World's Tallest Tower Moves Closer to Completion

posted on: Oct 1, 2009

The developer building the world’s tallest skyscraper in Dubai says cladding work on the shiny silver-colored tower’s outside is complete.

Completion of the aluminum and glass facade marks a key milestone for Emaar Properties, which is racing to meet a self-imposed deadline to have the Burj Dubai complete by the end of the year.

By way of comparison, the builder says the amount of aluminum used on the building’s face weighs as much as five double-decker Airbus A380 jetliners, while the more than 1 million square feet (103,000 square meters) of glass panels could cover 14 soccer fields.

The Burj Dubai, Arabic for “Dubai Tower,” stands more than 2,600 feet (800 meters) tall, though Emaar has yet to confirm is final height.

Associated Press