Burj Al Arab is a hotel located in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It is the third tallest hotel in the world; however, 39% of its total height is made up of non - occupiable space. Burj Al Arab stands on an artificial island 280 m (920 ft) from Jumeirah beach and is connected to the mainland by a private curving bridge. The shape of the structure is designed to mimic the sail of a ship. It has a helipad near the roof at a height of 210 m (689 ft) above ground.
Burj Al Arab was designed by multidisciplinary consultancy Atkins, led by architect Tom Wright, who has since become co - founder of WKK Architects. The design and construction were managed by Canadian engineer Rick Gregory also of WS Atkins. Construction of the Island began in 1994 with over 60 WS Atkins managerial and design staff, and up to 2000 construction workers during peak construction. It was built to resemble the sail of a traditional Arabian vessel called a dhow. Two "wings" spread in a V to form a vast "mast", while the space between them is enclosed in a massive atrium. The architect Tom Wright said "The client wanted a building that would become an iconic or symbolic statement for Dubai; this is very similar to Sydney with its Opera House, London with Big Ben, or Paris with the Eiffel Tower. It needed to be a building that would become synonymous with the name of the country.