Burj Khalifa: Rare old pictures showing how it became the world's tallest building
You can't come to Dubai or have a visitor and not take them to see the tallest building in the world.
The Burj Khalifa celebrated its 15th birthday in January 2025, and the 828-metre tall skyscraper is just as impressive today as it ever has been.
But what did we all do before it was around? Once upon a time (not so long ago), the Burj was just concrete under construction – a very different sight from today.
If you like reading this: 18 pictures showing what DXB Airport used to look like
So let's take a walk down memory lane and watch the word's tallest building climb out of the dunes.
When did construction start on Burj Khalifa?
Old pictures of the Burj Khalifa: The foundations of the building back in 2005 (Credit: Emaar)
Construction in 2005 (Credit: burjdubaiskyscraper.com)
Work on creating the Burj Khalifa began all the way back in 2004, when Downtown Dubai was unrecognisable from what we know today.
With a building this big, you can imagine there were a lot of materials involved to create the masterpiece. And you would be correct.
A jaw-dropping 330,000 cubic metres of concrete was used, along with 39,000 tonnes of steel and 103,000 square metres of glass.
The design of the building is inspired by the Hymenocallis plant – better known as a spider lily or a desert rose – and resembles the plant when looking from above.
The base features a triple-loved footprint inspired by the plant and the structure of the tower is made up of three wings arranged around a central hexagon core.
The tower in 2006 (credit: burjdubaiskyscraper.com)
Old Dubai: The early days of construction of the Burj Khalifa Credit: burjdubaiskyscraper.com
The Buj Khalifa under construction (Credit: Arabian Business)
The first two years of work focused on the excavations and first 50 floors, then in 2006 construction began on reaching floor 100.
Officially opening in January 2010, the tower took 22 million man hours to build, and now has a total area of 5.67million square feet.
In July 2007, it officially became the world's tallest building, overtaking Taipei 101 in Taiwan, as the structure hit 141 floors. Today, there is a total of 163 floors.
In November 2007, the highest reinforced concrete core walls were pumped using 80 megapascals of concrete from the ground level. Concrete was pumped up to a remarkable 601 metres.
Old pictures of Burj Khalifa: How it looked in 2007 (Credit: Emaar)
The Burj Khalifa as it looked in 2007 when it overtook Taipei 101 as the world's tallest building (Credit: Emaar)
Burj in 2007 (Credit: ITP images)
The Burj Khalifa holds nine other world records, aside from being the tallest building on the planet.
Notable records include the highest outdoor observation deck, the highest residential apartments and the largest LED-illuminated façade.
Naturally for a building this big, it has multiple uses with hotels, business, ultra-luxury apartments and observation decks making up the space.
You may like: Burj Khalifa tickets: Everything you can do at the world's tallest building
The Armani Hotel can be found from concourse level up to level eight and on level 38 and 39. It's the world's first hotel designed and developed by Giorgio Armani.
Levels nine to 16 are also the realm of the Italian fashion house, with luxury branded residences taking up that space.
Levels 45 to 108 are made up of private, ultra-luxury residences. A luxury penthouse went on the market in 2024 at a price of Dhs180 million.
Corporate suites can be found spread over levels 112 to 154, except from level 122 which is the home of At.mosphere and level 124 where you'll find the At the Top observation deck.
By 2009 the tower was taking shape (Credit: Imre Solt)
However, a recent announcement from Saudi Arabia could see the crown taken from the Burj, as plans for a new building emerge.
The Jeddah Tower, currently officially called the Jeddah Economic Company Tower, in Saudi Arabia, is set to be taller than the Burj Khalifa once complete.
The iconic symbol of Dubai stands at 828 metres while the Saudi Arabian project is slated to be a minimum of 1,000 metres.
Jeddah's plans for a massive world-record-breaking tower have been in the pipeline for more than a decade but building has been stop-start.
Dubai before and after
18 pictures showing what DXB Airport used to look like – from 200 passengers a day to Emirates launch
A visual history of the airport
20 pictures that show how much Dubai has changed from the 1950s to today
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5 incredible pictures that show how Dubai Metro has changed
And what's in store for the future
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Time Out Dubai
4 days ago
- Time Out Dubai
19 throwback photos show what DXB Airport used to look like — and you won't believe it
We could be forgiven here at Time Out Dubai for thinking our city is the centre of the universe. But this wasn't always the case. There was a time when what is now DXB Airport was just an expanse of wasteland on the edge of the burgeoning city. Over the years Dubai International Airport has undergone a significant amount of change which has seen it grow from just one sandy runway in the desert into the world's busiest airport for international travellers. You may also like: How much Dubai has changed from the 1960s to today The visual history of DXB is striking and it's high time we had a look through the archives to see just how much the airport and the city around it have changed. History of DXB: The early years Old DXB: Crowds queue up outside Dubai International Airport in 1960 (Credit: DXB Airports) While Dubai International Airport started life in 1960, the city had served as a stop en route to Pakistan from the UK as far back as the 1930s. Huge flying boats from the old British Overseas Airways Corporation would stop at Dubai Creek on their way to Karachi. Stopping in Dubai would give these slow, long-haul flights an opportunity to refuel and restock before taking flight once more. And, initially, this was the purpose Dubai International Airport served. In the 1950s, Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, ruler of Dubai at the time, ordered an airport to be built since there was no direct air service to Dubai. Curiously, Sharjah did have an airport at this time which was run by the British army. This meant that people who wished to travel to Dubai would first need to fly to Bahrain, take a short flight to Sharjah then drive to Dubai. Changed days indeed. The initial desert runway of Dubai (Credit: DXB Airports) By 1960, Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum had his wish. Dubai finally had its own airport. It was built on a 4km expanse of wasteland in Al Garhoud and was only capable of handling aircraft the size of a DC-3 (which could hold between 21 and 34 passengers). But Rome, or rather Dubai International, wasn't built in a day. Originally, the plan was to build an airport in Jebel Ali but this was thought to be too far from the city. We'll get to that later though. Middle East Airlines was the first to land in Dubai (Credit: DXB Airports) The old sandy runway at DXB (Credit: DXB Airport) The initial runway was sand-compacted and 1,800 metres long with three turning areas and a small terminal capable of handling around 200 passengers per day. Arrivals would take a matter of minutes as a solo immigration officer processed passports. There would have been two shops at the terminal to check out before walking out to the car park in search of a taxi. A Middle East Airlines flight was the first to arrive in Dubai. When MEA and Kuwait Airways started landing with four-engined viscounts, the runway was said to blow away. By 1965, this sandy runway made way for an asphalt one along with a number of other newly built facilities. A Gulf Aviation Heron plane on the old desert runway in the 1960s (Credit: DXB Airports) A MEA aircraft on the asphalt runway in the 1970s (Credit: DXB Airports) The 1970s saw a whole host of changes which set Dubai International Airport on the path to what we know today. A new three-storey terminal building was built, a traffic control tower was introduced, there were more taxiways, the runway lengthened, aprons were extended, and the airfield added lighting. A lot happened to modernise the airport. The bigger terminal allowed for an airport lounge to be built which gave passengers a comfortable place to hang out before they flew. The lounge at Dubai International Airport in the 1970s (Credit: Dubai Airports) The 1970s saw a whole host of changes at the airport (Credit: DXB Airports) DXB in the 1970s (Credit: DXB Airport) An aerial shot of DXB in the late 1970s (Credit: DXB Airports) An Air traffic control tower was brought in during the 1970s (Credit: DXB Airports) An aerial view of DXB in the 1970s (Credit: DXB Airports) History of DXB Airport: Emirates arrives The 1980s was a transformational period for the airport, as Dubai Duty Free began operations at DXB in 1983, a second runway was installed and Emirates started operations for the first time. The launch of Emirates came about fairly quickly after the initial idea was proposed in 1984 by Sehikh Al Maktoum. The Dubai National Air Travel Agency launched the airline within five months of it being asked in March 1985. Emirates took flight for the first time in the 1985 (Credit: Dubai Airports) The plan for Emirates was simply that it had to 'look good, be good, and make money'. And it's fair to say it's achieved that goal. You may like: How Emirates went from just two planes to world's biggest airline Similar to the initial flights all the way back in the 30s which stopped in Dubai on the way to South Asia, Emirates first flights were to Karachi and Mumbai in October of 1985. And in 1988, more than 4.3 million passengers passed through Dubai International Airport. Departures at DXB in the 1980s (Credit: DXB Airports) History of DXB Airport: Terminal 2 opens As Dubai continued to expand and grow in the 1990s, so too did its airport with a second terminal opening by the end of the millennium. In 1998, Terminal 2 opened at Dubai International Airport which increased capacity by two million passengers per annum. Dubai International Airport in the 1990s (Credit: DXB Airports) Dubai International Airport in the 1990s (Credit: DXB Airports) History of DXB Airport: The modern era Once we reached the 2000s, things started really ramping up at the airport. In 2002, it was named the fastest growing airport in the world with good reason. A Dhs2 billion project to expand the airport saw the capacity more than double from 10 million passengers to 23 million as a new concourse was constructed. The capacity grew once more in 2008 when a third terminal was built which allowed room for 60 million passengers. A year later, 40 million passengers passed through DXB for the first time as work began on another concourse and terminal 2 got a makeover ahead of the launch of flydubai. And in 2014, DXB became the world's top airport for international passenger traffic as it welcomed 70.4 million people in one year. A title it has held onto ever since. Dubai Airports 2024 (Credit: DXB) Terminal 3 at Dubai International Airport (Credit: DXB) DXB: The future Earlier in 2024, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum announced plans for a massive Dhs128 billion expansion of the city's other airport Al Maktoum International Airport. Dubai's second airport is based in Jebel Ali (see, we did get back to it as promised), a part of the city that decision-makers want to develop, and has been in operation since 2010. A render of plans for Al Maktoum International Airport (Credit: Dubai Media Office) The plans for Al Maktoum International Airport will eventually see it have capacity for 260 million passengers once complete. Currently, it serves a small fraction of that number. But plans could take more than a decade to come to fruition. As for DXB? It is unclear what the future holds for the city's current biggest airport once Al Maktoum International is complete. Flying from Dubai soon? 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Time Out Dubai
16-05-2025
- Time Out Dubai
What's next for Dubai? These 5 mega-projects are raising the bar
The Dubai skyline is ever-changing, and it's always a treat to see what the city next has in store for us. Over the last few decades, Dubai has created some world-famous masterpieces, from the Burj Khalifa to Palm Jumeirah. But the best is yet to come – there are some mega projects in the pipeline that you definitely need to know about. Some are still in the planning stages, with others taking a little longer than expected, or changing into something even better. So without further ado, here are Dubai's uncompleted projects that we're seriously excited to see completed. Al Maktoum International Airport Plans for Al Maktoum International Airport (Credit: Dubai Media Office) First opening in 2010, there are plans to make Al Maktoum International Airport the busiest in the world. Beginning with cargo flights only, the first phase of the airport started humbly, but recently, the government has confirmed the long-term goals on this major project. In addition to expanding the airport, an entire new city will be constructed around the site in Dubai South, and the building itself will have a capacity of 260 million passengers. The interior of the planned new look for Al Maktoum International Airport (Credit: Dubai Media Office) Five times the size of DXB, the Government of Dubai have stated that within 10 years, all Dubai International Airport operations will have moved to Al Maktoum, so it's not too far away. Although, that 2030's deadline will not be the completion of the entire project, as the surrounding areas and other features could take until 2050 to finish. You can find everything you need to know in our guide to Al Maktoum International Airport here. Dubai World Islands Dubai World Islands The Dubai World Islands is a pretty cool design. Who wouldn't want to take a trip to Europe that only takes 20 minutes from Dubai? Designed to look like a map of the world, the project first began in 2003, but work paused around 2008. Dormant for some time, the islands saw a surge of life in 2014 when the Kleindienst Group launched the Heart of Europe development. The Anantara World Islands resort then opened in December 2021, making it the first resort to do so on the project. The Raining Street can be found in the Heart of Europe (Credit: Supplied) Although not all the islands have been built on, you can already visit the Raining Street in the voco Monaco Dubai Hotel, and more projects are popping up fast, from the Maldives-inspired Honeymoon Island and the Marbella Resort Hotel. All oozing in luxury, the destination is set to make for a fabulous stay-cay over the coming years. Jebel Ali Palm How Palm Jebel Ali should look once completed (Credit: Dubai Media Office) For 15 years work had been left uncompleted on the Jebel Ali Palm, with the foundations laid but no construction occurring after a pause in 2008. However, in 2023 it was announced that the palm project was back with a bang, and work has now resumed on making it twice as big as Palm Jumeirah. Backed by developer Nakheel, the island will span over 13.4km of land, with over 80 hotels and resorts, beach clubs and even a 'celebration village'. Futuristic buildings of the Gateway Bridge on Palm Jebel Ali plans If you're looking to make home on the new island, you'll be pleased to know there will be plenty of residential buildings and properties too, where you can stroll out and over to the lifestyle mall or yacht club. At present there is no final completion date, however, the first visit to Palm Jebel Ali is now closer than ever before, so let's be patient. The Island The Island (Credit: The Island was first announced in 2017, and is still yet to be completed, after originally being rumoured as a home for the first UAE casino. In 2023 it was confirmed that Ras Al Khaimah would instead be home to the UAE's first casino, but the Dubai Vegas-style island will still go ahead without the gaming. Now under construction, the island is being built out into the sea next to Jumeirah, and will boast three iconic hotels, the MGM, Bellagio and Aria. As well as views of the Burj Al Arab and an extended beachfront, guests and visitors will be able to enjoy cafes, restaurants, lagoons and even a huge in-house entertainment venue. A final completion date is still to be announced, but we'll be the first to let you know when it is. Six Senses Dubai Marina Credit: Select Group Announced in 2024 as the latest addition to Dubai Marina, the tower will be the world's tallest residential building upon completion. The first part of the skeleton structure has already been constructed, and design images of the project have shown the new building standing well above the likes of Marina 101 (425m) and Princess Tower (414m). Expected to have 122 floors and a series of 251 luxury apartments, the building will have a wellness theme, with a crystal sound healing room and a huge 25m lap pool. Credit: Select Group If you're lucky enough to call this place home, residents will benefit from amenities such as its Sleep With Six Senses bedrooms filled with everything wellness, including bespoke features like a wellness wardrobe (yes please) stocked with home fitness equipment and mood-enhancing sensory art. If you like reading this: Why you need to know about these skyscrapers coming soon to Dubai It will be a few years until the tower opens, with construction expected to finish in 2028. In other Dubai news 10 major road and RTA projects that will slash Dubai traffic There might one day be a reason to stop beeping your horn Drive in Dubai? 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The Independent
02-05-2025
- The Independent
New Trump skyscraper in Dubai unveiled where apartments come with free 10 year ‘golden visa'
Trump is set to expand his property empire into Dubai - with a new 80 story skyscraper. Plans have been unveiled for Trump Hotel & Residences Dubai in the heart of the UAE, measuring almost 1,150 feet with a swimming pool at the top. Prices for two-bed apartments start at $1 million and the website for the property offers free 10 year 'golden visas'. The president's latest enterprise is being developed by Dubai real estate company Dar Global and will be the first Trump International Hotel to be built in the Middle East. The hotel will have views of the world's tallest skyscraper, the 2,700ft tall Burj Khalifa. It will sit on Sheikh Zayed Road, a luxury shopping area, and will include 2-3 bedroom apartments and 4-bedroom penthouses. The planned skyscraper, reportedly not due to be completed until 2031, would be situated near the Dubai Mall, the Dubai Opera, and the Dubai International Financial Centre. The Palm Jumeirah is also just 20 minutes away. 'As a resident, you'll have seamless access to the world-class hospitality and service standards the Trump name is known for,' the Trump Tower website writes. Residential units in the new skyscraper will be located from the 18th to the 80th floor and prospective buyers will be required to place a 20 per cent down payment. The advertised golden visa does not specify which country it is for, but in February the President announced the concept of selling a "gold card" visa for $5 million potentially offering wealthy buyers residency in the U.S. and granting them a pathway to citizenship. President Trump already owns a luxury portfolio of Trump-branded five-star hotels, dotted around the U.S., Scotland, and Ireland. Last year, ahead of the U.S. election, the Trump Organization announced a new Trump hotel was going to be built in Vietnam. Trump is due to visit the Middle East in mid-May, stopping in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, reports The New Arab. He is set to discuss foreign policy and Middle Eastern investments in the U.S. amid economic turmoil at home and fraught foreign relations with other nations.
