Mankind has long wanted to climb onheaven, and the sad fate of the builders of the Tower of Babel does not cool the fervor of their followers. From the moment when the erection of skyscrapers has become technically possible, different countries and cities periodically compete, determining whose construction is the highest. For 5 years now (since 2010), the Burj Khalifa tower in Dubai is the owner of the record: a 164-storey building with a height of 828 meters is a difficult sample for reproduction.
Ambitious plan to build the highestconstruction in the world appeared in 2002, and in 2004 the construction started, which moved quite quickly: for a week 1-2 floors were built, and it was supposed that the opening will take place on September 9, 2009 (apparently, the creators were inspired by three nines in the date), but the person assumes, but God disposes.
In the process of erection, the final height of the buildingwas kept secret. The project, designed by the American architect E. Smith, made it possible to vary the height of the spire, so the creators practically did not risk: if a competitor appeared, the tower of Burj Khalifa would simply grow several meters.
Grandiose grandiose project worth a half billionAmerican dollars - but this amount, apparently, could have been much larger if the developers paid human labor and ensured the safety of workers (brought mainly from South Asia).
Occasionally, the Western press made a noise:in 2006, the British "Guardian" published that the workers earn up to 3 pounds a day (you can imagine the horror that inspired the British), and the Air Force reported the terrible conditions in which people had to live in construction.
On the web, you can find many articles aboutunsightly truth, which was hidden behind its sparkling facade of the tower "Burj Khalifa." The country and the city in which the erection took place look not very attractive in them.
There is evidence that the workers were working on 12hours per day and earned about $ 200 per month (for comparison: the average income of the UAE population is more than $ 2000). Moreover, this money was not paid on time, they took away passports and in response to outrage only threatened with deportation. Despite this, almost all the time construction workers were on strike and even arranged riots: in March 2006, the damage caused by the rebels was estimated at half a million pounds sterling.
According to HRW (Human Rights Watch), non-compliancesafety precautions resulted in numerous accidents, but only one fatal incident with which the Burj Khalifa Tower is connected was formally confirmed: the country and city that are the birthplace of the giant structure only brushed aside the accusations, not seeking to pay attention to these annoying details . The result was above all, and the end justified the means.
I must say that the civilized world, "scaryexperiencing "the moral side of a specific Dubai business, demonstrated its true attitude to what is happening, voting, as they say, the dollar. A year later, the tower "Burj Khalifa" paid off with interest - even in the process of erecting the building its square was already purchased at a price of 40 thousand dollars per square meter.
At the mercy of businessmen are also given almost allthe upper floors, starting from the 111th, and a little lower are apartments that only millionaires can afford. It is known that one floor was completely redeemed by the Indian money-bag Shetty.
In each group of premises (apartments, offices andhotel) - separate entrance. It's funny that the first and last floors connect only one elevator, and that service. So if there is an intention to get to the top, you will have to make transplants. There are a lot of interested persons: one of the two observation platforms is the highest in the world, and the view from it is magnificent. Thanks to this fact, tourists liked the Burj Khalifa tower: the city of Dubai, which is located below, is a beautiful sight. On the site you can spend at least the whole day, time is not limited. But getting on it is problematic, and seasoned travelers advise to take care of tickets in advance.
The situation with elevators is caused by the configurationbuildings: reminiscent of the form of the stalactite, it gradually narrows to the top and ends with a 180-meter spire. During construction, of course, the climate of the place where the Burj Khalifa tower is located was taken into account: the local heat made life very difficult for workers. For the erection of the building, special concrete was used, capable of withstanding heating up to 50 degrees. Moreover, when pouring into a solution it was necessary to lay the crushed ice and work exclusively at night, otherwise the strength of the finished product would be very far from the optimum.
Air conditioners not only cool, but alsoaromatize the air in the building (the smell is designed specifically). But it would be difficult for them to cope if the special windows did not reflect the sun's rays. In the square they are equal to three football fields, and they are washed constantly: it takes three months to clear everything, and then the work begins again.
Curious and indicative are the conditions in whichthe Burj Khalifa tower appeared. The country called the United Arab Emirates is one of the richest in the world. The fabulous conditions of the local sheikhs have become a byword for a long time, and this building can be considered a symbol of the power of money.
The city of Dubai is the capital of the emirate of the same name(the state in the state) is the largest in the UAE and the most, perhaps, dynamically developing. It is already one of the three largest business centers in the region (not least thanks to the state-of-the-art seaport located at the most convenient location) and is not going to stop there, trying to conquer new heights.
For all its splendor, Dubai (where the tower"Burj Khalifa" and towers) is not the capital of the country, yielding this honor to Abu Dhabi, the main city of the emirate of the same name, the largest and richest of all. According to some sources, it provides about 70% of the GDP of the entire state as a whole.
I must say that to clarify the structure of the UnitedArab Emirates for a European is not easy, because it is some kind of a completely wild hybrid of democracy with an absolute monarchy, and on the equality of federal units there are big questions. So, the main authority in the UAE is the Supreme Council, which consists of chapters (read: monarchs) of all seven emirates. But its solutions are legitimate only if there are representatives of the "coolest": Abu Dhabi and Dubai. From the point of view of the triumph of democracy, this is very doubtful. But from the point of view of common sense - it is quite natural: these two emirates provide more than three quarters of GDP. To whom, if not to them, determine the vectors of the development of the state?
Now the UAE is developing very quickly. They associate this with a favorable tax climate, the existence of free trade zones and the absence of bureaucracy.
Emirates trade, extract, purchase the newesttechnology and develop - rapidly and mercilessly (especially in relation to those who work to ensure this development). About 5 million people live in the UAE. Not very much, but even this number should not be confused with the number of indigenous people - directly citizens, who are less than a million.
Needless to say, all the black work in the UAEcome from the poorest countries? They inject as negros on the plantations, by local standards, earning a penny and do not even have the opportunity to bring their families here: the state, where the tower "Burj Khalifa" - a country for Arabs.
Local privileges are so great that from the UAEdo not leave, because nowhere in the world there are such "greenhouse" conditions. The well-being of the indigenous people is very high, thanks, in part, to the specific policy of the state. In order to open an enterprise in the UAE, you must necessarily take a co-owner of a citizen of the country, and not just for a tick, but with a share of at least 50%. Considering the high rates of economic development, there are quite a few willing - and now all the subjects are perfectly arranged.
