Dubai's Burj Khalifa: Piercing the sky

By Pramod de Silva

I watched in awe as the fountains literally danced to the beat of an Enrique Iglesias song in the heart of Dubai. The Sun had disappeared over the horizon and the Dubai Mall area was dimly lit, so the effect was electrifying to say the least. I made a mental note to myself that this was indeed better than the original at the Bellagio in Las Vegas. Then the fountain stopped as Enrique's melodious voice faded away.

Then I looked up at something that is even more enchanting - the massive Burj Khalifa - the tallest building in the world which is almost right next to the Dubai Fountain. It was literally glistening with a starry lighting pattern for a few minutes, until it began displaying a colourful mosaic that even the fountain could not match for its versatility.

Perhaps no other building can come close to the Burj Khalifa (Arabic for Khalifa Tower) - literally and figuratively. At 830 metres and 163 floors, it is easily the tallest building in the world. It holds the Guinness World Records for the Tallest Building, the Tallest Man-made Structure on Land Ever and Highest Restaurant from Ground Level for At.mosphere.

A race is on to build the first 1,000 metre building, so there is a distinct possibility that the Khalifa would be beaten on that count, but that will not diminish its beauty and grandeur. In fact, Emaar, the very company that built the Burk Khalifa is building "The Tower" in Dubai itself, the next tallest building in the world that will surpass the Khalifa by 100 metres. Work will start next month. But even The Tower will be beaten by the 1 Km plus Jeddah Tower being built in Saudi Arabia.

Design

Built and completed in just six years (2004 to 2010), the Burj Khalifa is now the centerpiece of Downtown Dubai. The building was named in honor of the ruler of Abu Dhabi and President of the United Arab Emirates, Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Burj Khalifa was designed by Adrian Smith, of the renowned architectural firm Skidmore, Owings and Merrill.

The design of Burj Khalifa is derived from patterning systems embodied in Islamic architecture, incorporating cultural and historical elements particular to the region, such as in the Great Mosque of Samarra. There are around 10,000 people in this "vertical city" at any given time. The Burj is likely to play a central role during Dubai Expo 2020 world exhibition. It also plays a cameo role in the new film Independence Day: Resurgence (aliens inevitably destroy it) and in 2011 Tom Cruise dangled from it in Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol.

The Burj Khalifa is impressive enough from ground level, but wait till you are whisked to the top by one of the 57 elevators. You should book your trip to the top online beforehand - prices start from AED 125 (dhiram), equivalent to Rs.5,000. However, you can walk in immediately if you have AED 300 (Rs.12,000) to spare during non-prime hours.

There are two options to choose from - At The Top is level 124, to which admission costs AED 125. However, if you want to go higher, choose the Sky (Level 148) but admission costs a hefty AED 350 (RS.14,000). The public cannot access floors beyond the Sky Level. If you are with children, do not forget to let them meet Mr. Burj, the adorable mascot of the building shaped like (what else?) the Burj Khalifa itself.

Young visitors to the Burj Khalifa are greeted by Mr Burj, who will also offer personal meet-and-greet sessions and be available for photographs with visitors. It was conceptualized from the wish of Omar, a fictional Arab boy, to have his toy come to life. Mr Burj arrives and takes him on some leisurely, adventurous, entertaining and educational experiences. Mr Burj can also be spotted at several other destinations including at The Dubai Mall.

Whatever Level you choose, the view from the top is simply breathtaking. You can see practically all of Dubai and beyond (the vast desert and the Persian Gulf) from this vantage point and there is even a digital viewfinder system that lets you travel back in time to see what Dubai was like before its present development and building boom, of which the Bur Khalifa is an everlasting symbol. 'Dubai - A Falcon's Eye View' also allows visitors to view Dubai from an entirely unique perspective.

Hungry

All this gazing around could make you feel hungry (and even dizzy), so why not head over to the At.Mosphere, the highest restaurant in the world located on the 122nd floor of the Burj Khalifa. It offers several signature dishes from Arab nations and the rest of the world, but you will be so taken in by the views that any thought of food will be secondary.

Finally, if you want a token to remember the Burj Khalifa, there are plenty of souvenirs of the Burj Khalifa for sale at the Khalifa itself and all over Dubai. But the latest souvenir is a new brand of bottled water whose bottle is shaped like the Burj Khalifa which sells for a staggering AED 700 (Rs.28,000) a bottle. Made of K9 crystal, it will include LED lights in its removable base to give the water inside a blue glow. Now that is a fitting tribute to one of the most cutting edge buildings in the world. Do not miss a visit to the Burj Khalifa the next time you are in Dubai.