Contemporary Design trend Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Contemporary Design trend - Essay Example This building is part of a 2km development initiative of the Dubai central business district (Galindo, 23). It is always referred to as the Downtown Dubai, and it is found along the Sheikh Zayed Road. The architectural drawings and designs of this building were performed by Adrian Smith, as the lead architect, Bill Baker as the lead structural engineer, Skidmore, and Owings and Merrill. The main contractor of this building was Samsung Company, through its department of construction and technology. Samsung is a South Korean company that has interests in the construction and the electronics industry. The design of Burj Khalifa was meant to be a centerpiece for a variety of uses, which includes residential homes, offices, hospitals, shopping malls. Its design was able to carter for an approximate number of 30,000 homes, and nine international hotel chains. This building has an approximate number of 7.4 acres of parkland lands, and 19 residential towers. It has a very big mall that carte r for the shopping needs of its residents, and 30 acres of manmade lake. This lake is referred to as the Burji Khalifa Lake. Courtesy of this building, it is possible to denote that the honor of having the tallest structure in the globe has returned to the Middle East. ... This in turn will promote tourism and thus the development of the Dubai economy. Currently, the building stands at around 823 meters. However, this is not the original height as per according to the initial designs and architectural drawings. The building was to stand at about 560 meters. However, Skidmore, Owings and Merrill re-designed the building in 2006, at placed it at a height of around 808 meters. Smith, who was the design architect, felt that this height made it impossible for the upper most section of the Burj Khalifa building to elegantly culminate with the rest of the structure. On this basis, he sought permission to increase the structure of this building to 823 meters. However, it is important to denote that these changes in height did not encompass a change in the addition of the buildings floors. On this basis, the intention of Smith was to make the building a little bit slender and thin. It is also important to denote that this building experienced a lot of challenge s, and one of the challenges were delays in its construction and development. For example in 2008, the contractors of this building denoted that its construction was delayed because of the upgraded finishes. On this basis, the building will be completed in the periods of September 2009. According to Emaar properties, part of the owners of the building denoted that the original plan was to install luxurious finishes within the building. This was contained in the 2004 architectural design and drawings of the building. However, in 2008, the designers of the building decided to upgrade these finishes, and that was the reasons for the delay in completion of the project.