Burj Khalifa // YouTube
Since construction began in 2004, the Burj Khalifa skyscraper in Dubai has been racking up superlatives. It holds records for the most floors, highest elevator, and tallest free-standing structure overall, standing at 2722 feet. Now the imposing tower can add another achievement to the list: Its facade doubles as the largest LED screen on Earth.
According to Motherboard, work on the screen began in 2014—four years after construction of the building was completed. The LED panels were put in place on the front of the Burj Khalifa by hand. One of the biggest challenges the team faced was inclement weather: Engineers often had to wait for rain, strong wind, and sandstorms to pass before going back out and finishing an installation.
The project concluded in 2015, and today the Burj Khalifa serves as the venue for one of the world’s most spectacular light shows. To see the behind-the-scenes process and the final result, you can watch the stomach-turning video below.
[h/t Motherboard]
Know of something you think we should cover? Email us at tips@mentalfloss.com.
September 20, 2016 – 9:00am