Burj Dubai set for 2009 completion

DUBAI: The world's tallest building, Burj Dubai, is on course to be completed later this year, according to its developer Emaar Properties.

Bernama.com reported on Oct 3, 2009 that the final height of the mixed-used tower featuring residences, corporate suites and the world's first Armani Hotel and Armani Residences, will be revealed when Burj Dubai opens later this year.

Currently standing at over 800 metres at the centre of the Downtown Burj Dubai mega project, Emaar revealed that the total weight of aluminium used on the exterior cladding of the super tall structure is equivalent to that of five A380 aircraft, and the total length of stainless steel bull nose fins is 293 times the height of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

The total 103,000 sq metres of glass used in the cladding panels can cover 14 standard football pitches and the 15,500 sq metres of embossed stainless steel used can cover 34 National Basketball Association specified basketball courts.

The total length of gaskets -- 2,050,000 linear metres -- if laid end to end is about the distance from Dubai to the Syrian capital of Damascus which is about 2,052 km.

The exterior cladding for Burj Dubai was completed recently setting a world record for the highest installation of an aluminium and glass facade. The last cladding panel numbered 24,348, weighing 750kg was placed at a height of over 662 metres, said Emaar.- Bernama