Photography by David Hobcote

Ah, Dubai. The crazy little emirate known for palm-tree-shaped islands and exploiting South Asian laborers now has another feather in its cap: the tallest building in the world. The Burj Dubai, which is rumored to open December 2, is already taller than Taiwan’s Taipei 101, now the second-tallest building in the world. Designed by Adrian Smith and the skyscraper-efficiency gurus at Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, the Burj Dubai could be as tall as 2,600 feet once finished. While its developer, Emaar Properties, won’t divulge the Burj’s official height or completion date, they have been generous with obnoxious promotional copy: “Burj Dubai will be known by many names. But only a privileged group of people will call it home.” Also on the project’s website is a bewildering image gallery with more borderline artistic photographs than pictures of the actual building.
      I don’t mind the tackiness. I just want a new tallest building.