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As part of Monday's inauguration, approximately 400 journalists and media professionals from around the world were invited to ride Otis elevators and attend an exclusive press meeting with Mohamed Ali Alabbar, chairman of the Dubai-based developer, Emaar Properties. The meeting was held at the Burj Khalifa’s observation deck where the chairman shared the many “firsts” achieved by the tower. The official inauguration of the tower took place in the evening where the height of the tower was finally revealed: 828 meters (2,717 feet) high and more than 160 stories, making it 319 meters (1,047 feet) taller than the previous record-holder Taipei 101.
"We are delighted that our Otis products and engineering expertise will ensure the efficient transportation of the many visitors and residents in such an amazing architectural feat as Burj Khalifa," said Otis President Didier Michaud-Daniel. "Delivering ground-breaking solutions for the world's tallest building has been a tremendously rewarding challenge for us and I thank our dedicated teams of experts whose hard work and commitment have made this all possible.”
The tower - a construction and engineering marvel - is the centerpiece of downtown Dubai, one of the seven emirates of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Burj Khalifa features 900 apartment residences; 144 residences in the Armani Residences Dubai; many fine-dining and entertainment venues; 49 floors of corporate office suites; the world’s first Armani Hotel; a four-story fitness and recreation complex; and an 11 hectare (27 acre) park with six water features.
For more than five years, thousands of Otis employees from around the world have been involved with the Burj Khalifa project, from the early negotiation stages to the design, engineering, installation and project management phases. Otis has supplied and installed eight escalators and 57 elevators, including 25 energy-efficient Gen2® machine-roomless units and seven SKYWAY® systems, of which, two are double-deck elevators used exclusively for travel to the observation deck. The tower also boasts an Otis elevator with the longest travel distance in the world at 504 meters (1,654 feet), the world’s highest elevator landing at 638 meters (2,093 feet) and the world’s fastest double-deck elevators at 10 meters per second (1,969 feet per minute).
“The inauguration of Burj Khalifa was an extremely momentous event that underscored Otis’ expertise and leadership in the high-rise market segment,” said Sebi Joseph, general manager, Otis UAE. “As the tallest freestanding structure, we take great pride in our involvement in providing the transportation solutions that are so pivotal to this iconic landmark.”
Burj Khalifa: Fast Facts