Burj Al Arab is a luxury hotel in Dubai, designed by the British consultancy Atkins, led by the architect Tom Wright, with interiors by Khuan Chew. Construction began in 1994, and the hotel opened on December 1, 1999. The Jumeirah group developed and manages it. Its form resembles the billowing sail of a dhow, a traditional boat.
The tower stands 1,053 feet (321 m) tall with 56 floors, on an artificial island 919 feet (280 m) offshore, joined to the mainland by a private curving bridge. Reclaiming the land took three years. A translucent fiberglass facade shades the building from the desert sun by day and screens lighting at night. Inside, the atrium rises 591 feet (180 m), and a helipad sits about 689 feet (210 m) above the ground.
The style is Structural Expressionism. Forbes Travel Guide and Dubai's tourism department each award it five stars. The "seven-star" label is informal, and management says it has never used it.
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