<P> Burj Al Arab was designed by multidisciplinary consultancy Atkins, led by architect Tom Wright, who has since become co-founder of WKK Architects . The design and construction were managed by Canadian engineer Rick Gregory also of WS Atkins . It's very similar with the Vasco da Gama Tower, located in Lisbon, Portugal . Construction of the Island began in 1994 and involved up to 2,000 construction workers during peak construction . It was built to resemble the billowing spinnaker sail of a J - class yacht . Two "wings" spread in a V to form a vast "mast", while the space between them is enclosed in a massive atrium . The architect Tom Wright said "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 . It needed to be a building that would become synonymous with the name of the country ." </P> <P> Fletcher Construction from New Zealand was the lead joint venture partner in the initial stages of pre-construction and construction . The hotel was built by South African construction contractor Murray & Roberts and Al Habtoor Engineering and the interior works were delivered by UAE based Depa . </P> <P> The building opened in December 1999 . </P> <P> Several features of the hotel required complex engineering feats to achieve . The hotel rests on an artificial island constructed 280 m (920 ft) offshore . To secure a foundation, the builders drove 230 forty - meter - long (130 ft) concrete piles into the sand . </P>

When was the burj al arab dubai built