Architecture

The Atkins-designed Burj Al Arab, with its distinctive theme of a billowing spinnaker sail of a high-tech J-class yacht, ranks alongside the instantaneously recognisable icons of other world cities.

The Burj Al Arab is for many people the defining image of Dubai, in much the same way that the Eiffel Tower serves Paris. Both symbolise their cities in a way we have come to call ‘iconic’, even though both were designed well before the word became ubiquitous.

Burj Al Arab would have been an extraordinary building wherever it had been located, but much of its impact and renown comes from its appearance in the right place at the right time – Dubai 1999.

Its spectacular sailing aesthetic is reflected in its offshore location, and its appearance off the Jumeirah Beach, with its own outstanding hotel, made the whole complex a destination that no self-respecting world traveller could ignore. Whether one chooses to experience the delights of a stay inside it, or simply to gaze at it from the beach, it has come to define the pinnacle of luxurious world travel and central role that Dubai plays in that enterprise, both literally and figuratively.

Burj Al Arab stands on an artificial island 300m offshore.

Atkins' work on the iconic 321m-high, 56-storey super-luxury hotel included architecture, civil and structural engineering, MEP engineering, construction supervision and cost consultancy services.