Khaleej Times

Dubai Bank on Monday announced that it had won the award for Banking and Finance Implementation of the Year at the Arabian Computer News (ACN) Arab Technology Awards. The award was accepted by Dubai Bank CIO Faizal Eledath during the ceremony held at the Armani Hotel, Burj Khalifa.

Emirates NBD, a leading bank in the region, announced that customers applying for personal or priority banking products or services at any of the four Emirates NBD branches in the Burj Khalifa area, will have several opportunities to win a ‘stay for two’ at the Jal Fujairah Resort and Spa, located on the east coast of the UAE.

Emaar Hospitality Group, the hospitality & leisure subsidiary of global property developer Emaar Properties PJSC, won six awards at the World Travel Awards 2010 with Emaar Hospitality being voted as the ‘Middle East’s Leading Tourism Property Development Company,’ and The Address Hotels + Resorts winning awards for all its properties in Dubai.

The clutches and accessories too sported the crescent theme, which was more of a tribute by Armani to his special project in Dubai – the world’s first Armani Hotel.

“My ambition for Armani Hotel Dubai — the first of a collection of Armani hotels, resorts and residences that will soon circle the world — is to celebrate comfort and style by providing the highest standards of design, hospitality and service,” he had said in anticipation of his arrival.

Close behind the Burj Khalifa will be many other local and global landmarks, including the three tallest towers in the world after Burj Khalifa: CN Tower, Taipei 101 and Willis Tower would all stand in the dark from 8.30pm to 9.30pm on March 27. The only structure from the top five yet to confirm their participation is Malaysia’s twin wonder Petronas Towers.

At The Top, the world’s highest observation deck housed on the 124th floor of Burj Khalifa, has been temporarily closed for “maintenance and upgrade,” it was announced on Sunday. “Due to unexpected high traffic, the observation deck experience at the Burj Khalifa, At The Top, has been temporarily closed for maintenance and upgrade. Technical issues with the power supply are being worked on by the main and sub-contractors and the public will be informed upon completion,” a Burj Khalifa spokesperson said in a statement.

Two aerobatics teams participating in this year’s Al Ain Aerobatic Show have made a spectacular fly-past over the southern emirates at the start of the second day of the internationally acclaimed event. At 9.50am, the seven L-39 Albatros Breitling Team jets joined forces with the four BAC 167 Strikemasters of Team Viper, flying over Al Ain before heading towards Dubai. They passed over Burj Khalifa and Atlantis Hotel and then headed to the coast of Abu Dhabi, circling over the Emirates Palace Hotel and Grand Mosque and finally returning to Al Ain.

It took an army of workers and thousands of tonnes of material to erect the world tallest tower in Dubai, but Steven J. Backman managed to replicate it single-handedly in the US.

Meet the man who designed the building that has smashed all world records. The chief architect for the Burj Dubai, Adrian Smith, speaks to David Light about his achievement. Adrian Smith, creator of the Burj Dubai and other iconic structures worldwide, has been a practising architect for over 40 years.