Burj Khalifa in the context of Tallest man-made structures in the world


Throughout history, the title of 'world's tallest structure' has shifted between various constructions, including religious buildings like cathedrals and more recently, man-made structures such as towers and skyscrapers. The Burj Khalifa currently holds this title, surpassing previous record holders and representing a significant achievement in modern engineering and architectural ambition.

⭐ In the context of tallest man-made structures in the world, the Burj Khalifa is considered…

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⭐ Core Definition: Burj Khalifa

The Burj Khalifa (known as the Burj Dubai before its inauguration) is a megatall skyscraper in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, it is the world's tallest structure, with a total height of 829.8 m (2,722 ft, or just over half a mile) and a roof height (excluding the antenna, but including a 242.6 m spire) of 828 m (2,717 ft). It has also been the tallest building in the world since its topping out in 2009, surpassing Taipei 101, which had held the record for a half-decade.

Construction of the Burj Khalifa began in 2004; the exterior was completed five years later. The primary structure is reinforced concrete. Some of the structural steel for the building was salvaged from the demolished Palace of the Republic in East Berlin. The building was opened in 2010 as part of a new development called Downtown Dubai. It was designed to be the centerpiece of large-scale, mixed-use development.

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In the context of tallest man-made structures in the world, the Burj Khalifa is considered…
HINT: The Burj Khalifa represents a modern advancement in construction technology and design, distinguishing it from earlier structures that held the title of tallest, which were often religious or historically significant buildings.

👉 Burj Khalifa in the context of Tallest man-made structures in the world

This is the history of the world's tallest structures.

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Burj Khalifa in the context of Skyline

A skyline is the outline or shape viewed near the horizon. It can be created by a city's overall structure, or by human intervention in a rural setting, or in nature that is formed where the sky meets buildings or the land.

City skylines serve as a pseudo-fingerprint as no two skylines are alike. For this reason, news and sports programs, television shows, and movies often display the skyline of a city to set a location. The term The Sky Line of New York City was introduced in 1896, when it was the title of a color lithograph by Charles Graham for the color supplement of the New York Journal. Paul D. Spreiregen, FAIA, has called a [city] skyline "a physical representation [of a city's] facts of life ... a potential work of art ... its collective vista."

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Burj Khalifa in the context of Economy of Dubai

The economy of Dubai’s gross domestic product of the calendar year 2023 as of January 2024 is AED 429 billion ($USD 116.779 billion). Dubai has substantially transformed over the last couple of decades. More than 90% of the population are foreigners.

The International Herald Tribune described it as "centrally-planned free-market capitalism". Oil production, which once accounted for 50% of Dubai's gross domestic product, contributes less than 1% today. In 2018, wholesale and retail trade represented 26% of the total GDP; transport and logistics, 12%; banking, insurance activities and capital markets, 10%; manufacturing, 9%; real estate, 7%; construction, 6%; tourism, 5%.

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Burj Khalifa in the context of List of tallest buildings

This is a list of the tallest buildings. Tall buildings, such as skyscrapers, are intended here as enclosed structures with continuously occupiable floors and a height of at least 350 metres (1,150 ft). Such definition excludes non-building structures, such as towers.

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Burj Khalifa in the context of Tokyo Skytree

Tokyo Skytree (東京スカイツリー, Tōkyō Sukaitsurī; [toːkʲoː sɯ̥kaitsɯriː] ), also written as Tokyo Sky Tree, is a broadcasting and observation tower, located in Sumida, Tokyo, Japan. It has been the tallest tower in Japan since opening in 2012, and reached its full height of 634 m (2,080 ft) in early 2011, making it the tallest tower in the world, displacing the Canton Tower, and the third tallest structure in the world behind Merdeka 118 (678.9 m or 2,227 ft) and Burj Khalifa (829.8 m or 2,722 ft).

The tower is the primary television and radio broadcast site for the Kantō region; the older Tokyo Tower no longer gives complete digital terrestrial television broadcasting coverage because it is surrounded by high-rise buildings. Skytree was completed on Leap Day, 29 February 2012, with the tower opening to the public on 22 May 2012. The tower is the centerpiece of a large commercial development funded by Tobu Railway (which owns the complex) and a group of six terrestrial broadcasters headed by NHK. Trains stop at the adjacent Tokyo Skytree Station and nearby Oshiage Station. The complex is 7 km (4.3 mi) northeast of Tokyo Station. Sumida Aquarium is in the Tokyo Solamachi complex.

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Burj Khalifa in the context of List of tallest towers in the world

The tallest structure in the world is the Burj Khalifa skyscraper at 828 m (2,717 ft). Listed are guyed masts (such as telecommunication masts), self-supporting towers (such as the CN Tower), skyscrapers (such as the Willis Tower), oil platforms, electricity transmission towers, and bridge support towers. This list is organized by absolute height. See History of the world's tallest structures, Tallest structures by category, and List of tallest buildings for additional information about these types of structures.

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Burj Khalifa in the context of History of the tallest buildings in the world

The tallest building in the world, as of 2025, is the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The title of "world's tallest building" has been held by various buildings in modern times, including Lincoln Cathedral in Lincoln, England, and the Empire State Building and the original World Trade Center, both in New York City.

Before the modern skyscraper era emerged, between c. 1311 and 1884 the tallest buildings and structures were mostly Christian churches and cathedrals. Prior to then, the tallest buildings in the world cannot be conclusively determined. For instance, the Lighthouse of Alexandria, which was completed in approximately 280 BC, has been estimated to have been 100 m (330 ft) tall, but its true height is not known. For thousands of years, the Great Pyramid in Egypt was the tallest structure in the world until Lincoln Cathedral of 1311, but the Great Pyramid is not considered a building since it is not habitable. Similarly, the Eiffel Tower was the world's tallest structure from 1889, when it was built, but not the tallest building.

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Burj Khalifa in the context of Taipei 101

The Taipei 101 (Chinese: 台北101; pinyin: Táiběi 101; stylized in all caps), formerly known as the Taipei World Financial Center, is a 508 m (1,667 ft), 101-story skyscraper in Taipei, Taiwan. It is owned by Taipei Financial Center Corporation. It was officially classified as the world's tallest building from its opening on 31 December 2004, until it was dethroned by the Burj Khalifa in 2009. Upon completion, it became the world's first skyscraper to exceed half a kilometer. It is the tallest building in Taiwan and the eleventh tallest in the world.

The building's high-speed elevators were manufactured by Toshiba of Japan and held the record for the fastest in the world at the time of completion, transporting passengers from the 5th to the 89th floor in 37 seconds (attaining 60.6 km/h (37.7 mph)). In 2011, Taipei 101 was awarded a Platinum certificate rating under the LEED certification system for energy efficiency and environmental design, becoming the tallest and largest green building in the world. The structure regularly appears as an icon of Taipei in international media, and the Taipei 101 fireworks displays are a regular feature of New Year's Eve broadcasts and celebrations.

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