Introduction

A look at the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt, built approximately 4,500 years ago, is evidence enough to understand that the fascination with building up to the sky is nothing new.

In the modern era, building the tallest skyscraper on Earth has become a fixed idea. Ego-filled characters, companies and countries have been obsessively building ever taller skyscrapers, sometimes with little or no economic viability.

We will focus here on two of the most remarkable skyscrapers ever built: the Empire State Building in New York and the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. Let’s start with some quick facts:

  • The Empire State Building is 381 meters (1250 feet) high; The Burj Khalifa measures 828 meters (2,717 feet), more than twice the height.
  • The Empire State Building costs $ 41 million; The Burj Khalifa costs 36 times that amount.
  • The Empire State Building was completed in 1931; The Burj Khalifa was completed 79 years later, in 2010.

79 years is an eternity in terms of skyscrapers. After all, the Empire State Building almost belongs to the stone age of skyscrapers. Just think that in 1901, thirty years before its construction, the tallest building in the world was a cathedral.

However, the Empire State Building and the Burj Khalifa have much more in common than meets the eye.

Break records

The Empire State Building was the tallest building in the world for more than 40 years, from its completion in 1931 to the completion of the World Trade Center in 1972.

The Burj Khalifa officially opened in 2010 and has been the tallest building in the world ever since. When completed, the Burj Khalifa surpassed Taipei 101, the previous record holder by 319 meters (1,050 feet). Just to illustrate the meaning of this number, this is the height of the Chrysler Building, the third tallest building in New York.

But becoming the tallest building on Earth was only the first step. Many other buildings broke this record before and were soon forgotten. These two buildings had other plans …

Global icons

These buildings were built in New York City and Dubai, two cities full of skyscrapers. But they had no intention of becoming just another skyscraper in skyscraper land; they were destined for eternal glory, as were the pyramids of Giza, the Great Wall of China and the Eiffel Tower. They were planned to become instantly recognized landmarks, symbols of their respective cities.

From crisis to crisis

The Empire State Building was completed in 1931, the beginning of the Great Depression, the worst economic crisis of the 20th century.

The Burj Khalifa was completed in 2010, on par with the global financial crisis that began in 2007, the worst financial crisis since … you guessed it, the Great Depression.

We are empty

Many years after its completion, the Empire State Building was practically empty. For many years, the income from its two observation decks was higher than the rent from the other 100 floors combined. No wonder New Yorkers dubbed it the “empty state building.”

The Burj Khalifa has had no better luck. One year after its grand opening, more than 90% of the tower’s 900 residential apartments remain vacant. The prices of these apartments have reportedly fallen by 80%, a staggering number, even in a deep financial crisis.

Stars on the horizon and in the movies

But does it really matter how profitable they are? After all, these buildings weren’t built to make money. They were built to make a statement. They were built to reach the sky, to become urban legends, movie stars.

The Empire State Building has starred in countless movies, starting with ‘King Kong’ in 1933 and alongside ‘Love Affair’, ‘Taxi Driver’, ‘Annie Hall’ and ‘Sleepless in Seattle’, to name just a few. Not only this, but this great milestone has also appeared in dozens of novels of various genres.

The Burj Khalifa has yet to appear in any major movies (sorry, YouTube doesn’t count), but Tom Cruise has already been spotted on the site filming stunts for his latest movie, ‘Mission Impossible 4’. The Burj Khalifa is so irresistibly tall that it is only a matter of time before others follow in its footsteps.