It is the tallest hotel in the world and one of the most astonishing architectural wonders of the planet.
Al Shindagah turns the clock back to talk to some of the men behind the construction of Dubai's Burj Al Arab

When the Burj Al Arab opened its gold laden doors for business just before the turn of the millennium, the hospitality world gasped at its magnificence. Towering over the Arabian Gulf and taller than the Eiffel Tower, the 321-metre luxury hotel saw the world's travel writers run out of superlatives for a construction which has become a symbol of Dubai's drive to be one of the most modern cities in the 21st century.

People from Argentina to Australia had heard about this futuristic tower 'growing' out of a man-made island off the coast of Jumeirah, but no-one could have possibly imagined the finished product would have attracted such a captive audience of admirers.

It is quite simply fabulous. Its shape has been erected to resemble the sail of the traditional fishing dhow, ensuring a vision of the future retains a foot in the past with Arabian heritage recalled in a masterly way throughout its breathtaking interior.

Mid 20th Century movies imagined we would be living in buildings like this in hundreds of years time, little did they know that the construction industry would advance at such a pace to the heights of the Burj Al Arab ? The Arabian Tower.

Much of the credit for its construction lies at the door of a partnership that was forged to tackle this immense project, and has matured to become a major player in the country's construction industry.

In a marriage that set the construction industry alight in the UAE, Al Habtoor Engineering tied the knot with Murray & Roberts to form a Joint Venture capable of performing wonders off the Jumeirah coastline. To the uninitiated, the question "where do you start?" would spring to mind but the hard work began for the Joint Venture long before the first cubic metre of concrete had set.

Nigel Poole, Contracts Manager for Al Habtoor Engineering, was a member of the Joint Venture Board which successfully bid for two of the project's main contracts that were put out to tender to some of the world's largest and most reputable construction companies.

"The hard work for the Joint Venture began long before the building work commenced," said Poole, a Habtoor employee since 1977 and the driving force behind some of the UAE's most notable landmarks.

"The overall project manager was WS Atkins & Partners Overseas which let it out to tender in four packages. First was the island up to ground floor slab; second was the superstructure; third was the mechanical, electrical and plumbing contract; and the fourth was the fitting out to the suites. The Al Habtoor, Murray & Roberts Joint Venture was successful in bidding for the second and fourth parts, which was a major achievement considering we were up against some formidable companies from across the world. It was just reward for some hard work and looking back it was probably the biggest part of the job!"

With the contracts signed, the Joint Venture then had to set about turning drawings and models into the multi-million dollar construction.

This was where the new partnership really blossomed. "The teamwork from the start was exceptional," said Poole. "We assembled a first-class team of managers and the job went to plan without any major hitches. It was an incredible team effort."

The concrete island, which has its foundations some 40 metres beneath the seabed, was completed in March 1996 and the baton was handed over to the Joint Venture which commenced work on April 11, 1996. "I remember the day well because it was one of our quantity surveyors' wedding day and the reception was held at DIMC further down the coast. I remember that I kept looking up the coast at the site and wondering how the coastline would look with this enormous construction.

"The time it took to execute phase one (the island) gave us six months to further plan and look at how we could speed things up. We purchased three Favelle Favco 760 cranes which are among the biggest in the world.

We needed these to lift the huge sections of steel that make up the building's unique exoskeleton. These cranes are capable of lifting 12 tonnes at 60 metres and made the job a lot easier. This meant we could make the rooms at ground level and simply lift them into place.

"It was a mammoth job and from start to completion it took us almost two years to complete. In principal it was finished on time too." Outside help was required to erect such a complicated high rise building and the Joint Venture acquired the services of a project manager and construction supervisor from New Zealand company Fletcher Construction, which was going to be a part of the joint venture but pulled out at the eleventh hour when the company decided to freeze its overseas projects.

Both men had vast experience in erecting sky-scrapers and became an integral part of its planning and organisation.

Andy Durrant, of Murray & Roberts, was appointed as the engineering manager, his first posting in Dubai since switching from the company's base in South Africa.

"The initial structural job was extremely challenging but exciting at the same time," he said. "The complexity of the task helped to forge a strong joint venture between the two parties involved."

Poole pointed out that the massive exoskeleton posed the biggest test to the Joint Venture's team of experts but concluded that it was a challenge accomplished with considerable style.

"The hardest part was the diagonal steel trusses which weigh 185 tonnes each," he said. "They are 85 metres long and were made in Jebel Ali; we had some fun transporting them along the highway too! It was very complex because all these huge trusses had to meet up in the middle with no margin for error. Thankfully we got our sums right and it all slotted together."

There was little time to sit back and marvel at the work carried out over the previous two years as there was another important task at hand... the fitting out of the hotel's 202 luxury suites. These were the touches that would see Burj Al Arab become the world's first seven-star hotel and Poole was well aware that this was probably one of the most important parts of the job.

Durrant was handed the role of project manager for this particular part of the job and set about the task as soon as his role as engineering manager for the structural part was over.

"The fitting out and furnishings stage was by far the most challenging part of the project," said Durrant. "We went just about everywhere for the materials we needed. There were hundreds of fabrics required and silks from all over the place. I think this part of the job broke new ground and no-one really knew how it was going to turn out. It felt really good when it was finally finished."

Exclusive marble from Brazil, leathers from Scotland and the finest linen from Ireland were just two examples of their well-travelled shopping trolley which left no stone unturned.

Poole added: "I remember we sent a senior man scouring the world for a certain type of yellow leather which would make up the bed heads. He went everywhere before finding what we were after. It was a very difficult job ensuring we got the right products."

With the job completed, a picture of the Burj Al Arab takes pride of place on Poole's wall which is adorned with the success stories of his 23-year career in the UAE. The novelty has not worn off either. "I still look for it when I travel up from Abu Dhabi and I am sure that everyone involved with it feels the same sense of pride as I do when I look at it. It is a tremendous achievement and has become recognised throughout the world as a symbol of Dubai's excellence."

But while Poole and a majority of the rest of the team has moved on to projects new, Durrant is still tying up the final administrative loose ends. The successful teamwork has spurred the Joint Venture onto other projects, the most notable being the new US$600 million airport concourse at Terminal One of Dubai Airport, which opened earlier this year amidst a blaze of publicity. The Joint Venture is currently working on the National Bank of Abu Dhabi Building and the Marina Mall in Abu Dhabi. "We had a good team of managers working on this job from across the world and it has ensured a strong team has been built from Al Habtoor Engineering and Murray & Roberts," he said.

Reaching new heights of luxury, the all-suite Burj Al Arab provides guests with an unparalleled experience of 21st century Arabic hospitality, quite literally elevating expectations of service of the most discerning guests to new levels.

Transfers from the airport are done via Rolls Royce Silver Seraph or via helicopter, with a 15-minute birds-eye panorama of the city ending in a dramatic landing on the hotel's helipad on the 28th floor. A burning flame set amid flowing water provides a spectacular welcome in the lobby where the guest experiences a kaleidoscope of colours, sights and sounds. A sumptuous oasis of golds, reds and blues provides a visual treat - in the strands of the hand-tufted carpet, highlighted by the gold shells housing concierge and guest service staff, and all illuminated by an intricate crystal chandelier.

Conveyed upwards to the main reception area, guests pass by a shimmering waterfall, billows of dry ice and two glass-encased coral reefs, where richly-hued fish provide a glimpse of the Arabian Gulf's variegated marine life, to reach the world's tallest atrium. Flanked by golden columns and reaching skyward the length of the "sail", the atrium, with its 32-metre water column, takes the eye towards its peak far above the guest.

Individual service and personal attention are paramount at the Burj Al Arab, with a private reception on every floor, as well as a butler service for each one of the 202 duplex suites. The Al Habtoor, Murray & Roberts Joint Venture played a huge role in the lavish interior with each suite exquisitely crafted and appointed to achieve a degree of comfortable luxury that aims to satisfy the senses of every guest, from all corners of the world.

Suite names reflect the romance of the Arabian nights, inspired by the opulence and splendour of precious stones and gems such as Feyrouz, Zabarjad, Zumurud, Yakuta, Malakeet and Lazawerd.

Within the welcoming ambience and luxurious fittings of every suite lies hidden a network of technological wizardry, fuelling a sophisticated multi-media system that provides the largest selection of satellite television channels available in the Middle East. Also provided is a video-on-demand system, offering a wide array of filmed entertainment, all of which can be enjoyed in surround-sound stereo on a wide-screen 42-inch plasma television in the lounge.

Convenience, luxury and a highly-personalised service are available for every guest, whether staying in one of the 164 one-bedroom duplex suites - at 170 square metres in size - or in any of the 28, two-bedroom suites, or six suites housing three bedrooms. Topping them all are the two Royal Suites and two Presidential Suites spread over 780 square metres, each with palatial surroundings set on two floors joined by a private elevator. These reach unsurpassed peaks of luxury, including rotating beds, private cinema, majilis and even dressing rooms larger than the average hotel bedroom.

Complimenting the superfluous range of accommodation are exclusive restaurants offering the finest cuisine in dramatic surroundings, whether it be hanging 200 metres over the Arabian Gulf in Al Muntaha - Skyview Restaurant - or literally at the bottom of the ocean in Al Mahara - Seafood Restaurant - where a three-minute submarine voyage takes diners to their table from the hotel lobby.