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TED-Ed

How the world’s tallest skyscraper was built - Alex Gendler

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10,984 Questions Answered

TEDEd Animation

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In 2004, construction began on a new building in Dubai, promising a revolutionary design that would dwarf the rest of the world’s skyscrapers. Five years later, the 828-meter Burj Khalifa was complete, surpassing the previous record-holder by over 60%. What innovations allowed for such a huge leap in height? Alex Gendler digs into the architecture of this unprecedented project.

Additional Resources for you to Explore

The architecture firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, which designed the Burj Khalifa, has more key facts and statistics on their website. You can also read more about skyscraper construction, the buttressed core design, and the innovations of Fazlur Khan, as well as the ongoing controversy over migrant rights in the Gulf.

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Meet The Creators

Educator
Alex Gendler
Director
WOW-HOW Studio
Narrator
Addison Anderson
Storyboard Artist
Sergey Yaroshenko, Alexander Laptev
Animator
Dmitriy Zaharchuk, Yevhenii Tomynets
Art Director
Marianna Murashko, Andrew Piskarjow
Sound Designer
Stephen LaRosa
Music
Stephen LaRosa
Director of Production
Gerta Xhelo
Editorial Director
Alex Rosenthal
Producer
Bethany Cutmore-Scott
Editorial Producer
Dan Kwartler
Fact-Checker
Eden Girma

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