Dubai to Unveil World's Tallest Building

Though the exact height of the Burj Dubai is still unknown, it is expected to tower more than 2,625 feet high, making it the world’s tallest building. The record-breaking number will be revealed at the building’s opening on January 4. The “Y” shaped structural system supporting the Burj Dubai allows for an altitude nearly twice that of Skidmore Owing Merrill’s Willis (formerly Sears) Tower in Chicago. While that building once held the “world’s tallest” title, it has since been bumped down to the number five slot and the Taipei 101 stands tall at the top, for now. Of its successor Burj Dubai’s approximately 164 floors, the bottom will house a luxurious Armani hotel and the 1,100 one- to three-bedroom apartments that make up the remainder of the space are reportedly nearly sold out. Those taking a lift in the 25-mph elevators of the reported $1.5 billion project to the observation deck can allegedly see 50 miles out on a clear day from the record-breaking structure.