In the course of our daily reporting, we often uncover unusual projects, places, or connections that don't make the final cut. Instead of keeping it to ourselves, we're pleased to share our weekly Architrivia.

The Burj Al Arab broke new ground in Dubai well before the city's smashing of skyscraper height records and frenzy of palatial entertainment and resort complexes became the norm. It was completed in 1999, when the Dubai desertscape looked significantly different than it does today. In many ways, the 321-metre-tall luxury hotel set the tone for the futuristic things to come, particularly the parade of supertalls and the proliferation of artificial islands. 

Burj Al Arab, image by Flickr user brando.n via Creative Commons

The extravagant building was the tallest hotel in the world when it opened. Though it has since slipped to fourth place, its prominence in the Dubai skyline — owing to its unique shape and sequestered location — is still palpable. "The client wanted a building that would become an iconic or symbolic statement for Dubai; this is very similar to Sydney with its Opera House, London with Big Ben, or Paris with the Eiffel Tower," said architect Tom Wright. "It needed to be a building that would become synonymous with the name of the country."

The Burj Al Arab from above, image by Flickr user Sam valadi via Creative Commons

Resembling the spinnaker sail of a J-class yacht, the building's exoskeleton is comprised of two V-shaped wings, connected to one another by a reinforced concrete spine. A 183-metre-tall atrium is enclosed between the exposed white frame, which is crowned by a giant mast. There's even a helipad near the apex of the structure for those who want to flaunt their affluence. But as impressive as the visible elements of the construction are, the subterranean components are what holds everything together.

Burj Al Arab's honeycomb-like perimeter, image retrieved from Google Street View

Partly to avoid shadowing the beach, the hotel is built on an artificial island some 300 metres from the shore. But its isolated position also lends a sense of exclusivity to the experience, one that has been replicated in more recent land reclamation projects like the Palm Islands. In order to secure a foundation, the builders installed 230 40-metre-long concrete piles into the sand. A surface layer of boulders is wrapped with a concrete honeycomb pattern, which protects the foundation from erosion. 

Burj Al Arab, image by Flickr user nico_enders via Creative Commons

Though its maritime motif, and what some see as a heavy-handed application of ornamentation on the inside, has attracted some criticism from architecture fanatics, Burj Al Arab continues to be one of Dubai's most recognizable structures, even as other monumental odes to excess seek to shift the spotlight onto themselves.