World's tallest building opens in Dubai

World's tallest building opens in Dubai


The world's tallest building has officially opened in Dubai in a spectacular display of fireworks, light, and water.

The building has 160 storeys and stands 828 metres high.

The tower has been named the Burj Khalifa after the ruler of the neighbouring emirate of Abu Dhabi, whose multi-billion-dollar bailout helped Dubai's biggest developer avoid a potentially disastrous debt default in November.

The naming of the tower was a surprise for many, as it had always been referred to as the Burj Dubai.

The opening was a public relations blitz designed to show that Dubai still is still an international hub of finance despite its problems.

The building's owners say more than 90 per cent of space has been sold, but there is no indication of how many apartments or offices will be inhabited once its doors open in February.

The tower and surrounding development has cost about $22 billion to build.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2010/jan/04/burj-dubai-height-architecture

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8439618.stm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burj_Dubai