Being at the base of the Burj Kahlifa at night is like being in a city in the future. In fact, it’s modern-day Dubai, UAE. Standing beneath it, one does not see the emptyness of the barren desert nor the half-finished towers surrounding the burj, only its immediate surroundings. The landscape designed by swa group is magnificent, and the water show and sound presentation were amazing. The quality of the overall build is an amazing accomplishment for Dubai.
There were thousands of people there last night and also this morning–it does not seem to lack visitors and shoppers. The area in which the burj sits is a world class destination called Downtown Dubai. The area is more like Disney’s Epcot Center then a real downtown–everything in Dubai is a fantasy.
Congratulations to Emaar and to Adrian Smith while he was head of design at SOM Chicago for creating this architectural vision of the future.