A “Bamboo Shoot” in the Desert#
In the Dubai desert, a giant “bamboo shoot” has sprouted.
It’s the Burj Khalifa — the world’s tallest building, standing 828 meters high with 162 floors.
If placed in China, climbing from ground to top would require about 2,700 steps.
Looking down from the top, buildings below look like toy blocks, and clouds are beneath your feet.
Why Build So Tall?#
Dubai is a city in the United Arab Emirates that grew rich from oil.
But oil will run out someday, so Dubai decided to develop tourism.
How to make the whole world know Dubai? Build the world’s tallest building!
The Burj Khalifa was completed in 2010, and since then Dubai has been synonymous with “world’s tallest.”
How Do You Build So Tall?#
Building an 828-meter tower, what’s the biggest challenge?
Wind. The higher you go, the stronger the wind, and the building sways.
Engineers came up with a solution: design the building in a Y-shape — like three petals meeting together. This shape distributes wind force, making the building more stable.
Another challenge was concrete. Concrete had to be pumped from ground level to over 600 meters — a world record at the time.
The Elevator Miracle#
The Burj Khalifa has 57 elevators.
The fastest elevator travels at 18 meters per second — from the ground floor to the 162nd floor in just 2 minutes.
If you jump in the elevator, by the time you land, you’ve already risen several floors.
World Records#
The Burj Khalifa isn’t just the “tallest building” — it holds many records:
- Tallest freestanding structure
- Highest outdoor observation deck (on the 148th floor)
- Most floors (162)
- Highest swimming pool (on the 76th floor)
Learn from the World#
The Burj Khalifa teaches us one thing: human ambition can break through the sky.
100 years ago, the tallest buildings were only tens of meters. Today, we can build 828-meter towers.
Maybe “limits” are only temporary — what seems impossible today might become reality tomorrow.
Knowledge Card#
- Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
- Type: Modern Engineering Marvel
- Key Numbers: 828 meters tall, 162 floors, completed in 2010, cost $1.5 billion
- Architecture: Y-shaped floor plan with excellent wind resistance
- Fun Fact: The Burj Khalifa’s glass area that needs cleaning each year equals 17 football fields
- Source: Dubai Tourism Board