Dubai, Sep 1 (IANS) Burj Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is now the world’s tallest man-made structure, after reaching a record height of 688 metres, its developer real estate giant Emaar Properties said in a statement Monday.The tower is now over 160 storeys - the largest number of floors in any building across the world, an Emaar statement here said.

The tower unofficially became the world’s tallest man-made structure in April this year after surpassing the KVLY-TV mast (628.8 metres) in North Dakota in the US.

Designed by Chicago-based Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), Burj Dubai is being constructed by high-rise building experts from South Korea’s Samsung Corporation.

Cladding work on the building is nearing completion, while work on the interiors has started, Emaar said.

In June this year, the company had announced that the opening of the tower was scheduled for September 2009.

The original deadline was December this year but was then pushed back to April next year.

Though the final height of the tower has not been disclosed yet, it will be officially recognised as the world’s tallest structure only when the construction is fully completed.

When completed, Burj Dubai should meet all four criteria listed by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH), which classifies the world’s tallest structures.

CTBUH measures the height of buildings on the basis of spire height, the highest occupied floor, roof height and pinnacle height.

Burj Dubai is the centrepiece of Emaar’s flagship mega-project, the 73-billion dirham ($20 billion) downtown Burj Dubai, billed as the world’s most prestigious project.

The super-tall structure will have residences, commercial space and hospitality elements, including the world’s first Armani Hotel and Armani Residences.

Around 7,500 professionals and skilled workers are currently employed at the site.