I am an Englishman living in America, the country
which invented skyscrapers. Almost without exception, the significant
US skyscrapers are located in major financial or business centres, and
are capped out at between 80 and 100 stories. There is a very sound
reason for this. Skyscrapers are expensive to build (certainly compared
to suburban sprawl), and are usually commissioned by developers with a
keen eye on the bottom line. It is generally only worth their while
building them in locations where space is at such a premium (ie not the
middle of the desert) that the rents they can command per square foot
will justify the massive outlay. Likewise, the height restrictions are
imposed not so much by technology or regulation, but by economics.
Build higher than around 100 stories and the additional revenue you
derive from renting out these higher floors becomes outweighed by the
cost of the overall structure and the rentable space you lose from all
the extra elevators you now require. Which begs the question - is the
Burj Dubai a sound commercial proposition or just a massive ego
statement? Are its designers privy to some architectural secret that
has eluded the rest of the world? Or is Dubai, literally, a house of
cards waiting to crash into the sand?

Increasingly of great concern is the danger of air collisions into these huge structures.  A massive increase in flights to Dubai has resulted in some lenghty holding flights circling the city before being authorised to land

I'm not interested in
taking cheap pot shots at Dubai, I just genuinely don't get the place
and what its wealth is founded on. It has little oil, the climate is
unbearable most of the year, and as for being a playground for the
super rich, without wishing to be rude, there are many more desirable
places for them to spend their time and money. I have heard it touted
as a Middle East business hub, but it seems to consider itself immune
from the economic realities that govern any other commercial meeting
point. Perhaps someone who knows the city could enlighten me.