Burj Al Arab

Brief Information

Burj Al Arab is not positioned on the shore, but in the sea: the building stands on an artificial island 280 meters from land and is connected to it by a bridge. Therefore, the image of a sail here does not merely decorate the facade. The tower is designed as a separate silhouette on the water, resembling the rising spinnaker sail of a J-class yacht.

The shape of the building is read through its structure: two wings spread apart in a V shape and form a large “mast,” while the space between them is occupied by a tall atrium. At a height of 210 meters, two cantilevered parts project from the tower: the helipad and the Al Muntaha restaurant. These projections show that the hotel’s recognizability was built not only on height, but also on bold projecting elements.

What to Notice Right Away

It makes sense to compare three things: the island, the V-shaped wings, and the projecting platforms at the top. The island separates the building from the shore, so the silhouette is perceived as an independent sign on the water. The V-shaped wings gather this sign into the image of a sail, and the atrium between them explains why the internal void is so important to the overall form: the lobby rises 180 meters.

Inside, the source text highlights several details that continue the theme of demonstrative scale: the mosaic floor in the lobby corridor, the escalators to the second floor, the aquariums in the wall beside them, and the stepped illuminated jet fountain between the aquariums. In the Al Mahara restaurant, the same principle is taken to the level of a separate attraction: the large marine aquarium has plexiglass walls about 18 centimeters thick to reduce the magnifying effect.