa se encuentra de hecho un observatorio llamado At the top desde el cual es posible ver toda la extension de Dubai. Y todo gracias al edificio más alto y al ascensor más rápido del universo. Los ascensores del Burj Khalifa – conocido come Burj Dubai antes que el Sheikh Khalifa dio el dinero para completar la construcción - llevan a los visitantes desde el suelo hasta la cima, a una velocidad de 10 mt/s.

TimeOut Dubai la rivista pubblicata da ITP,  per celebrare il 40° National Day degli UAE esce con due numeri speciali celebrando “le due torri” di Dubai. Uno speciale concorso sullo stile di “Willy Wonka e la fabbrica di cioccolato” completa questa celebrazione: 9 numeri dello speciale sul Burj Khalifa, contengono un biglietto d’oro che consentirà di accedere alla torre più alta del mondo. Mentre due numeri dello speciale sul Burj Al Arab, contengono un biglietto d’oro che consente l’accesso all’hotel più lussuoso del mondo.

A story in UAE daily The National contained comments from Adrian Smith which revealed that detailed plans for the landmark tower have advanced at a rapid pace.

In a statement to Middle East Architect, a spokesperson for the Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill said: “I can confirm Adrian’s statement to The National that construction on Kingdom Tower is scheduled to begin in January.”

“The project is moving rapidly. We have actually advanced the design to a high level of detail,” Adrian Smith remarked to The National, which also revealed that most of the permits are in place for the US$1.2 billion (Dh4.40bn) tower by Kingdom Holding, which would be the tallest building in the world.

Adrian Smith added: “We know that all the partners have agreed to get going. Everything is proceeding as though it’s going to happen.”; he was also the lead designer on the 828m Burj Khalifa (previously known as Burj Dubai).

In the same way that the final height of the Burj Khalifa (Burj Dubai) was a closely guarded secret, Kingdom Holding has not revealed an exact height for Kingdom Tower; that strategy was also used when building the Burj Khalifa (Burj Dubai), in order not to give advantages to potential competitors.

La Kingdom Tower (Arabic: برج المملكة‎ ‎), conosciuta anche come Mile-High Tower (Arabic: برج الميل‎ ‎), la torre del miglio, sorgerà a Gedda, sul Mar Rosso. Quel genio di Frank Lloyd Wright lo aveva immaginato nel 1956, chiamandolo The Illinois: una guglia iconica svettante nel cielo di Chicago; non sarà forse un caso che la Kingdom Tower è stata progettata proprio da uno studio di Chicago: Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture, dalle cui matite sono state partorite anche le infrastrutture della avveniristica Masdar City.  Il suo costo si aggira intorno ai 12 milioni di sterline, pari a circa 13 milioni di euro: la megastruttura è finanziata dalla Kingdom Holding Company, la più grande società saudita di proprietà della famiglia reale. Il grattacielo farà parte infatti di un quartiere dove vivranno circa 80mila persone.

La torre avrà 275 piani e 12 milioni di metri cubi di spazio interno. Per raggiungere la sua vetta i visitatori impiegheranno in ascensore ben 12 minuti e una volta lì, a oltre un chilometro e mezzo di altezza, potranno ammirare un panorama davvero mozzafiato. Cosa ospiterà la ‘Kingdom Tower’? alberghi a 5 stelle, centri commerciali ed uffici.

Lo studio Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture ha annunciato che i lavori inizieranno a gennaio 2012.

Un portavoce dello studio: “I can confirm Adrian’s statement to The National that construction on Kingdom Tower is scheduled to begin in January.”

Italiano

Adrian Smith, senior Design Partner dello studio di architettura americano (con sede a Chicago) Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill e architetto progettista del Burj Khalifa (ex Burj Dubai), è il vincitore 2011 del Lifetime Achievement Award, assegnato dal Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH), un ente internazionale interessato ai progetti urbani ed edifici ecostostenibili.

Il Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH), è un organizzazione no-profit con sede presso l’Illinois Institute of Technology di Chicago (Illinois), che assegna il titolo di “The World’s Tallest Building” (Edificio più alto del mondo) ed è un’autorità autorizzata nel monitoraggio dell’altezza dei grattacieli più alti.

Adrian Smith  è uno dei più prolifici disegner di super-grattaciali: ad oggi ha firmato il progetto di 4 dei più alti grattacieli al mondo già completati:

-          Dubai’s Burj Khalifa (giù Burj Dubai): il più alto grattacielo al mondo,

-          Nanjing’s Zifeng Tower at Nanjing Greenland Financial Center (il settimo più alto grattacielo al mondo)

-          Chicago’s Trump International Hotel & Tower (il decimo più alto)

-          Shanghai’s Jin Mao Tower (l’undicesimo),

Il portfolio di Adrian Smith include anche il London’s 201 Bishopsgate/Broadgate Tower, insignito dal CTBUH come “The Best Tall Building completed in Europe in 2009”. Smith è anche Design Partner del Pearl River Tower (310-metri), la cui aperture è prevista il prossimo autunno in Guangzhou, China.

English

Adrian Smith, senior Design Partner at Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture in Chicago, the architect of Dubai’s Burj Khalifa (ex Burj Dubai), is the 2011 winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH), an international body in the field of tall buildings and sustainable urban design. The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) is a not-for-profit organization based at the Illinois Institute of Technology in the city of Chicago, Illinois, that announces the title of “The World’s Tallest Building”  and is an authority on the official height of tall buildings. Its stated mission is to study and report “on all aspects of the planning, design, and construction of tall buildings.” The Council was founded at Lehigh University in 1969, where its office remained until October 2003, when it moved to the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago.

Last year, the CTBUH named Burj Khalifa the Best Tall Building completed in the Middle East and Asia, and also presented Burj with the Global Icon Award.

“Adrian is one of a relatively small number of architects who has designed and built a significant number of not only tall, but supertall, buildings internationally. As such, his contribution to the development of the typology is beyond doubt. Equally as exciting are the ‘as yet unannounced’ tall projects that I know of that are scheduled to come from his office in the coming months.” said Antony Wood, CTBUH’s executive director.

Smith is one of the world’s most prolific and celebrated designers of supertall towers. As of mid-2011, he has designed four of the world’s eleven tallest completed buildings: Dubai’s Burj Khalifa, Nanjing’s Zifeng Tower at Nanjing Greenland Financial Center (7th tallest), Chicago’s Trump International Hotel & Tower (10th tallest) and Shanghai’s Jin Mao Tower (11th tallest), all at his former firm, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill.

Smith’s design portfolio at SOM also includes London’s 201 Bishopsgate/Broadgate Tower, which the CTBUH named the Best Tall Building completed in Europe in 2009. Also at SOM, Smith was the Design Partner of the 71-storey, 310-meter Pearl River Tower, scheduled to open this fall in Guangzhou, China, as the world’s most sustainable supertall building.

“Adrian’s body of work includes some of the world’s tallest and most recognised buildings,” noted CTBUH Trustee Peter Irwin, “yet his designs transcend mere height and have become landmarks because of their graceful design and inherent sensitivity to local context and culture.”

The Lifetime Achievement Award is named after the late CTBUH founder Lynn S. Beedle, a leader in the study, design and building of skyscrapers.

“This is a great honor,” Smith said of the award. “The CTBUH is a great organisation and I’m extremely proud of this recognition.”

The award will be presented at the CTBUH 10^th annual awards ceremony and dinner on October 27 at Illinois Institute of Technology’s Crown Hall.

Con i suoi 23 metri, è stato per anni l’edificio più alto degli Emirati. Certo fa pensare, considerando che il Burj Al Arab è poco più di un terzo del Burj Khalifa (già Burj Dubai).

Il Forte è stato ristrutturato nel 1993 con l’intento di adibirlo a Museo, i suoi diorami colorati ed evocativi, con tanto di figure a dimensione reale ed effetti sonori e visivi, descrivono vividamente le abitudini quotidiane prima della scoperta del petrolio. Nelle diverse sale sono ricreate scene di vita sul Creek, le tradizionali case arabe, le moschee, il suq e i giardini di palme da dattero così come la vita sul mare e nel deserto. Una delle mostre più spettacolari ritrae il mondo sottomarino e la pesca delle perle; sono in esposizione pesi, bilance e setacci utilizzati dai mercanti del tempo. Il museo possiede infine preziosi artefatti di rame, alabastro e terracotta rinvenuti nelle tombe di Al Ghusais (uno dei siti archeologici di Dubai) e che risalgono a 4000 anni fa.

Orario di visita:
da Sabato – a Giovedì: 08:00 – 22:00 orario continuato.
Venerdi: 08:00 – 11:00 e 16:00 – 22:00
Ramadan: 09:00-24:00
Orario delle attività: 21:00-24:00
Telefono: 04-3937151

English

The world’s tallest building in Dubai, Burj Khalifa has something else to astonish the whole planet with – the world’s highest restaurant in a building has just been opened at 442 metres high on Level 122.

At.mosphere is reached by its own private elevator from the tower’s corporate suites lobby and can accommodate 210 people over a lounge and grill, each with an unparalleled view of the emirate’s eye-popping skyline. Adorned in mahogany walls and ceilings, Adam Tihany furnishings, and floors of cafe au lait limestone and hand-tufted carpet, At.mosphere features a stunning beverage display and cellar.

Casual and friendly staff members greet guests, who can choose from the lounge or the grill experience. The At.mosphere grill emphasises on fresh products and healthy, simple cooking – grilled, broiled or baked. The food choice is complemented by an extensive beverage selection.

Mr Mohamed Alabbar, Chairman, Emaar Properties PJSC, the developer of Burj Khalifa, said: “At.mosphere is about offering the best in dining. Every aspect of the restaurant has been carefully designed and executed – be it the elegant decor, warm ambience, food choice and service standards.”

Previously, the world’s highest restaurant was 360, at a height of 350 metres in Toronto’s CN Tower. The restaurant at the highest elevation is the Chacaltaya Ski Resort, outside Bolivia’s capital, La Paz, with 5421m.

Italiano

Dubai è pronto a stupire il mondo con un’altra attrazione che questa volta riguarda il settore gastronomico. La più alta torre del mondo, Burj Khalifa con i suoi 828 metri, ospita al 122esimo piano a 422 metri d’altezza un ristorante di lusso ora più alto del mondo – At.mosphere.

Il bellissimo ristorante ha una visuale sulla città sconvolgente ed unica che permette a tutti ospiti osservare i paesaggi e godere i piati esclusivi allo stesso tempo. L’At.mosphere può ospitare fino a 210 persone e c’è anche la possibilità di ordinare piatti biologici. Dwayne Cheer, cuoco da 13 anni presso i ristoranti segnalati da Michelin e ora in servizio all’Atmosphere, offre la possibilità di gustare cucina europea con una particolare preferenza per i cibi cotti alla griglia.

Marc Dardenne, CEO di Emaar Hospitality, la società che gestisce l’At.mosphere, ha dichiarato per l’occasione che “è nato un nuovo concetto di ristorazione a Dubai”.

Al ristorante si accede tramite un ascensore privato, che percorre la salita in circa 57 secondi. Adam Tihany l’architetto che ha progettato l’At.mosphere, l’ha definito un “viaggio nel cielo”. Allora non rimane altro che augurarvi un buon viaggio e buona degustazione nel prestigioso Burj Khalifa, al meraviglioso tavolo a più di quattro cento metri d’altezza!

Русский

Дубай вновь побил все рекорды роскоши: 23 января здесь открылся самый высокорасположенный ресторан в мире – At.mosphere. Новый дубайский ресторан находится на высоте 442 метра над землей, на 122-м этаже высочайшего на планете небоскреба Burj Khalifa (высота здания 828 метров). Уже ставшая главной достопримечательностью Дубая смотровая площадка (также самая высокорасположенная в мире) At The Top находится всего двумя этажами выше – на 124-ом.

“Это совершенно новая концепция, меняющая ориентиры развития ресторанного бизнеса в Дубае”, – сказал журналистам руководитель управляющей компании Emaar Hospitality Марк Дарденн.

Одновременно поужинать в At.mosphere могут 210 человек. Чтобы забраться на почти полукилометровую высоту, посетителям ресторана предлагается воспользоваться отдельным лифтом, принадлежащем At.mosphere. По словам Дарденна, эксклюзивный ресторан предлагает преимущественно европейскую кухню с акцентом на блюда, приготовленные на гриле.

Ранее самым высокорасположенным рестораном, находящимся в здании, считался The 360 Restaurant, расположенный на высоте 351 метр в телебашне города Торонто (CN Tower) в Канаде. Самый высокогорный ресторан в мире находится в горах Боливии на горнолыжном курорте Чакалтая (Chacaltaya ski resort Cordillera) на высоте 5,34 километра над уровнем моря – это небольшой домик на вершине скалы.

Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) has had around 35 million visitors since 1996, who have spent close to Dh74 billion in shopping malls, airlines, hotels and entertainment outlets.

During Dubai Shopping Festival, shops offer deep discounts on their merchandise, daily car raffles are drawn, and fireworks light Dubai’s night sky. Tourists from all around the world are lured not only for Dubai’s tax free shopping, but also for all of the events that take place during the festival. In 2006, the festival was cancelled due to the death of Dubai’s ruler, Sheikh Maktoum Bin Rashid Al Maktoum. In addition to Dubai Shopping Festival, Dubai also hosts Dubai Summer Surprises, a summer version of Dubai Shopping Festival, in order to balance the less of tourists due to the high temperatures of that period.

Look at the fireworks display at the Burj Khalifa

Burj Khalifa (Arabic: برج خليفة‎ ” Khalifa Tower”), is the recent name given to Burj Dubai, after its inauguration, in honour of Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan (Arabic: خليفة بن زايد بن سلطان آل نهيان‎), (born 1948),  the current President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and emir of Abu Dhabi.

Burj Khalifa is a skyscraper in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and actually the tallest man-made structure ever built, at 828 m (2,717 ft). Construction began on 21 September 2004, with the exterior of the structure completed on 1 October 2009. The building officially opened on 4 January 2010, and is part of the new 2 km² (490-acre) flagship development called Downtown Dubai at the ‘First Interchange’ along Sheikh Zayed Road, near Dubai’s main business district.

The total cost for the project was about US$1.5 billion; and for the entire “Downtown Dubai” development, US$20 billion. The project’s completion coincided with the global financial crisis of 2007–2010, and with vast overbuilding in the country, led to high vacancies and foreclosures. With Dubai mired in debt from its huge ambitions, the government was forced to seek multi-billion dollar bailouts from its oil-rich neighbor Abu Dhabi. That’s the reason of the change of the name from Burj Dubai To Burj Khalifa.

Due to the slumping demand in Dubai’s property market, the rents in the Burj Khalifa plummeted 40% some ten months after its opening. Out of 900 apartments in the tower around 825 were still empty at that time.

What’s inside Burj Khalifa

At the Top, Burj Khalifa

Observation deck on level 124

At.mosphere, Burj Khalifa

Fine dining restaurant on level 122

The Residence

900 Burj Khalifa residences

The Corporate Suites

37 office floors

Armani Hotel Dubai

160 guestrooms and suites

Armani Residences Dubai

144 private residences

The Park

11 hectares park, 6 water features

3000 underground parking spaces

The Club

4-storey fitness and recreation annex

The Dubai Mall

The Dubai Mall is a 12.1-million square foot retail, lifestyle and entertainment destination equal to about 50 international-sized soccer fields. Home to the most extensive collection of major fashion brands in the world, The Dubai Mall is a celebration of haute couture with 70 signature stores in the luxury Fashion Avenue. Anchors include France’s leading lifestyle retailer Galeries Lafayette, with America’s favourite Bloomingdale. With more than 1,200 stores and an impressive array of leisure pursuits and attractions, The Dubai Mall is a world-class destination and an unprecedented shopping experience.

Gold Souk

At the heart of The Dubai Mall is the worldís largest indoor Gold Souk, with over 220 gold and jewellery retailers, and a selection of cafes throughout the souk’s meandering walkways. The Gold Souk at The Dubai Mall recreates the traditional charm of an Arabian souk, reflecting the rich regional heritage of the gold trade. At its centre, lies the Treasury Dome, a 24.2m x 12.6m atrium with a dynamic projection ceiling and continually changing multimedia shows.

Souk Al Bahar

A charming Arabesque mall on The Old Town Island brings an element of tradition to this vibrant, urban environment. While the selection of stores is truly modern and influential this lifestyle and shopping destination has been designed to create the trading atmosphere of the past with a number of traditional Arab architectural motifs. Souk Al Bahar, has over 100 shops, and is designed with a strong outdoor dining theme with more than 22 restaurants and cafés – featuring some of Dubai’s favourite chains – lining the waterfront promenade offering exclusive views of Burj Khalifa and The Dubai Fountain. Ideally located near the iconic developments of Downtown this signature souk is both a tourist destination and a lifestyle shopping mall offering all the conveniences of a community mall in a cultural and leisurely setting.

Emaar Boulevard

Inspired by the great boulevards of the world, Emaar Boulevard, a 73m wide and 3.5km long lifeline of the buzzing Downtown Dubai, will be one of the finest, and most exclusive shopping strips in the world. Combined with its glamorous parades of boutique stores and trendy dining outlets, and impressive views of Burj Khalifa and landscaped surroundings, the Emaar Boulevard will provide a vibrant and eclectic lifestyle experience to be enjoyed.

Visit at the top of Burj Khalifa

By day and night At the Top provides unparalleled views of Dubai. A standard visit to At the Top lasts approximately 60 minutes, allowing ample time for you to relax and enjoy the Dubai skyline at your leisure. Tickets may be purchased at the ticket office near the entrance to At the Top on the lower ground of The Dubai Mall.

Group Ticket Info – Coming Soon

WIthin UAE: 800-28843867 International: +9714 8888124

Email: tickets@atthetop.ae

Current records of Burj Khalifa

• Tallest skyscraper to top of spire: 828 m (2,717 ft)
• Tallest structure ever built: 828 m (2,717 ft)
• Tallest extant structure: 828 m (2,717 ft)
• Tallest freestanding structure: 828 m (2,717 ft)
• Building with most floors: 160
• Building with highest occupied floor in the world: 160th floor
• World’s highest elevator installation, situated inside a rod at the very top of the building
• World’s fastest elevators at speed of 64 km/h (40 mph) or 18 m/s (59 ft/s)
• Highest vertical concrete pumping (for a building): 606 m (1,988 ft)
• The first world’s tallest structure in history to include residential space
• Highest outdoor observation deck in the world (124th floor) at 452 m (1,483 ft)
• World’s highest mosque (located on the 158th floor)
• World’s highest installation of an aluminium and glass façade, at a height of 512 m (1,680 ft)
• World’s highest swimming pool (76th floor)

Floor plans

The following is a breakdown of floors

Milestones

• January 2004: Excavation starts
• February 2004: Piling starts
• 21 September 2004: Emaar contractors begin construction.
• March 2005: Structure of Burj Khalifa starts rising.
• June 2006: Level 50 is reached.
• February 2007: Surpasses the Sears Tower as the building with the most floors.
• 13 May 2007: Sets record for vertical concrete pumping on any building at 452 m (1,483 ft), surpassing the 449.2 m (1,474 ft) to which concrete was pumped during the construction of Taipei 101, while Burj Khalifa reached 130 floor.
• 21 July 2007: Surpasses Taipei 101, whose height of 509.2 m (1,671 ft) made it the world’s tallest building, and level 141 reached
• 12 August 2007: Surpasses the Sears Tower antenna, which stands 527.3 m (1,730 ft).
• 12 September 2007: At 555.3 m (1,822 ft), becomes the world’s tallest freestanding structure, surpassing the CN Tower in Toronto, and level 150 reached
• 7 April 2008: At 629 m (2,064 ft), surpasses the KVLY-TV Mast to become the tallest man-made structure, level 160 reached
• 17 June 2008: Emaar announces that Burj Khalifa’s height is over 636 m (2,087 ft) and that its final height will not be given until it is completed in September 2009.
• 1 September 2008: Height tops 688 m (2,257 ft), making it the tallest man-made structure ever built, surpassing the previous record-holder, the Warsaw Radio Mast in Konstantynów, Poland
• 17 January 2009: Topped out at 828 m (2,717 ft)
• 1 October 2009: Emaar announces that the exterior of the building is completed
• 4 January 2010: Burj Khalifa’s official launch ceremony is held and Burj Khalifa is opened.