Burj Al Arab- A Luxury Hotel Sailing On The Sea

Burj Al Arab, one of the tallest luxury hotel situated at Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It is situated at an artificial island at Jumeirah Beach which connects to the mainland via private bridge. The construction started in 1994 and ended in 1999. The structure was designed by architect Tom Wright. The building look very similar to Vasco De Gama Tower.

Design Features

The design resembles a yacht sailing in the sea. The space between the yacht consists of a enormous atrium. More than 35 % of the building consist of non- occupiable structure. The hotel has a helipad designed by architect Rebecca Gernon.

The structure had many complex engineering aspects as the whole building stands on an artificial island so the building needed a strong secure foundation. Large surfaces of rocks with honeycomb pattern was used to prevent the building. It took three years to build land on the see.

Hotel Facilities

The atrium inside of building is eighteen storey high, around 180 m. the hotel has 202 suites. The smallest one with the area of 169 m.sq. and largest with 780m.sq. There are two restaurants. One is Al Muntaha (The Ultimate) which offers the whole view of Dubai. The second one is Al Mahara (Oyster) which features a large sea water aquarium. The walls are made of 18 cm thick glass. Many grand level events are conducted on the helipad of the building that gains excessive media attraction.

In spite of all the beautiful designs and luxuries offered by the Burj Al Arab, it also has received a lot of criticism. People believe that the building is only an expression of wealth over practical things and designs. However, the end result proves to be impressive. Burj Al Arab is the fifth tallest hotel in the world.

Some other iconic buildings of Dubai

Burj Khalifa

The tallest building on earth since 2009. Burj Khalifa is for mixed purpose and was designed by Adrian Smith. The design has obviously touched the new heights of engineering and architecture. The building is named after ruler of Abu Dhabi.

Cayan Tower

The building is also often referred as infinity tower. It is a luxury apartment building renowned for its unique helical shape. There are 73 floors above the ground and 5 floors below ground level. The total number of apartments are 495.

Dubai Frame

It is a beautiful architectural landmark in Dubai. The building is also considered as the biggest picture frame. The structure was designed by Fernando Donis. The major material used in construction is glass, steel and reinforced concrete.