Dubai came to the small screen in a big way when Richard Hammond’s Big called in at Burj Khalifa to see what makes the world’s tallest building tick.
As part of the show, the former Top Gear presenter travels the world learning about some of its biggest, fastest, tallest and best structures, machines and achievements, and shares his findings with viewers in the trademark “edutainment” style we’ve seen from him previously, on shows such as Brainiac and Science of Stupid.
The show features Hammond investigating every inch of the building, from foundations that use the power of friction to implausibly support the 828-metre giant on foundations of sand, to the lightning arrester at the top of the building’s spire – where the diminutive Hammond proudly announces that for a brief moment he is the world’s tallest man.
We’ve seen Burj Khalifa plenty of times on TV and on cinema screens in the past, but usually as a decorative piece of set dressing, or the background to a dramatic stunt, such as Tom Cruise climbing it in Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol.
In Big, however, Hammond gets right under the skin of the building, and delivers some surprisingly fun facts you might not have known, in the process.
In one segment, the presenter is given the opportunity to join Burj Khalifa’s window-cleaning team as they abseil down the building’s glass facade. This is a job that takes up to 120 workers three months at a time, and as soon as that three months is up, it’s time to start again.
If you’re not a fan of heights you might want to turn away during parts of this section, as the job looks terrifying, and Hammond is in no rush to sign up full-time once his feet finally touch the ground.
Did you know, too, that the tower’s 57 lifts are laid out like a vertical metro system, with various changes of line needed to get from the base to the top (not to mention a hefty amount of stair and ladder-climbing once you reach the upper limits of the building)? And that the fastest of these lifts is actually faster than a New York City Subway train?
Another 10 of the building’s lifts are dedicated “lifeboats" – pressurised lifts designed to be used to get residents and visitors out in the event of a fire.
Unlike most tall buildings, which instruct would-be passengers to avoid using the lifts in the event of a fire, the massive Burj Khalifa features several dedicated pressurised and fireproof safe rooms containing basic supplies for people to use until the emergency services arrive. The fireproof coating can withstand flames for two hours, while the pressurised atmosphere removes the danger of smoke inhalation.
Hammond shares many captivating snippets of trivia with us in this 45-minute episode, from meeting with Burj Khalifa's structural engineer to find out how the tower doesn’t simply blow over to undertaking hands-on tasks such as climbing to the summit to change a battery in the lightning arrester.
If buildings aren’t your thing, however, the episode also teaches us more about everyone’s favourite spot for visiting friends and family – the world’s tallest dancing fountain at the tower’s base, where Hammond helps out with a cleaning regime as part of his journey of discovery.
Overall, episode seven of Big offers a fascinating insight into the beating heart of Dubai’s most famous attraction, looking beyond the fancy restaurants and crowded viewing decks to the sometimes incredibly complex, and occasionally remarkably simple, everyday things that take place to keep this vertical city running behind the scenes.
It may not be advisable to visit Burj Khalifa amid the continuing coronavirus crisis, but you can learn some impressive facts about the building from the comfort of home in preparation for when your tourist guide duties resume.
Richard Hammond’s Big airs at 10pm on Thursday, March 19 on Discovery Channel (OSN Ch 500), and again on Sunday, March 19 at 4.30pm
BEACH SOCCER WORLD CUP
Group A
Paraguay
Japan
Switzerland
USA
Group B
Uruguay
Mexico
Italy
Tahiti
Group C
Belarus
UAE
Senegal
Russia
Group D
Brazil
Oman
Portugal
Nigeria
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
Farage on Muslim Brotherhood
Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
How to join and use Abu Dhabi’s public libraries
• There are six libraries in Abu Dhabi emirate run by the Department of Culture and Tourism, including one in Al Ain and Al Dhafra.
• Libraries are free to visit and visitors can consult books, use online resources and study there. Most are open from 8am to 8pm on weekdays, closed on Fridays and have variable hours on Saturdays, except for Qasr Al Watan which is open from 10am to 8pm every day.
• In order to borrow books, visitors must join the service by providing a passport photograph, Emirates ID and a refundable deposit of Dh400. Members can borrow five books for three weeks, all of which are renewable up to two times online.
• If users do not wish to pay the fee, they can still use the library’s electronic resources for free by simply registering on the website. Once registered, a username and password is provided, allowing remote access.
• For more information visit the library network's website.
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The years Ramadan fell in May
Biog
Mr Kandhari is legally authorised to conduct marriages in the gurdwara
He has officiated weddings of Sikhs and people of different faiths from Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Russia, the US and Canada
Father of two sons, grandfather of six
Plays golf once a week
Enjoys trying new holiday destinations with his wife and family
Walks for an hour every morning
Completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Loyola College, Chennai, India
2019 is a milestone because he completes 50 years in business
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Company%20profile
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Read more about the coronavirus
The years Ramadan fell in May
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The Indoor Cricket World Cup
When: September 16-23
Where: Insportz, Dubai
Indoor cricket World Cup:
Insportz, Dubai, September 16-23
UAE fixtures:
Men
Saturday, September 16 – 1.45pm, v New Zealand
Sunday, September 17 – 10.30am, v Australia; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Monday, September 18 – 2pm, v England; 7.15pm, v India
Tuesday, September 19 – 12.15pm, v Singapore; 5.30pm, v Sri Lanka
Thursday, September 21 – 2pm v Malaysia
Friday, September 22 – 3.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 3pm, grand final
Women
Saturday, September 16 – 5.15pm, v Australia
Sunday, September 17 – 2pm, v South Africa; 7.15pm, v New Zealand
Monday, September 18 – 5.30pm, v England
Tuesday, September 19 – 10.30am, v New Zealand; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Thursday, September 21 – 12.15pm, v Australia
Friday, September 22 – 1.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 1pm, grand final
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
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