Burj Khalifa / SOM

Curated by ArchDaily

Architects: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
Area: 454249 m²
Year: 2010
Manufacturers: Hansgrohe, Hunter Douglas Architectural (Europe), Jonite, Agorex Pro-line, Bellevue Architectural, Campolonghi, Ceresit, Dallmer, Doka, Giacomini, Guardian Glass, Hunter Douglas, Leipziger Leuchten, Otis, Rondo, TERRACO, Xylem
Landscape: Cracknell Landscape Design LLC
Lighting: Fisher Marantz Stone
Geotechnical: Hyder International
General Contractor: Samsung Corporation, Dubai Contracting Company LLC
Structural Engineering: SOM
MEP: SOM
Interior Design: SOM
Construction Manager:: Turner International

Text description provided by the architects. Soaring 828 meters above the metropolis of Dubai, the Burj Khalifa is the world’s tallest building. The design for the 162-story tower combines local cultural influences with cutting-edge technology to achieve high performance in an extreme desert climate.

Burj Khalifa / SOM - Image 48 of 48 — elevator section

The centerpiece of a large mixed-use development, the Burj Khalifa contains offices, retail space, residential units, and a Giorgio Armani hotel. A Y-shaped floor plan maximizes views of the Arabian Gulf. At ground level, the skyscraper is surrounded by green space, water features, and pedestrian-friendly boulevards.

Burj Khalifa / SOM - Exterior Photography, Cityscape, Facade — Courtesy of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP

The tower’s overall design was inspired by the geometries of a regional desert flower and the patterning systems embodied in Islamic architecture. Built of reinforced concrete and clad in glass, the tower is composed of sculpted volumes arranged around a central buttressed core. As the tower rises from a flat base, setbacks occur in an upward spiraling pattern, reducing the building’s mass as it reaches skyward. At the pinnacle, the central core emerges and forms a spire.

Burj Khalifa / SOM - Image 33 of 48 — Courtesy of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP

Burj Khalifa / SOM - Image 45 of 48 — Courtesy of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP

Burj Khalifa / SOM - Image 3 of 48 — Courtesy of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP

Beyond its record-breaking height, the Burj Khalifa incorporates new structural and construction efficiencies to reduce material usage and waste. These include a “sky-sourced” ventilation system, in which cool, less humid air is drawn in through the top of the building. The tower also has one of the largest condensate recovery systems in the world.