A man-made landmark like none other: the Burj Khalifa is perhaps the most recognisable symbol of Dubai and a lofty indicator of material progress.
When Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, marked his 10th anniversary as Prime Minister last Sunday, he asked people to take a moment to reflect on the UAE’s achievements.
“In those 10 years, we have launched a number of plans and strategies, led a number of reforms of our government, developed systems to track performance and improve services, encouraged innovation and the application of technology across all sectors, established awards, formed thousands of working teams, held numerous retreats and meetings and established many new government agencies. We can perhaps now, 10 years later, ask ourselves: what is the outcome of all this work and activity? It is important to pause occasionally and review our work, measure our accomplishments and chart our road ahead.”
This photograph of the Burj Khalifa’s progress, taken when the area was still a dusty construction site in 2006, proves ambition and success can be measured.
Construction of the 829.8 metre-tall skyscraper began two years earlier and it was completed in 2009. Today, it houses an Armani hotel, and more than 1,000 people call it home. Beneath the spike, Downtown Dubai is packed with restaurants and shoppers, with a showstopping fountain.
But most remarkably of all, at 160 storeys, the Burj Khalifa still holds the title of the world’s tallest building.
* The Review