ArabianBusiness.com

There is little surprise at this hotel’s entry into the Top 10 Hotel openings of 2010. There were sceptics who claimed this was a “fluff” opening, but the noise surrounding the arrival of the world’s first Armani hotel couldn’t be ignored. All eyes were on Dubai for the right reasons — and quite a stunning hotel was the result. Room categories available include 24 Armani Studios, 44 Armani Classic rooms, 38 Armani Premiere rooms, 36 Armani Suites, six Armani Executive and six Armani Ambassador Suites, and five Armani Signature Suites.

The second hotel, located in Milan, is still on schedule to open in mid-2011. The first Giorgio Armani-designed hotel opened in the Burj Khalifa tower in Dubai last April and Dardenne said he was pleased with the reception it had received. “These hotels you build them up over the years. I think, eventually, some people will come to Dubai just to stay at the hotel. It is bringing something new to Dubai and that has been very positive,” he added.

Using Khan's Bundled Tube structural engineering principles, the building takes its strength from the combination of nine main structures arranged in a three by three grid that make up the impressive complex. It's a clever arrangement. All towers rise to 50-storeys, where the northeast and southwest buildings stop. The remaining seven towers continue to the 66th floor where the northeast and southwest structures end, and at 90-storeys, the north, south and east floors top out. The two remaining towers, the west and central towers, then stretch to 110 floors, the building's top. A similar system of bundled towers was used by SOM to construct the Burj Khalifa.

Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum said the emirate is recovering after state-controlled holding company Dubai World reached a debt restructuring settlement with creditors. Dubai’s vision is unchanged after projects such as Meydan’s racecourse and Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building developed by Emaar Properties, were completed on schedule, Sheikh Mohammed said. “All the projects that were there are going ahead,” although some may be delayed for six months to a year, he said.

Drake & Scull boss Khaldoun Tabari has scooped the prestigious “Lifetime Achievement Award” at the CEO Middle East Awards. Tabari was presented with the award at a special ceremony held on Monday night at The Armani Hotel, Dubai. The judges remarked that “under Tabari’s stewardship Drake & Scull has become one of the Gulf region’s most prominent MEP contractors.”

No great surprise here. The Burj Khalifa burst onto the international scene at the beginning of this year with a massive fanfare, fireworks and festivities at the dawn of the new decade after a much anticipated build. The fanfare wasn't without merit: the building smashing almost every record - and by a considerable margin. What's not commonly known is that the Burj actually bagged several world-topping records when it was opened (see below), and set new heights for others to attempt to surpass.

Right at the start of 2010, with much fanfare and fireworks, the world's tallest man-made structure was officially opened. The Burj Khalifa was one of the most anticipated, watched and reported on construction projects of all time and its opening is also ranked as the best moment so far, in the tenure of Hyder Consulting's regional managing director Wael Allan.

In less than six months, Mohammed Alabbar has delivered two of the world's most eagerly awaited projects. How did he do it? The iconic Burj Khalifa tower opened in January, and four months later came the first ever Armani Hotel, built within the tower.

The world’s tallest building is to ‘go dark’ on March 27, in order to observe Earth Hour, the global initiative against climate change. Emaar Properties, developer of the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, is to switch off the exterior lights of its landmark developments from 8.30pm to 9.30pm.

Iconic fashion designer Giorgio Armani has said he is nervous his first hotel project, which will be located in the base of Dubai’s Burj Khalifa, may look outdated when officially opened later this month. “I’ve been working on this for five years. I’m finally going to see what I designed, and it’s a bit nerve-racking to think that what I liked five years ago might look old now,” the Italian designer told US-based fashion trade publication Woman’s Wear Daily at the weekend.