It is arguably the greatest image on earth - a 360 degree panoramic view from the very top of the tallest building on earth, Dubai's Burj Khalifa.
It is arguably the greatest image on earth - a 360 degree panoramic view from the very top of the tallest building on earth, Dubai's Burj Khalifa. The giddying image shows the view across the city of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates from 828 metres above sea level captured in high resolution using some of the most advanced techniques in digital photography. The image has been released to celebrate the second Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Photography Award (HIPA), which will take place in Dubai in March. The award, the world's richest photography award, will see prizes totalling $389,000 and attracts entrants from 99 countries. The grand prize awarded by HIPA is $120,000. | The interactive image was taken by Dubai-based photographer Gerald Donovan, who not only went to the top floor, but climbed the 656-ft adder inside the spire to the very tippy top. The image is composed from more than 70 individual photos, 48 of which are 80-megapixel panoramic shots. The top of the Burj Khalifa, developed by global property developer Emaar Properties, is over 200 metres above the highest point reached by the building's elevators, which reach the 160th floor at speeds of some 10 metres per second. The tower's celebrated public observation deck, At the top, Burj Khalifa is on the 124th floor. The journey to the pinnacle involves a steep ladder climb within the 200-meter spire that crowns the building. |
Visit the image here to zoom in, pan left to right or up and down.