The Burj Dubai realized its “tallest high-rise building in the world” claim on July 21, according to developer Emaar Properties, when the concrete floors were poured and set on the skyscraper’s 141st story. At 1,680 feet tall, the still-incomplete tower surpassed the previous height record of 1671 feet, established by Taiwan’s Taipei 101, and surges toward an undisclosed height rumored to be 2,300 feet, some 160 stories, when the tower is finished in 2008.

Photo: Courtesy Emaar Properties
Although developer Emaar Properties and architects at Skidmore Owings & Merrill are keeping the Burj's final height a secret, the 160-story building could reach 2,300 feet by the time it is finished in 2008.