Inside the Tallest Building in the World: Gallery of Burj Khalifa

The Burj Khalifa is the world’s tallest man-made structure, at 2,722 feet tall. The skyscraper is located in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The building took five years to complete and is part of a development known as downtown Dubai. The mixed use area will have apartments, offices, restaurants and recreational facilities. There are already several hotels and restaurants in the tower. Burj Khalifa is named for the president of Abu Dhabi and Dubai, Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan. It was designed by architect Adrian Smith, whose other work includes the Willis Tower in Chicago and One World Trade Center. The building cost an estimated $1 billion U.S. dollars to complete. Plans are already underway to add an additional $3 million to complete the total project. The Burj Khalifa’s height is impressive, rising 162 floors above the ground. The views, often from floor to ceiling windows, can be dizzying. It offers an unparalleled view of the UAE and the desert landscape. Construction of the Burj Khalifa is impressive. It used more than 34,000 tons of steel rods, enough to stretch nearly a quarter of the way around the world if laid end to end. The building includes the world’s highest occupied floor, at 1918 feet off the ground. Burj Khalifa broke the world record for highest restaurant, the At.mosphere, located on the 122nd floor.