Behold the Brick Khalifa: The World’s Tallest LEGO Building

There are several reasons why LEGO is the world’s greatest toy, but chief among them is versatility. The simple, snappable blocks are magical precisely because they can be used to build virtually any type of structure the mind is capable of conceiving. More than just a toy, LEGO is an artistic medium unto itself.

Left: the real Burj Khalifa; right: its 56-foot-tall LEGO counterpart; images via All Dubai and New Atlas

This week, we were reminded yet again of the possibilities offered by the famous plastic bricks: A LEGO version of the world’s tallest building has been unveiled. The LEGO Burj Khalifa was built by a team of experts at LEGOLAND Dubai, which is slated to open this Halloween. The model celebrates the crown jewel of Dubai’s skyline and is sure to provide Dubai natives with the uncanny thrill of recognition only architectural models can offer.

Via New Atlas

At 56 feet (17 meters), the Brick Khalifa is claimed to be the tallest building in the world made out of LEGO. The mammoth model contains 439,000 LEGO pieces and weighs in at 1 ton. Construction took over 5,000 hours.

Via New Atlas

Like the real Burj Khalifa, the LEGO version features LED lights and is surrounded by water features, which can be used to put on elaborate light and fountain shows.

Readers unable to make it to LEGOLAND Dubai who nevertheless think the Burj Khalifa looks pretty in plastic should check out the LEGO Architecture Burj Khalifa set, which can be built at home. This 15-inch model may lack the grandeur of the Dubai version, but it is elegant in its own right and makes a great gift.