Burj Al Arab

1. Introduction

Burj Al Arab is world’s one of the most complex and challenging buildings in history of engineering because it is built on a man-made island. Engineers and designers faced a lot of challenges while designing and building it. It is located near Jumeirah beach in Dubai. It was designed by Atkins a UK based company. Jumeirah Group is current owner of Burj Al Arab. Client wanted to have a flagship building and wanted it be just like what Eiffel tower is to Paris. It designs resembles an open sail of a yacht. After it was completed it became the Dubai’s Eiffel tower and Dubai found its iconic figure. Burj Al Arab is one of the two seven star hotels in the world and world’s tallest hotel. 39% of the total building is just structural support and cannot be used. It took around six years and a budget of 1 billion to make Burj Al Arab.

1. Background

Dubai is complete desert with nothing other than sand but its owners made it Business hub and travel destination thanks to its extravagant hotels, sky scrapers, indoor water parks, Expensive and world class malls and human made islands. In 90’s when Dubai started to become a world class location and sky scrapers started appearing. It was felt by Dubai’s crown prince Sheikh Rashid Al Makhtoom that Dubai is missing its iconic figure which can represent it in world. So, Atkin’s Tom Wright came up with idea and presented it to client and they were able to satisfy that this is the project he is looking for and client awarded Atkins the project. Budget was not a problem almost unlimited budget was available to complete the project. It is said that Burj Al Arab cost so much that it can never make a profit but its main purpose was not profit but to attract people to Dubai from around the world which it did. Time was great factor to complete project because owners already gave the opening date and construction company had to finish in that time. Construction time taken was 6 years and total budget spent was 1 billion.

1. Project planning

1. Contractors

Client Sheikh Rashid Al Makhtoom group gave designing contract to Atkins led by Tom Wright and construction and designing was managed by a Canadian engineer Rick Gregory also of Atkins. Construction project was given to Al Habtoor Engineering, Fletcher and Murray & Roberts (Middle East).

Project was mainly divided into two parts Designing of whole building and get it accepted by owners and second part was actual construction. Construction was further divided into two parts construction of base island and construction of hotel building.