The CTBUH Skyscraper Center records the tower as proposed in 2003, with construction starting in 2004. In December 2004 MEED reported that Emaar Properties had awarded the main contract for Burj Dubai to a joint venture led by Samsung with Bel Hasa Six Construct and Arabtec; at that time the tower was described as 705 m tall, and the contract period as 47 months. Emaar credits the idea to its founder Mohamed Alabbar and the design to Adrian Smith of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, working with structural engineer Bill Baker. During the busiest construction periods some 12,000 people worked at the tower each day, according to Emaar figures reported by the Associated Press.
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Emaar's chairman announced that the tower would open on 4 January 2010, a date tied to the anniversary of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum's accession, Gulf News reported. On that day Sheikh Mohammed unveiled a plaque with the new name, Burj Khalifa, in recognition of Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE. The final height of 828 m was made public only at the opening. Dezeen reported at the time that the At the Top observation deck on the 124th floor would open to the public on 5 January and that handovers of offices and apartments would start in February 2010.
HEIGHT
828 m
ARCHITECTURAL TOP
TIP
829.8 m
CTBUH
FLOORS
163
ABOVE GROUND
APARTMENTS
900
CTBUH
In April 2010 the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat confirmed an official height of 828 m to the architectural top, after reviewing drawings submitted by Emaar, the building's owner and developer. The building surpassed Taipei 101, the previous holder of the title, by 320 m. CTBUH data list 829.8 m to the tip, 163 floors above ground and one below, 58 elevators, 304 hotel rooms and about 900 apartments. Guinness World Records lists Burj Khalifa as the tallest building, at 828 m, as of 4 January 2010.