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CNN —
Dubai in 1993 was a very different world to the global capital of today.
The finance and construction industries had yet to really take off, the city hadn't established itself as a destination for the rich and powerful, and the tallest building was the World Trade Centre, Dubai's first skyscraper, which stood just 149 metres tall.
That year, British architecture firm Atkins Global was commissioned by the Dubai Ruler's Office to design a building that would “create a connection that would unite the UAE with people around the world.”
In other words, putting Emirates on the map.
Simon Crisp, Atkins' Middle East managing director at the time, recalls being asked to “provide the UAE with a powerful visual symbol that would be as significant as the Sydney Opera House is to Australia or the Eiffel Tower in Paris to France.”
An international team of architects spent the next seven years constructing the artificial island and the 321-metre-tall building under a veil of secrecy.
The Burj Al Arab (which means “Arabian Tower” in Arabic) opened in 1999 and has been attracting the global elite for the past two decades. The hotel is now synonymous with the ultimate in luxury, from its palatial suites to its exotic aquarium sharks.
But one feature has perhaps done most to enhance the Burj Khalifa's reputation.
Inside the Burj Al Arab's $25,000-a-night Royal Suite
The hotel's helipad is suspended 212 metres above sea level, jutting precariously out from the distinctive sail-shaped building.
“The main challenge was making sure the helipad was structurally sound and would support the entire architecture of the hotel,” Anthony Costa, former managing director of Burj Al Arab, told CNN in 2019. The 27-metre-wide helipad can accommodate up to 7.5 tonnes of weight.
“The heliport had to meet both structural and safe landing criteria,” Crispe told CNN in 2019. “It had to be visually 'floating' and only had minimal visible steel structure.”
The helipad's main function is as part of the hotel's concierge services: guests can choose to be collected at the airport by a Rolls-Royce or opt for a helicopter transfer service.
Costa said the air route was a popular option, with many flights arriving and departing by helicopter each month.
Beyond its basic function, helipads are well known as the site of a variety of stunts, from death-defying to just plain awesome.
The movement started in 2005 when Roger Federer played an exhibition match against Andre Agassi on a specially built court, filmed from a helicopter, and the Swiss will return in 2012 alongside rival Novak Djokovic.
The helipad also doubles as a golf course, allowing players like Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy to tee off across the Persian Gulf.
In 2017, a ring was built for British boxer Anthony Joshua to take part in sparring sessions.
Costa said the most challenging stunt to date came in 2013, when a Formula One racing car was airlifted to a helipad so David Coulthard could spin “donuts” on a specially constructed surface. Atkins engineers were again called in to ensure the stunt could proceed safely.
Since then, the place has become an attraction for daredevils of all kinds, serving as a platform for record-breaking kiteboarding jumps, BMX jumps from helicopters, and skydivers. In 2023, Polish pilot Lukasz Czepiela made aviation history by becoming the first person to land a plane on the Burj Al Arab helipad.
Costa said more stunts will be rejected: “All requested stunts are assessed in terms of logistics, health and safety and feasibility before being carried out.”
While the stunts have made the heliport world famous, the hotel is also introducing safer ways to have fun.
Since 2014, the helipad has been used for weddings designed by professional “wedding architects,” with prices starting at $55,000, but some ceremonies reportedly costing millions of dollars.
The place also rents out for private parties with custom décor, and Costa said his favorite memory at the helipad was celebrating a guest's 50th birthday in 2018.
“We repainted the helipad with 'Happy Birthday' along with her name, and it was visible from the helicopter when she landed,” he recalled.
Such lavish occasions and expenditure may seem frivolous, but as one of Dubai's great icons, it has a responsibility to showcase grandeur and grandeur.
Costa said the helipad events “enhance Dubai and its reputation for delivering incredible experiences”.
Government ministries and agencies often partner with hotels to host helipad events and also actively use them in promotional campaigns.
The Burj Al Arab was originally built to put Dubai and the United Arab Emirates on the world map.
25 years after its launch, that ambition has been realised, thanks to the generous cooperation of the world's most famous heliport.
