The world's tallest building, first known as the Burj Dubai and now called the Burj Khalifa, was unveiled last night to an estimated crowd of over 400,000 amidst fireworks, lasers and fountain displays in Dubai. The official height of the tower has been announced at 2,716.5 ft.
Developed by Emaar Properties, Burj Khalifa is the world's tallest building according to the three criteria of the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat: height to architectural top, height to highest occupied floor, and height to tip.
The tower is nearly 1,050 feet taller than Taiwan's Taipei 101, which had held the title of world's tallest building since 2004, the year when the project was announced.
Burj Khalifa comprises luxury residences and offices, the world's first Armani Hotel, and the world's highest observation deck, which is located on the tower's 124th floor. Around 90 percent of the tower's offices and apartments have been sold. The handover of offices and apartments starts in February, and the Armani Hotel Dubai will be opened by its designer, Giorgio Armani, on March 18.
More than 60 leading consultants including South Korea's Samsung Corporation and New York-based Turner Construction International realized the design for Burj Khalifa by Chicago-based Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (SOM).