Burj Al Arab Tower of the Arabs
Architect Tom Wills-Wright (WS Atkins),The interior was designed by Khuan
Chew, Design Principal of KCA International (London).
Construction 321 m The Burj Al Arab is the world's tallest hotel. 5 stars*
No. of rooms 202
Antenna/Spire 321 m
(1,053 ft) Roof 210 m (689 ft)
Top floor 200 m (656
ft) Floor count 60
Floor area 111,500 m²
(1,2000,000 sq ft)
The Burj Al Arab
(Arabic: برج العرب, "Tower of the Arabs") is a luxury hotel in Dubai,
United Arab Emirates managed by the Jumeirah Group and built by Said Khalil. It
was designed by Tom Wright of WS Atkins PLC. At 321 metres (1,053 ft), it is
the tallest building used exclusively as a hotel. However, the Rose Tower, also
in Dubai, which has already topped Burj Al Arab's height, will take away this
title upon its opening in April 2008. The Burj Al Arab stands on an artificial
island 280 metres (919 ft) out from Jumeirah beach, and is connected to the
mainland by a private curving bridge. It is an iconic structure, designed to
symbolize Dubai's urban transformation and to mimic the billowing sail of a
boat.
burj al arab construction
Construction of Burj
Al Arab 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.
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 House, or Paris with the Eiffel Tower. It needed to be a building
that would become synonymous with the name of the country."
The architect and
engineering consultant for the project was Atkins, the UK's largest
multidisciplinary consultancy. The hotel was built by South African
construction contractor Murray & Roberts.The hotel cost $650 million to
build.
Several features of
the hotel required complex engineering feats to achieve. The hotel rests on an
artificial island constructed 280 meters offshore. To secure a foundation, the
builders drove 230 40-meter long concrete piles into the sand. The foundation
is held in place not by bedrock, but by the friction of the sand and silt along
the length of the piles.
Engineers created a
surface layer of large rocks, which is circled with a concrete honey-comb
pattern, which serves to protect the foundation from erosion. It took three
years to reclaim the land from the sea, but less than three years to construct
the building itself. The building contains over 70,000 cubic meters of concrete
and 9,000 tons of steel.
Inside the
building, the atrium is 180 meters (590 ft) tall. During the construction
phase, to lower the interior temperature, the building was cooled by
half-degree increments over a period of three to six months. This was to
prevent large amounts of "condensation or in fact even a rain cloud from
forming in the hotel during the period of construction." This task was
accomplished by several cold air nozzles, which point down from the top of the
ceiling, and blast a 1 meter cold air pocket down the inside of the sail. This
creates a buffer zone, which controls the interior temperature without massive
energy costs.[citations needed]
Burj Al Arab
characterizes itself as the world's only "7-star" property, a
designation considered by travel professionals to be hyperbole. All major
travel guides and hotel rating systems have a 5-star maximum, which some hotels
attempt to out-do by ascribing themselves "6-star" status. Yet
according to the Burj Al Arab's official site, the hotel is a "5-star
deluxe hotel". It is the world's tallest structure with a membrane façade
and the world's tallest hotel (not including buildings with mixed use) and was
the first 5-star hotel to surpass 1,000 ft (305 m) in height. Although it is
characterized as the world's only 7-Star Hotel, several "7 Star"
hotels are under construction. These include the Flower of the East under
construction in Kish, Iran, The Centaurus Complex under construction in
Islamabad, Pakistan and a complex planned for Metro Manila in the Philippines.
The Burj Al Arab
artificial island
The building design
features a steel exoskeleton wrapped around a reinforced concrete tower.
Notably the building is shaped like the sail of a dhow, with two
"wings" spread in a V to form a vast "mast". The space
between the wings is enclosed by a Teflon-coated fibreglass sail, curving
across the front of the building and creating an atrium inside. The sail is
made of a material called Dyneon, spanning over 161,000 square feet (15,000
m²), consists of two layers, and is divided into twelve panels and installed
vertically. The fabric is coated with DuPont Teflon to protect it from harsh
desert heat, wind, and dirt; as a result, "the fabricators estimate that
it will hold up for up to 50 years."
During the day, the
white fabric allows a soft, milky light inside the hotel, whereas a clear glass
front would produce blinding amounts of glare and a constantly increasing
temperature. At night, both inside and outside, the fabric is lit by
color-changing lights. During the period of mourning following the death of
Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum in January 2006, the light show and some
water features were turned off.
Near the top of the
building is a suspended helipad supported by a cantilever. The helipad has
featured some of the hotel's notable publicity events. Irish singer Ronan
Keating shot his music video Iris on the helipad. In March 2004, professional
golfer Tiger Woods hit several golf balls from the helipad into the Persian
Gulf, while in February 2005, professional tennis players Roger Federer and
Andre Agassi played an unranked game on the helipad, which was temporarily
converted into a grass tennis court, at a height of 211 meters. The helipad has
no borders or fences on the edges and if a player hit a winner the tennis balls
would plunge down to the ground.
The interior was
designed by Khuan Chew, Design Principal of KCA International. Other projects
by Khuan Chew include the Sultan of Brunei's Palace, Dubai International
Airport, Jumeirah Beach Resort Development, Madinat Resort and much more.
The Burj Al Arab
features the tallest atrium lobby in the world, at 180 meters (590 ft). The
atrium is formed between the building's V-shaped span. The atrium dominates the
interior of the hotel, and takes up over one-third of interior space. It can
accommodate the Dubai World Trade Center building, which, at 38 stories, was
the tallest building in Dubai from the late 1970s to the mid-1990s.
While the exterior of
the Burj Al Arab is expressed in terms of ultra-modern sculptural design, the
interior guest space is a compilation of lavish and luxurious architectural
styles from both the east and the west. The hotel boasts 8,000 square meters of
22-carat gold leaf and 24,000 square meters of 30 different types of marble.
In the mezzanine lobby,
a fountain creates a "three-dimensional Islamic star pattern."
Pointed arches throughout, found in one of the hotel’s three restaurants,
corridors between guest rooms, and at the top of the atrium recall a classic
Arabian architectural design form.
One of its
restaurants, Al Muntaha (Arabic meaning "Highest" or
"Ultimate"), is located 200 meters above the Persian Gulf, offering a
view of Dubai. It is supported by a full cantilever that extends 27 meters from
either side of the mast, and is accessed by a panoramic elevator.
Another restaurant,
the Al Mahara (Arabic "The Oyster"), which is accessed via a
simulated submarine voyage, features a large seawater aquarium, holding roughly
35,000 cubic feet (over one million liters) of water. The tank, made of acrylic
glass in order to reduce the magnification effect, is about 18 cm (7.5 inches)
thick. The restaurant was also voted among the top ten best restaurants of the
world by Condé Nast Traveler. They have recently hired acclaimed chef Kevin
McLaughlin.
burj al arab room Despite
its size, the Burj Al Arab holds only 28 double-story floors which accommodate
202 bedroom suites. The smallest suite occupies an area of 169 square meters
(1,819 square ft), the largest covers 780 square meters (8,396 square ft). It
is one of the most expensive hotels in the world. The cost of staying in a
suite begins at $1,000 per night and increases to over $15,000 per night; the
Royal Suite is the most expensive, at $28,000 per night
Suites feature design
details that juxtapose east and west. White Tuscan columns and a spiral
staircase covered in marble with a wrought-iron gold leaf railing show
influence from classicism and art nouveau. Spa-like bathrooms are accented by
mosaic tile patterns on the floors and walls, with Arabian-influenced
geometries, which are also found elsewhere in the building.
burj al arab afternoon tea
Asian Afternoon Tea in
Junsui
Warm up to a unique
tea concept at Junsui, serving an assortment of Far East Asian delicacies
alongside a variety of Asian tea infusions.
The Junsui
Asian Afternoon Tea allows you to experience the finest in Far East
Asian teas and a taste bud tingling seven-course menu respresented by culinary
delights from Japan, China, Thailand, Indonesia and Korea.
Indulge yourself in an
assortment of homemade desserts created by our Executive Pastry Chef Johannes
Bonin and his team.
Price: AED 275 per person
High Tea - this is
what comes to mind when people think of English tea ceremonies.
Nowadays the
‘in-thing’ for women - Burj Al Arab’s High Tea is a much different. Elite,
served from 7pm, along with cocktails, accompanied by delicate sandwiches and
sweet culinary delights.
Price: AED
275 per person
Ultimate Afternoon Tea
in Sahn Eddar
A perfect meeting area
befitting the splendour of Burj Al Arab, is located at the base of the world's
tallest atrium. Warm and welcoming tones, mosaic, marble flooring and torch
lighting provide the perfect backdrop for guests wishing to linger over
traditional Afternoon Tea.
Price: AED 395 per person with champagne
AED
350 per person with unlimited non alcoholic drinks
Located on the top
floor of Burj Al Arab, Skyview Bar instantly matches expectations with
unrivalled views of the Palm Jumeirah and the World islands; is inviting you to
experience a magnificent afternoon tea. Enjoy a selection of tea, coffee,
sandwiches, pastries and cakes served with a choice of our delicious homemade
jams and the mouth-watering Devonshire clotted cream.
Price: AED 425 per person
The burj al arab
is world best luxurious hotel.
This all-suite luxury
hotel in Dubai reflects the very finest that the world has to offer.
With a discreet in-suite check-in, private reception desk on every floor and a
brigade of highly trained butlers, you can be assured of the ultimate in personal
service throughout your stay.
