How to build Burj Al Arab in Minecraft

Dubai's sail-shaped hotel on its own artificial island. Two wings of rooms form a V behind a huge white fabric sail, with the white exoskeleton frame and its giant X braces down the sides, the tall mast at the back, the round helipad sticking out near the top and the Al Muntaha restaurant cantilevered across the mast. A curved causeway bridge runs out from the beach with its umbrellas and palms, across the turquoise sea. Inside, the atrium soars almost the full height of the tower in rings of gold and blue balconies. Glowing at Night.

Open the interactive 3D plan above to build it one layer at a time: every layer has a numbered top-down plan, a block list and full-screen step-by-step instructions you can tick off as you go. You can also download it for Litematica, WorldEdit or Minecraft Bedrock, or view it in your room in AR.

Materials list

BlockAmountStacks
Water5,72389 stacks + 27
White Concrete3,10448 stacks + 32
White Wool1,49023 stacks + 18
Blue Stained Glass1,13017 stacks + 42
Smooth Sandstone1,05716 stacks + 33
Quartz Block76411 stacks + 60
Block of Gold74311 stacks + 39
Blue Concrete70511 stacks + 1
Sand69610 stacks + 56
Cut Sandstone6279 stacks + 51
Light Blue Concrete5879 stacks + 11
Smooth Stone3415 stacks + 21
Light Gray Concrete2784 stacks + 22
Smooth Quartz Block2203 stacks + 28
Stone Bricks1762 stacks + 48
Birch Fence1632 stacks + 35
Sea Lantern1592 stacks + 31
Jungle Leaves1562 stacks + 28
Cobblestone1221 stack + 58
Andesite1171 stack + 53
Quartz Pillar961 stack + 32
Gray Concrete881 stack + 24
Light Blue Stained Glass881 stack + 24
Glowstone741 stack + 10
Jungle Log661 stack + 2
Smooth Quartz Slab58
Lantern48
White Carpet28
Blue Wool18
Light Blue Wool18
Red Carpet15
End Rod13
Orange Wool9
Block of Iron7
Blue Carpet2
Light Blue Carpet2
Orange Carpet1

Building tips

  1. Start with the plan at the bottom: a V that opens to the east, 32 blocks deep, with the sail closing the open end in a gentle curve. Each layer is the same V cut back a little more, so the sail edge curves up and back to meet the mast at the top.
  2. Work one floor at a time and only place the outline: the outer wall of each wing, the inner atrium wall four blocks in, and the sail across the front. The middle stays empty.
  3. When the sail steps back between layers, cap the top of the lower layer with white wool so you cannot see into the building from above.
  4. White wool for the fabric sail and white concrete for the frame gives two different whites, so the X braces and the mast still stand out against the sail.
  5. Hang the helipad off the south side on a short bridge and two diagonal struts. Put the restaurant a few blocks higher so they do not clash.
  6. Every eighth row of the sail is a seam of sea lanterns and white concrete, and the sail edges get a sea lantern every four blocks. At night the whole sail glows in stripes.
  7. Inside, alternate gold block and blue concrete on the atrium balconies. Gold blocks shine at night, so the inside of the sail glows.
  8. Lay the sea one layer down and build the island, bridge and beach on top. Doing the water last saves you swimming.

Step-by-step: all 98 layers

  1. Layer 1 Water ×5659, Sand ×87, Quartz Pillar ×10
  2. Layer 2 Sand ×609, Smooth Sandstone ×435, White Concrete ×239, Stone Bricks ×176, Cobblestone ×122, Andesite ×117, Light Blue Concrete ×25, Quartz Pillar ×1
  3. Layer 3 Cut Sandstone ×627, Smooth Sandstone ×622, Smooth Stone ×341, Smooth Quartz Block ×220, Block of Gold ×151, Blue Concrete ×148, White Concrete ×85, Water ×62, Birch Fence ×22, White Carpet ×22, Light Blue Concrete ×21, Red Carpet ×15, Sea Lantern ×10, Jungle Log ×6
  4. Layer 4 Birch Fence ×141, White Concrete ×106, Block of Gold ×57, Sea Lantern ×15, Jungle Log ×12, Quartz Block ×10, Light Blue Stained Glass ×5, Quartz Pillar ×1
  5. Layer 5 White Wool ×86, White Concrete ×48, Blue Concrete ×33, Blue Stained Glass ×30, Blue Wool ×18, Light Blue Wool ×18, Lantern ×16, Jungle Log ×12, Sea Lantern ×11, Quartz Block ×10, Orange Wool ×9, Light Gray Concrete ×8, Light Blue Stained Glass ×5, Glowstone ×1, Quartz Pillar ×1, Water ×1
  6. Layer 6 White Concrete ×54, Light Blue Concrete ×33, White Wool ×32, Blue Stained Glass ×30, Jungle Log ×12, Light Gray Concrete ×8, Quartz Block ×8, White Carpet ×6, Blue Carpet ×2, Light Blue Carpet ×2, Sea Lantern ×2, Glowstone ×1, Orange Carpet ×1, Quartz Pillar ×1, Water ×1
  7. Layer 7 Smooth Quartz Slab ×58, White Concrete ×56, Block of Gold ×33, White Wool ×32, Jungle Log ×12, Quartz Block ×10, Quartz Pillar ×1
  8. Layer 8 Jungle Leaves ×96, Blue Concrete ×33, White Wool ×32, Blue Stained Glass ×30, White Concrete ×18, Jungle Log ×12, Quartz Block ×10, Light Gray Concrete ×8, Glowstone ×3, Block of Gold ×1, Quartz Pillar ×1
  9. Layer 9 Jungle Leaves ×60, Light Blue Concrete ×33, White Wool ×32, Blue Stained Glass ×30, White Concrete ×18, Quartz Block ×10, Light Gray Concrete ×8, Glowstone ×2, Quartz Pillar ×1
  10. Layer 10 White Concrete ×56, Block of Gold ×33, White Wool ×32, Quartz Block ×8, Sea Lantern ×3, Quartz Pillar ×1
  11. Layer 11 Blue Concrete ×33, White Wool ×32, Blue Stained Glass ×30, White Concrete ×18, Light Gray Concrete ×8, Quartz Block ×8, Quartz Pillar ×1
  12. Layer 12 White Concrete ×36, Light Blue Concrete ×33, Blue Stained Glass ×30, Sea Lantern ×14, Quartz Block ×10, Light Gray Concrete ×8, Glowstone ×3, Quartz Pillar ×1
  13. Layer 13 White Concrete ×52, Block of Gold ×33, White Wool ×32, Quartz Block ×10, Quartz Pillar ×1
  14. Layer 14 Blue Concrete ×33, White Wool ×32, Blue Stained Glass ×30, White Concrete ×18, Light Gray Concrete ×8, Quartz Block ×8, Glowstone ×2, Sea Lantern ×2, Quartz Pillar ×1
  15. Layer 15 Light Blue Concrete ×33, White Wool ×32, Blue Stained Glass ×30, White Concrete ×18, Light Gray Concrete ×8, Quartz Block ×8, Glowstone ×5, Quartz Pillar ×1
  16. Layer 16 White Concrete ×56, Block of Gold ×33, White Wool ×32, Quartz Block ×10, Quartz Pillar ×1
  17. Layer 17 Blue Concrete ×31, Blue Stained Glass ×30, White Wool ×30, White Concrete ×18, Quartz Block ×10, Light Gray Concrete ×8, Glowstone ×1, Quartz Pillar ×1
  18. Layer 18 Light Blue Concrete ×31, Blue Stained Glass ×30, White Wool ×30, White Concrete ×22, Light Gray Concrete ×8, Quartz Block ×8, Sea Lantern ×3, Glowstone ×1, Quartz Pillar ×1
  19. Layer 19 White Concrete ×56, Block of Gold ×31, White Wool ×30, Quartz Block ×10, Quartz Pillar ×1
  20. Layer 20 White Concrete ×34, Blue Concrete ×31, Blue Stained Glass ×30, Sea Lantern ×14, Quartz Block ×10, Light Gray Concrete ×8, Glowstone ×2, Quartz Pillar ×1
  21. Layer 21 Light Blue Concrete ×31, Blue Stained Glass ×30, White Wool ×30, White Concrete ×18, Quartz Block ×10, Light Gray Concrete ×8, Quartz Pillar ×1
  22. Layer 22 White Concrete ×106, Block of Gold ×31, White Wool ×30, Quartz Block ×8, Quartz Pillar ×1
  23. Layer 23 Blue Concrete ×31, Blue Stained Glass ×30, White Wool ×30, White Concrete ×18, Quartz Block ×10, Light Gray Concrete ×6, Glowstone ×4, Quartz Pillar ×1
  24. Layer 24 Light Blue Concrete ×31, Blue Stained Glass ×30, White Wool ×30, White Concrete ×18, Quartz Block ×10, Light Gray Concrete ×6, Glowstone ×4, Quartz Pillar ×1
  25. Layer 25 White Concrete ×54, Block of Gold ×31, White Wool ×30, Quartz Block ×10, Quartz Pillar ×1
  26. Layer 26 Blue Concrete ×31, Blue Stained Glass ×30, White Wool ×30, White Concrete ×18, Quartz Block ×8, Light Gray Concrete ×6, Glowstone ×1, Quartz Pillar ×1, Sea Lantern ×1
  27. Layer 27 Light Blue Concrete ×31, Blue Stained Glass ×30, White Wool ×30, White Concrete ×18, Quartz Block ×8, Light Gray Concrete ×6, Glowstone ×3, Quartz Pillar ×1
  28. Layer 28 White Concrete ×68, Block of Gold ×31, Sea Lantern ×14, Quartz Block ×8, Quartz Pillar ×1
  29. Layer 29 Blue Concrete ×31, Blue Stained Glass ×30, White Wool ×28, White Concrete ×18, Quartz Block ×10, Light Gray Concrete ×6, Glowstone ×2, Quartz Pillar ×1
  30. Layer 30 Blue Stained Glass ×30, Light Blue Concrete ×29, White Wool ×28, White Concrete ×10, Quartz Block ×8, Light Gray Concrete ×6, Glowstone ×2, Sea Lantern ×2, Quartz Pillar ×1
  31. Layer 31 White Concrete ×54, Block of Gold ×29, White Wool ×28, Quartz Block ×10, Quartz Pillar ×1
  32. Layer 32 Blue Stained Glass ×30, Blue Concrete ×29, White Wool ×26, White Concrete ×18, Quartz Block ×8, Light Gray Concrete ×6, Quartz Pillar ×1
  33. Layer 33 Blue Stained Glass ×30, Light Blue Concrete ×29, White Wool ×26, White Concrete ×18, Quartz Block ×8, Light Gray Concrete ×6, Quartz Pillar ×1
  34. Layer 34 White Concrete ×54, Block of Gold ×27, White Wool ×26, Quartz Block ×8, Sea Lantern ×3, Quartz Pillar ×1
  35. Layer 35 Blue Stained Glass ×28, Blue Concrete ×27, White Wool ×26, White Concrete ×18, Quartz Block ×10, Light Gray Concrete ×6, Glowstone ×1, Quartz Pillar ×1
  36. Layer 36 White Concrete ×34, Blue Stained Glass ×28, Light Blue Concrete ×27, Quartz Block ×10, Sea Lantern ×10, Light Gray Concrete ×6, Glowstone ×2, Quartz Pillar ×1
  37. Layer 37 White Concrete ×52, Block of Gold ×27, White Wool ×26, Quartz Block ×10, Quartz Pillar ×1
  38. Layer 38 White Concrete ×56, Blue Concrete ×27, Blue Stained Glass ×26, White Wool ×26, Quartz Block ×8, Light Gray Concrete ×6, Glowstone ×3, Quartz Pillar ×1
  39. Layer 39 Light Blue Concrete ×27, Blue Stained Glass ×26, White Wool ×26, White Concrete ×18, Quartz Block ×10, Light Gray Concrete ×6, Glowstone ×1, Quartz Pillar ×1
  40. Layer 40 White Concrete ×50, Block of Gold ×27, White Wool ×26, Quartz Block ×8, Quartz Pillar ×1
  41. Layer 41 Blue Concrete ×27, Blue Stained Glass ×26, White Wool ×24, White Concrete ×18, Quartz Block ×8, Light Gray Concrete ×6, Glowstone ×1, Quartz Pillar ×1
  42. Layer 42 Blue Stained Glass ×26, Light Blue Concrete ×25, White Wool ×24, White Concrete ×18, Quartz Block ×8, Light Gray Concrete ×6, Sea Lantern ×3, Quartz Pillar ×1
  43. Layer 43 White Concrete ×50, Block of Gold ×25, White Wool ×24, Quartz Block ×10, Quartz Pillar ×1
  44. Layer 44 White Concrete ×30, Blue Stained Glass ×26, Blue Concrete ×23, Quartz Block ×10, Sea Lantern ×10, Light Gray Concrete ×6, Glowstone ×2, Quartz Pillar ×1
  45. Layer 45 Blue Stained Glass ×26, Light Blue Concrete ×23, White Wool ×22, Quartz Block ×10, Light Gray Concrete ×6, White Concrete ×6, Quartz Pillar ×1
  46. Layer 46 White Concrete ×48, Block of Gold ×23, White Wool ×22, Quartz Block ×8, Sea Lantern ×2, Quartz Pillar ×1
  47. Layer 47 Blue Stained Glass ×24, Blue Concrete ×23, White Wool ×22, White Concrete ×18, Quartz Block ×10, Light Gray Concrete ×6, Quartz Pillar ×1
  48. Layer 48 Blue Stained Glass ×24, Light Blue Concrete ×23, White Wool ×22, White Concrete ×18, Quartz Block ×8, Light Gray Concrete ×6, Glowstone ×1, Quartz Pillar ×1
  49. Layer 49 White Concrete ×48, Block of Gold ×23, White Wool ×20, Quartz Block ×10, Quartz Pillar ×1
  50. Layer 50 Blue Stained Glass ×24, Blue Concrete ×21, White Concrete ×20, White Wool ×20, Quartz Block ×8, Light Gray Concrete ×6, Sea Lantern ×3, Glowstone ×1, Quartz Pillar ×1
  51. Layer 51 Blue Stained Glass ×22, Light Blue Concrete ×21, White Concrete ×20, White Wool ×20, Quartz Block ×10, Light Gray Concrete ×6, Glowstone ×1, Quartz Pillar ×1
  52. Layer 52 White Concrete ×82, Block of Gold ×21, Sea Lantern ×10, Quartz Block ×8, Quartz Pillar ×1
  53. Layer 53 Blue Concrete ×21, Blue Stained Glass ×20, White Concrete ×20, White Wool ×20, Quartz Block ×10, Light Gray Concrete ×6, Glowstone ×2, Quartz Pillar ×1
  54. Layer 54 Light Blue Concrete ×21, Blue Stained Glass ×20, White Concrete ×20, White Wool ×20, Quartz Block ×8, Light Gray Concrete ×6, Glowstone ×2, Sea Lantern ×2, Quartz Pillar ×1
  55. Layer 55 White Concrete ×46, Block of Gold ×19, White Wool ×18, Quartz Block ×10, Quartz Pillar ×1
  56. Layer 56 Blue Stained Glass ×20, Blue Concrete ×19, White Wool ×18, White Concrete ×12, Quartz Block ×10, Light Gray Concrete ×6, Glowstone ×2, Quartz Pillar ×1
  57. Layer 57 Blue Stained Glass ×20, White Concrete ×20, Light Blue Concrete ×17, White Wool ×16, Quartz Block ×10, Light Gray Concrete ×6, Glowstone ×4, Quartz Pillar ×1
  58. Layer 58 White Concrete ×36, Block of Gold ×17, White Wool ×16, Quartz Block ×8, Sea Lantern ×3, Quartz Pillar ×1
  59. Layer 59 Blue Stained Glass ×20, White Concrete ×20, Blue Concrete ×17, White Wool ×16, Quartz Block ×10, Light Gray Concrete ×4, Glowstone ×1, Quartz Pillar ×1
  60. Layer 60 Gray Concrete ×88, White Concrete ×77, Blue Stained Glass ×18, Light Blue Concrete ×15, Quartz Block ×10, Sea Lantern ×8, Light Gray Concrete ×4, Glowstone ×2, Quartz Pillar ×1
  61. Layer 61 White Concrete ×40, White Wool ×16, Block of Gold ×15, End Rod ×12, Quartz Block ×10, Quartz Pillar ×1
  62. Layer 62 Blue Stained Glass ×18, White Concrete ×18, Blue Concrete ×15, White Wool ×13, Quartz Block ×8, Light Gray Concrete ×4, Glowstone ×2, Quartz Pillar ×1
  63. Layer 63 White Concrete ×18, Blue Stained Glass ×16, White Wool ×14, Light Blue Concrete ×13, Quartz Block ×10, Light Gray Concrete ×4, Glowstone ×2, Quartz Pillar ×1, Sea Lantern ×1
  64. Layer 64 White Concrete ×318, White Wool ×13, Block of Gold ×11
  65. Layer 65 Light Blue Stained Glass ×78, Lantern ×32, Blue Stained Glass ×14, White Wool ×12, Blue Concrete ×11, Quartz Block ×10, Light Gray Concrete ×4, Glowstone ×1, Quartz Pillar ×1
  66. Layer 66 White Concrete ×292, White Wool ×11, Light Blue Concrete ×9, Blue Stained Glass ×6, Light Gray Concrete ×2, Sea Lantern ×2, Glowstone ×1
  67. Layer 67 White Concrete ×18, White Wool ×12, Quartz Block ×10, Block of Gold ×9, Quartz Pillar ×1
  68. Layer 68 Blue Stained Glass ×12, Quartz Block ×10, White Concrete ×8, Blue Concrete ×7, Light Gray Concrete ×4, Sea Lantern ×4, Glowstone ×2, Quartz Pillar ×1
  69. Layer 69 Blue Stained Glass ×12, Quartz Block ×10, White Wool ×10, Light Blue Concrete ×5, Light Gray Concrete ×4, Glowstone ×2, White Concrete ×2, Quartz Pillar ×1
  70. Layer 70 White Concrete ×16, White Wool ×10, Quartz Block ×8, Block of Gold ×5, Sea Lantern ×2, Quartz Pillar ×1
  71. Layer 71 Blue Stained Glass ×10, Quartz Block ×10, White Wool ×8, Blue Concrete ×3, Light Gray Concrete ×2, White Concrete ×2, Quartz Pillar ×1
  72. Layer 72 Quartz Block ×10, Blue Stained Glass ×8, White Wool ×8, Light Gray Concrete ×2, White Concrete ×2, Light Blue Concrete ×1, Quartz Pillar ×1
  73. Layer 73 White Concrete ×12, Quartz Block ×10, White Wool ×9, Quartz Pillar ×1
  74. Layer 74 Quartz Block ×8, Blue Stained Glass ×6, White Wool ×6, Sea Lantern ×3, Light Gray Concrete ×2, White Concrete ×2, Quartz Pillar ×1
  75. Layer 75 Quartz Block ×8, White Wool ×6, Blue Stained Glass ×4, Light Gray Concrete ×2, White Concrete ×2, Glowstone ×1, Quartz Pillar ×1
  76. Layer 76 Quartz Block ×8, Quartz Pillar ×1, White Concrete ×1
  77. Layer 77 Quartz Block ×8, Quartz Pillar ×1
  78. Layer 78 Quartz Block ×8, Quartz Pillar ×1
  79. Layer 79 Quartz Block ×8, Quartz Pillar ×1
  80. Layer 80 Quartz Block ×8, Quartz Pillar ×1
  81. Layer 81 Quartz Block ×8, Quartz Pillar ×1
  82. Layer 82 Quartz Block ×8, Quartz Pillar ×1, Sea Lantern ×1
  83. Layer 83 Quartz Block ×8, Quartz Pillar ×1
  84. Layer 84 Quartz Block ×8, Quartz Pillar ×1
  85. Layer 85 Quartz Block ×8, Quartz Pillar ×1
  86. Layer 86 Quartz Block ×8, Quartz Pillar ×1
  87. Layer 87 Quartz Block ×8, Quartz Pillar ×1
  88. Layer 88 Quartz Block ×8, Quartz Pillar ×1
  89. Layer 89 Quartz Block ×8, Quartz Pillar ×1
  90. Layer 90 Quartz Block ×8, Quartz Pillar ×1, Sea Lantern ×1
  91. Layer 91 Block of Iron ×1
  92. Layer 92 Block of Iron ×1
  93. Layer 93 Block of Iron ×1
  94. Layer 94 Block of Iron ×1
  95. Layer 95 Block of Iron ×1
  96. Layer 96 Block of Iron ×1
  97. Layer 97 Block of Iron ×1
  98. Layer 98 End Rod ×1

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