Dubai's Dream Palace

Measuring more than 320 metres high and stretching higher than the Eiffel Tower, Dubai's Burj Al Arab is an architectural icon for the 21st Century. Rising out of the sea like a proud ship at sail, the Burj pushes the boundaries of engineering to the limit. How does a bold young design team that has never built anything taller than 16 stories tackle building the tallest and most luxurious hotel in the world? To start, the team creates an artificial island 270 metres off the coast of Dubai. Engineers utilize ground-breaking concrete blocks to reduce wave impact and prevent water from flooding. To protect the Burj from the elements, architects create a visually stunning exoskeleton with trusses longer than an Airbus 380 and heavier than 20 double-decker busses. However, the team receives devastating news that threatens the Burj's entire exoskeleton. Engineers must design an ingenious way to counteract 'mini-tornadoes' that threaten the hotel's structural integrity. The architects must also create a gravity-defying restaurant that is suspended 200 metres above the sea and nearly 20 metres out on both sides from the building's narrow core. Expert testimony, CGI and footage of the Burj throughout the building stages follow the birth of this historic triumph.