Burj Khalifa is a skyscraper in Dubai, that is the tallest building in the world.

The centerpiece of
a large urban development, it stands 2,717 ft (828 m) and has 160 floors. Designed by
American architect Adrian Smith of the firm Skidmore, Owings and Merrill.

Construction of the tower began in 2004 and was completed in 2009; known as Burj Dubai
while under construction, it was renamed when it opened in 2010. A mixed-use building, the
tower contains a luxury hotel, residential apartments, corporate offices, and suites.

Burj Khalifa was designed to be the centerpiece of a large-scale, mixed-use development that
would include 30,000 homes, nine hotels (including The Address Downtown Dubai), 3 hectares
(7.4 acres) of parkland, at least 19 residential towers, the Dubai Mall, and the 12-hectare (30-
acre) man-made Burj Khalifa Lake.

Official launch ceremony

The opening of Burj Khalifa was held on 4 January 2010.[102] The ceremony featured a display of
10,000 fireworks, light beams projected on and around the tower, and further sound, light and
water effects.[103] The celebratory lighting was designed by UK lighting designers Speirs and
Major.[104]Using the 868 powerful stroboscope lights that are integrated into the spire of the
tower, different lighting sequences were choreographed, together with more than 50 different
combinations of the other effects.
The event began with a short film which depicted the story of Dubai and the evolution of Burj
Khalifa. The displays of sound, light, water and fireworks followed.[103] The portion of the show
consisting of the various pyrotechnic, lighting, water and sound effects was divided into three.
The first part was primarily a light and sound show, which took as its theme the link between
desert flowers and the new tower, and was co-ordinated with the Dubai Fountain and
pyrotechnics. The second portion, called 'Heart Beat', represented the construction of the
tower in a dynamic light show with the help of 300 projectors which generated a shadow-like
image of the tower. In the third act, sky tracers and space cannons enveloped the tower in a
white light, which expanded as the lighting rig on the spire activated.[103]
The ceremony was relayed live on a giant screen on Burj Park Island, as well as several
television screens placed across the Downtown Dubai development. Hundreds of media
outlets from around the world reported live from the scene.[103] In addition to the media
presence, 6,000 guests were expected.[105]

World Records

At over 828 metres (2,716.5 feet) and more than 160 stories, Burj Khalifa holds the following
records:

 Tallest building in the world

 Tallest free-standing structure in the world
 Highest number of stories in the world
 Highest occupied floor in the world
 Highest outdoor observation deck in the world
  Elevator with the longest travel distance in the world
 Tallest service elevator in the world
 World's highest New Year display of fireworks.
 World's second highest swimming pool

Technical words:

 Steel - acero
 skyscraper - rascacielos
 Luxury - lujoso
 Fireworks – fuegos artificiales
 Landscape – paisaje
 Apartments – apartamento
 Business – negocios

Keywords:

 Building – edificio
 Perform – realizar
 Chief – jefe
 Contractor – contratista
 Chairman – presidente
 Develop – desarrollar
 Resources – recursos
 Debt – deuda
 Highest – alto
 Structure - estructura