The Burj Dubai is a gigantic skyscraper currently in the final stages of its construction. When completed, it will be the tallest made man structure on this planet standing at 2, 684 feet. Like all things in this mega rich city, everything is done at the extremes. The Burj Dubai was started in sept 2004 and is expected to be ready for occupancy in Jan 2010. However, the recent financial crises have put everything on hold.
The Burj is part of a conglomeration of buildings built in the downtown area of Dubai. The building is built by engineers from Samsung, Besix and arabtec. The total budget for the building was initially estimated to be about $4 billion but this is now believed to be an under estimate.
The Burj is said to be the most expensive real estate in the world and current projections indicate that it will cost $4,000 per feet to rent this place out. The design of the Burj Dubai has been based on the prototype systems personified in Arabic architecture.
Despite all the glamour of the project, the development of Burj Dubai has been surrounded by controversy, chiefly the poor treatment of migrants who have built most buildings in the UAE. Laborers, chiefly from SE Asia, earn a meager $10 a day and work under extremely unsafe conditions. Reports of deaths and accidents at construction facilities are quite common.
The Burj Dubai is selected to be the showpiece of a large scale development of homes and hotels. However, with the recent downturn in the economy, this ambitious project is on hold and it is doubtful if the building will ever succeed in renting all its rooms at such exorbitant prices. Experts say that for the moment, anyone who is thinking of investment in Dubai should first go and see a psychiatrist.