Burj Khalifa

8 Stories

'Jetman' Who Flew Alongside Airbus Dies in Accident

It's not yet clear what happened to Vincent Reffet, 36

(Newser) - One of Dubai's “jetmen," whose flights over the world's tallest building and alongside a jumbo jet with engines strapped to his back wowed watchers online, died Tuesday while training in the deserts of this Arabian sheikhdom, his organization said. Vincent Reffet, 36, of Annecy, France, was...

What Burj Khalifa? Dubai Is Again Scraping Skies

Builder says new tower will be 'notch' taller, but there's a catch

(Newser) - Dubai is reaching for the sky again, with the developer of the world's tallest building vowing Sunday to build an even taller tower with rotating balconies and elevated landscaping inspired by the mythical hanging gardens of Babylon. The government-backed Emaar Properties hopes the new tower will entice a fresh...

China Could Soon Get 1km-Tall Tower

Phoenix Towers would have a purpose beyond height, says UK architect

(Newser) - China may soon lay claim to the tallest buildings in the world, a pair that could save the planet—or at least make a dent in the city of Wuhan's pollution. The Creators Project reports that a London-based architect has revealed plans for the two mammoth buildings, the tallest...

Firm Plans to Build World's Tallest Building ... in 90 Days

Chinese company plans prefab 'Sky City'

(Newser) - A Chinese company is planning to make the world's tallest building sprout from the central city of Changsha as fast as a magic beanstalk. Broad Sustainable Building says that after construction begins on its Sky City project early next year, the 2,749-foot-tall tower will be completed in just...

Man Leaps From World's Tallest Building

First suicide at Dubai's 160-story Burj Khalifa

(Newser) - A suicidal Dubai man's final act earned him an unfortunate place in the record books. The man killed himself by jumping from the 147th floor of the emirate's 160-story Burj Khalifa tower, landing on a deck on the 108th floor. It was the first known suicide at the...

'Spider-Man' Climbing Dubai's Monster Tower

France's Alain Robert is going up another one

(Newser) - Alain Robert, known as "Spider-man" for his penchant for illegally scaling the world's tallest skyscrapers, is on his way up the world's tallest: Dubai's dizzying half-mile-tall Burj Khalifa. The 48-year-old Frenchman set off just before 6pm local time, and the trip up was expected to take him six or...

Elevator Horror Sparked Tallest Building Shutdown

Passengers trapped after crash, breaking glass, dust

(Newser) - The mysterious sudden shutdown of the world's tallest building in Dubai this week occurred after panicky elevator passengers were stuck between floors for close to an hour, new reports have revealed. People on the observation deck of the Burj Khalifa tower heard a crash and breaking glass Sunday, and dust...

Dubai Fetes Tallest Building
 Dubai Fetes Tallest Building 
opening night

Dubai Fetes Tallest Building

Dubai hopes 2,717-foot wonder can repair reputation

(Newser) - The Burj Khalifa Bin Zayed, the tallest building in the world, opened today with an extravagant ceremony involving 10,000 fireworks. The 2,717-foot, 160-story tower—originally the Burj Dubai, and renamed in honor of the president of the UAE—is expected to boost revenue for developer Emaar Properties by...

8 Stories