World's tallest building

 
Dubai is set to open the world’s tallest building amid tight security on Monday, celebrating the tower as a bold feat on the world stage  despite the city state’s shaky financial footing.

But the final height of the Burj Dubai — Arabic for Dubai Tower — remained a closely guarded secret on the eve of its opening. At more than 2,625 feet (800 meters), it long ago vanquished its nearest rival, the Taipei 101 in Taiwan. Architects who have worked on the building have hinted that Burj Dubai could break the 2,700-ft mark.

The Burj’s record-seeking developers didn’t stop there. The building boasts the most stories and highest occupied floor of any building in the world, and ranks as the world’s tallest structure, beating out a television mast in North Dakota. Its observation deck — on floor 124 — also sets a record.

The Burj’s developer, Emaar Properties, kept pushing the design higher even after construction began.

The 169-floor building passes through different climatic zones as the temperature at the top is up to 10°C cooler than that at the bottom.

Dubai’s ruler will open the tapering metal-and-glass spire on Monday, with a combination of fireworks, light beams, choreographed water displays, and sound effects describing the evolution of the world’s most iconic new building.

The building has, however, received flak from various sectors. Human rights groups and workers’ organisations say the tower has been built using “slave labour”, the Sunday Times said, adding that construction workers, mainly from India and Pakistan, toiled round the clock for just $5 a day.