Thursday 13 December 2012

Why is Burj Al Arab extraordinary?

The Burj  Al Arab,a luxury hotel in Dubai,is an astonishing structure.The architect,Tom Wright ,was asked to construct a building that would be iconic of Dubai.It resembles the billowing sail of an Arab sailing ship.The sail is a huge expanse of specially produced fiber glass that has been coated with Teflon,to protect it from the weather.

it is the fourth tallest hotel in the world. Burj Al Arab stands on an artificial island 280 m (920 ft) from Jumeirah beach and is connected to the mainland by a private curving bridge. Sometimes referred to as "the world's only seven-Star hotel".

Burj Al Arab was designed by architect Tom Wright of WS Atkins PLC. The design and construction were managed by Canadian engineer Rick Gregory also of WS Atkins. Construction of the Island began in 1994. It was built to resemble the sail of a dhow, a type of Arabian vessel. Two "wings" spread in a V to form a vast "mast", while the space between them is enclosed in a massive atrium. The architect Tom Wright said "The client wanted a building that would become an iconic or symbolic statement for Dubai; this is very similar to Sydney with its Opera HouseLondon with Big Ben, or Paris with the Eiffel Tower. It needed to be a building that would become synonymous with the name of the country."




Burj Al Arab

Burj Al Arab
General information
StatusComplete
TypeHotel
LocationDubaiUnited Arab Emirates
Coordinates25.141975°N 55.186147°
Construction started1994
Completed1999
OpeningDecember 1999
CostUSD $ 650 million
Height
Architectural321.0 m (1,053 ft)
Technical details
Floor count60
Lifts/elevators18
Design and construction
ArchitectTom Wright of Atkins
DeveloperJumeirah
Other information
Number of rooms202

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