Burj Dubai breaks new records

The Burj Dubai now stands at 555.3 metres.

The Burj Dubai has surpassed Toronto’s CN Tower to become the tallest free-standing structure in the world.

Developer Emaar Properties on Thursday said the Burj has reached a height of 555.3 metres, breaking the 553.33-metre record the CN Tower has held since 1976.

"Burj Dubai is setting new world records in construction of super tall buildings, and the accomplishment of being the world's tallest free-standing structure is another defining moment," said Mohamed Ali Alabbar, chairman of Emaar.

"This architectural and construction masterpiece is truly an inspirational human achievement that celebrates the 'can do' mindset of Dubai."

Construction is still ongoing, with the megastructure scheduled for completion by the end of next year.

Emaar has remained tight lipped over the final height of the Burj, but it is rumoured to be between 700 and 1,000 metres.

Once complete, the Burj could be close to double the height of its nearest rival Taiwan’s Taipei 101, which stands at 508 metres.

In July Emaar announced the Burj had overtaken Taipei 101 as the tallest building in the world.

Emaar plans for the Burj to eventually be the tallest structure in the world in all four of the criteria listed by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH).

The council measures height to the structural top, the highest occupied floor, to the top of the roof, and to the tip of the spire, pinnacle, antenna, mast or flag pole.

Despite being the tallest free-standing structure in the world, the Burj will not be recognised by the CTBUH as the tallest until it is finally completed.

The only structure now left for the Burj to overtake is the KVLY/KTHI television mast in Blanchard, US, which measures 628.8 metres.

The Burj is the centrepiece of the Downtown Burj Dubai development under construction on Sheikh Zayed Road.

The $20 billion, 500-acre project is being billed as the most prestigious square kilometre on earth and will feature the world's largest shopping centre The Dubai Mall.

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