Opened in 2010 at the heart of Downtown Dubai, the Burj Khalifa has been the tallest building in the world since its inauguration. Designed by Adrian Smith of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, it rises 2,717 feet, more than half a mile, and has 163 floors, more than any other building.
Its plan is shaped like a Y, with three wings buttressing a central concrete core. The shape supports its great height and makes the most of space for homes and hotel rooms. Some of its steel was salvaged from the demolished Palace of the Republic in East Berlin. The designers drew on the region's Islamic architecture, including the Great Mosque of Samarra.
It was named for Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, then president of the United Arab Emirates, whose government helped finance its completion. Its restaurant on the 122nd floor is among the highest in the world.
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