Dubai: Dubai witnessed a historic day when the construction work on a tower that will stand higher than its Burj Khalifa began on Monday, October 10. Burj Khalifa is currently the tallest skyscraper in the world.
Dubai’s developer giant Emaar Properties announced plans to build the viewing tower in April, saying it will be “a notch” higher than Burj Khalifa, which stands 828 metres (2,700 feet) high. Emaar has not revealed the exact final height of the tower. It is said that the structure will cost around $1 billion (900 million euros). Emaar Chairman Mohamed Alabbar said the tower will completed before the Expo 2020 trade fair which Dubai is preparing to host.
The Gulf emirate’s ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, marked the groundbreaking of The Tower at Dubai Creek Harbour as construction workers laid foundations for the skyscraper at a vast patch of sand. The structure “will be the world’s tallest tower when completed in 2020,” said a statement issued at the ceremony.
The tower which will have observation decks providing 360-degree views of the coastal city will be designed by Spanish-Swiss architect Santiago Calatrava Valls. Dubai has established a reputation for building dozens of futuristic skyscrapers, which have transformed its skyline.
