The skyscraper in Dubai that officially opened in January 2010 as the world’s tallest building is the Burj Khalifa.
The tower opened on January 4, 2010, after being known during construction as Burj Dubai. It was renamed for Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, then president of the United Arab Emirates, after Abu Dhabi provided financial support to Dubai during the global financial crisis.
Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, the building reaches 828 meters to its architectural top and 829.8 meters including its antenna. Its Y-shaped floor plan and buttressed central core help distribute the enormous structural loads while creating space for residences, offices, hotels, and observation areas.
Burj Khalifa surpassed Taipei 101 as the world’s tallest building. The observation deck opened to the public one day after the tower’s official inauguration, on January 5, 2010. Shanghai Tower and One World Trade Center were completed later and are shorter by architectural height.