Humanity has long wanted to climb to heaven, and the sad fate of the builders of the Tower of Babel does not cool the ardor of their followers. From the moment when the construction of skyscrapers became technically possible, different countries and cities periodically compete, determining whose building is the highest. For 10 years now (since 2010), the Burj Khalifa in Dubai has held the record: the 164-story building, 828 meters high, is a difficult example to reproduce.
Great construction site
An ambitious plan to build the tallest building in the world appeared in 2002, and in 2004 construction already started, moving quite quickly: 1-2 floors were erected in a week, and it was assumed that the opening would take place on September 9, 2009 (apparently, the creators were inspired by three nines in the date), but man proposes, and God disposes.
However, the builders did not make it on time, and the solemn event had to be postponed to January 4 next year. Initially, the Burj Khalifa tower was uncomplicatedly called simply "Dubai", but during the opening process, the UAE Prime Minister announced that he was dedicating it to the President,Sheikh Khalifa ibn Zayed al-Nahyan, and named her by the name by which she is known today.
During the construction process, the final height of the building was kept secret. The project, developed by the American architect E. Smith, allowed varying the height of the spire, so the creators practically did not risk: if a competitor appeared, the Burj Khalifa tower would simply “grow” by several meters.
Expensive pleasure
The grandiose construction cost one and a half billion US dollars - but this amount, apparently, could be much larger if the developers humanly paid labor and ensured the safety of workers (brought mainly from South Asia).
The Western press periodically raised a fuss: in 2006, the British "Guardian" published that workers earn up to 3 pounds a day (you can imagine how horrified this inspired the British), and the BBC reported on the terrible conditions in which they had to live construction workers.
On the Web you can find many articles about the ugly truth that the Burj Khalifa was hiding behind its glittering facade. The country and city in which the construction took place do not look very attractive in them.
Not much has changed since the pyramids were built…
There is evidence that workers worked 12 hours a day and earned about $200 a month (for comparison: the average income of the population of the UAE is more than $2,000). Moreover, this money was not paid on time, their passports were taken away and in responseonly threatened with deportation for indignation. Despite this, almost all the time of construction, the workers were on strike and even staged riots: in March 2006, the damage caused by the rebels was estimated at half a million pounds sterling.
According to HRW (Human Rights Watch), poor safety practices have led to numerous accidents, but only one fatality involving the Burj Khalifa has been officially confirmed: the country and city that is home to gigantic building, only brushed aside the accusations, not trying to pay attention to these annoying details. The result was above all, and the end justified the means.
Sweet fruits of bitter labors
It must be said that the civilized world, “terribly worried” about the moral side of a specific Dubai business, demonstrated its true attitude to what is happening by voting, as they say, with a dollar. A year later, the Burj Khalifa paid off with a vengeance - even during the construction of the building, its areas were already purchased at a price of $40,000 per square meter.
Armani made an impressive investment: it owns 37 floors, from the first to the thirty-ninth (excluding the two technical ones, the 17th and 18th). There is a hotel named after the famous fashion house (the master himself, Giorgio Armani, had a hand in the design of the rooms), and the company's offices.
Businessmen are also given almost all the upper floors, starting from the 111th, and a little lower are locatedapartments that only millionaires can afford. It is known that one floor was completely redeemed by the Indian moneybag Shetty.
Each group of premises (apartments, offices and hotel) has a separate entrance. It's funny that the first and last floors are connected by only one elevator, and that is a service one. So if there is an intention to get to the very top, you will have to make transfers. There are many who wish: one of the two observation platforms is the highest in the world, and the view from it is magnificent. Thanks to this fact, tourists fell in love with the Burj Khalifa tower: the city of Dubai, spread out below, is a beautiful sight. You can spend at least a whole day on the site, time is not limited. But getting on it is problematic, and experienced travelers are advised to worry about tickets in advance.
Tower specifics
The situation with elevators is due to the configuration of the building: resembling a stalactite in shape, it narrows in steps at the top and ends with a 180-meter spire. During the construction, of course, the climate of the place where the Burj Khalifa tower is located was taken into account: the local heat made life very difficult for the workers. For the construction of the structure, special concrete was used that can withstand heating up to 50 degrees. Moreover, when pouring into the solution, it was necessary to lay crushed ice and work exclusively at night, otherwise the strength of the finished product would be very far from optimal.
An interesting solution was found with regard to water supply. Collect rainwater and then use it forvarious needs - the idea is not new, it has been used for a long time. The only problem was that in the country in which the Burj Khalifa tower is located, there is practically no rainfall. But (apparently, the designers decided) there will be a huge amount of condensate: the air cooling system “squeezes” water out of the premises, which means that it can be collected and thus save a valuable resource. The idea was very successfully implemented. Now, due to such savings, it is possible to collect about 40 million liters of water per year.
Air conditioners not only cool, but also aromatize the air in the building (the smell is specially designed). But it would be difficult for them to cope if special windows did not reflect the sun's rays. They are the size of three football fields, and they wash them constantly: it takes three months to clean everything, and then the work begins again.
Shine and poverty of the UAE
The conditions under which the Burj Khalifa tower appeared are curious and revealing. The United Arab Emirates is one of the richest countries in the world. The fabulous fortunes of local sheikhs have long become the talk of the town, and this building can be considered a kind of symbol of the power of money.
The city of Dubai is the capital of the eponymous emirate (a state within a state) - the largest in the UAE and, perhaps, the most dynamically developing. It is already one of the three largest business centers in the region (not least thanks to the ultramodern seaport located in the most convenient place) and is not going to stop there, trying to conquer new andnew heights.
For all its splendor, Dubai (where the Burj Khalifa tower rises) is not the capital of the country, losing this honor to Abu Dhabi, the main city of the emirate of the same name, the largest and richest of all. According to some sources, it provides about 70% of the GDP of the entire state as a whole.
Federal Monarchy
I must say that it is not easy for a European to understand the structure of the United Arab Emirates, since it is some kind of completely wild hybrid of democracy with an absolute monarchy, and there are big questions about the equality of federal units. So, the main authority in the UAE is the Supreme Council, which consists of the heads (read: monarchs) of all seven emirates. But his decisions are legitimate only if there are representatives of the "coolest" ones: Abu Dhabi and Dubai. From the point of view of the triumph of democracy, this is very doubtful. But from the point of view of common sense, it is quite natural: these two emirates provide more than three-quarters of GDP. Who, if not them, should determine the vectors of the development of the state?
Surge
Now the UAE is developing very fast. They attribute this to a favorable tax climate, the presence of free trade zones and the absence of bureaucracy.
Of course, initially the economy was started by oil production, but if we strictly adhere to the facts, then the state where the Burj Khalifa tower is located pays due attention to other sources of income. Today, almost 30% of GDP is the service sector, including tourism, andoil provides less than ten.
The Emirates trade, mine, buy the latest technologies and develop - rapidly and mercilessly (especially in relation to those who ensure this development with their work). About 5 million people live in the UAE. Not very many, but even this number should not be confused with the number of indigenous people - directly citizens, who are less than a million.
Justice that has fallen victim to efficiency
Is it necessary to say that all the menial work in the UAE is done by people from the poorest countries? It is they who work hard like blacks on plantations, earn three kopecks by local standards, and do not even have the opportunity to bring their families here: the state where the Burj Khalifa tower is located is a country for Arabs.
The privileges of the locals are so great that they do not leave the UAE, because nowhere in the world there are such "hothouse" conditions. The well-being of indigenous people is very high, thanks (among other things) to the specific policy of the state. In order to open a company in the UAE, it is necessary to take a citizen of the country as co-owner, and not just for show, but with a share of at least 50%. Given the high rates of economic development, there are many who want to - and now all the subjects are perfectly arranged.
There can be no doubt that the UAE is a real paradise for tourists, where all conditions for a wonderful, unforgettable vacation are created. Separately, it should be noted that Dubai (according to numerous reviews) is the freest city in the UAE, where many liberties are allowed, for which in other, more traditional emiratesyou can easily go to jail. Luxurious hotels, beaches, shopping centers, entertainment industry - everything here is of the highest level. So a lot of impressions, great service and other pleasures are guaranteed.
