How to build Burj Khalifa in Minecraft

Dubai's Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world, as a 196-block glass needle. Its Y-shaped "desert flower" plan has three wings around a hexagonal core, and each wing steps back in turn as the tower rises, so the setbacks spiral round the building until only the core is left to carry the long, tapering spire. At its foot the Dubai Fountain lake bristles with tall white jets of water, and the low Dubai Mall podium sits to the east among palm trees.

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
Light Gray Concrete5,92592 stacks + 37
Light Blue Stained Glass5,71189 stacks + 15
Smooth Sandstone3,60156 stacks + 17
Grass Block2,70842 stacks + 20
Light Gray Stained Glass2,14933 stacks + 37
Water2,13433 stacks + 22
Sand2,00431 stacks + 20
Gray Concrete97515 stacks + 15
Sandstone78012 stacks + 12
Smooth Stone64910 stacks + 9
White Stained Glass4777 stacks + 29
Smooth Quartz Block3134 stacks + 57
Smooth Stone Slab2794 stacks + 23
Block of Iron1682 stacks + 40
Cut Sandstone1522 stacks + 24
Jungle Leaves1081 stack + 44
Smooth Quartz Slab841 stack + 20
Jungle Log721 stack + 8
White Stained Glass Pane59
White Wool59
Sea Lantern58
Glass18
Lantern14
Block of Gold11
Quartz Pillar4
End Rod1

Building tips

  1. Mark out the Y on the ground first: three wings 24 blocks long and 11 wide, 120 degrees apart, round-ended, meeting at a hexagonal core. Every layer above is the same outline with bits taken away.
  2. The setbacks are the whole look. Every 6–7 layers, shorten just one wing by 3 blocks, going round the tower in the same direction each time (south, north-east, north-west, south...). Keep a written list of heights so you never trim two wings at once.
  3. Build it as a hollow shell. Only the outline of each layer is placed; the inside stays empty, which keeps a 196-block tower under 20,000 blocks.
  4. The vertical silver fins are every third block along the facade in light gray concrete; fill the gaps with light blue and light gray stained glass in alternating bands so the glass shimmers.
  5. Cap every setback with light gray concrete so each terrace reads as a crisp step when you look up the tower.
  6. The spire is mostly a 3x3 then 1x1 column of iron blocks with thin rings every few blocks. Build it from scaffolding and finish with an end rod on top.
  7. For the fountain, put white stained glass columns of different heights in the lake in long arcs. In-game you can swap them for bubble columns or water streams from dispensers.

Step-by-step: all 197 layers

  1. Layer 1 Grass Block ×2708, Smooth Sandstone ×2556, Water ×2134, Sand ×2004, Smooth Stone ×649, Gray Concrete ×304
  2. Layer 2 Smooth Stone Slab ×279, Smooth Sandstone ×143, Gray Concrete ×128, White Stained Glass ×56, Smooth Quartz Block ×16, Lantern ×14, Jungle Log ×12, Light Gray Concrete ×12, Glass ×9, Light Blue Stained Glass ×4, Quartz Pillar ×2
  3. Layer 3 Smooth Sandstone ×143, Light Blue Stained Glass ×87, Light Gray Concrete ×57, White Stained Glass ×56, Smooth Quartz Block ×16, Jungle Log ×12, Glass ×9, Quartz Pillar ×2
  4. Layer 4 Light Blue Stained Glass ×235, Light Gray Concrete ×57, White Stained Glass ×49, Smooth Quartz Slab ×39, Smooth Quartz Block ×21, Jungle Log ×12, White Wool ×7
  5. Layer 5 Light Blue Stained Glass ×231, Light Gray Concrete ×56, Smooth Quartz Slab ×45, White Stained Glass ×37, Jungle Log ×12, White Wool ×12, White Stained Glass Pane ×7
  6. Layer 6 Smooth Sandstone ×152, Light Blue Stained Glass ×83, Light Gray Concrete ×57, White Stained Glass ×26, Jungle Log ×12, White Stained Glass Pane ×12, White Wool ×12, Block of Gold ×11
  7. Layer 7 Cut Sandstone ×152, Light Gray Stained Glass ×83, Light Gray Concrete ×57, Jungle Leaves ×48, White Stained Glass ×16, Jungle Log ×12, White Stained Glass Pane ×12, White Wool ×11
  8. Layer 8 Sandstone ×780, Light Blue Stained Glass ×390, Smooth Sandstone ×347, Light Gray Stained Glass ×83, Jungle Leaves ×60, Light Gray Concrete ×57, White Stained Glass Pane ×11, White Stained Glass ×9, White Wool ×8
  9. Layer 9 Light Blue Stained Glass ×83, Smooth Sandstone ×76, Light Gray Concrete ×57, White Wool ×9, White Stained Glass Pane ×8
  10. Layer 10 Light Blue Stained Glass ×159, Light Gray Concrete ×57, White Stained Glass Pane ×9
  11. Layer 11 Light Blue Stained Glass ×83, Smooth Sandstone ×76, Light Gray Concrete ×57
  12. Layer 12 Light Blue Stained Glass ×298, Smooth Sandstone ×108, Light Gray Concrete ×57
  13. Layer 13 Light Gray Stained Glass ×83, Light Gray Concrete ×57
  14. Layer 14 Light Gray Stained Glass ×83, Light Gray Concrete ×57
  15. Layer 15 Light Blue Stained Glass ×83, Light Gray Concrete ×57
  16. Layer 16 Light Blue Stained Glass ×72, Light Gray Concrete ×68, Smooth Quartz Block ×18
  17. Layer 17 Light Blue Stained Glass ×79, Light Gray Concrete ×55
  18. Layer 18 Light Blue Stained Glass ×79, Light Gray Concrete ×55
  19. Layer 19 Light Gray Stained Glass ×79, Light Gray Concrete ×55
  20. Layer 20 Light Gray Stained Glass ×79, Light Gray Concrete ×55
  21. Layer 21 Light Blue Stained Glass ×79, Light Gray Concrete ×55
  22. Layer 22 Light Blue Stained Glass ×79, Light Gray Concrete ×55
  23. Layer 23 Gray Concrete ×119, Light Gray Concrete ×15, Smooth Quartz Block ×15
  24. Layer 24 Light Blue Stained Glass ×76, Light Gray Concrete ×53
  25. Layer 25 Light Gray Stained Glass ×76, Light Gray Concrete ×53
  26. Layer 26 Light Gray Stained Glass ×76, Light Gray Concrete ×53
  27. Layer 27 Light Blue Stained Glass ×76, Light Gray Concrete ×53
  28. Layer 28 Light Blue Stained Glass ×76, Light Gray Concrete ×53
  29. Layer 29 Light Blue Stained Glass ×67, Light Gray Concrete ×62, Smooth Quartz Block ×15
  30. Layer 30 Light Blue Stained Glass ×74, Light Gray Concrete ×50
  31. Layer 31 Light Gray Stained Glass ×74, Light Gray Concrete ×50
  32. Layer 32 Light Gray Stained Glass ×74, Light Gray Concrete ×50
  33. Layer 33 Light Blue Stained Glass ×74, Light Gray Concrete ×50
  34. Layer 34 Light Blue Stained Glass ×74, Light Gray Concrete ×50
  35. Layer 35 Light Blue Stained Glass ×74, Light Gray Concrete ×50
  36. Layer 36 Light Blue Stained Glass ×63, Light Gray Concrete ×61, Smooth Quartz Block ×18
  37. Layer 37 Light Gray Stained Glass ×70, Light Gray Concrete ×48
  38. Layer 38 Light Gray Stained Glass ×70, Light Gray Concrete ×48
  39. Layer 39 Light Blue Stained Glass ×70, Light Gray Concrete ×48
  40. Layer 40 Light Blue Stained Glass ×70, Light Gray Concrete ×48
  41. Layer 41 Light Blue Stained Glass ×70, Light Gray Concrete ×48
  42. Layer 42 Light Gray Concrete ×60, Light Blue Stained Glass ×58, Smooth Quartz Block ×17
  43. Layer 43 Light Gray Stained Glass ×65, Light Gray Concrete ×48
  44. Layer 44 Light Gray Stained Glass ×65, Light Gray Concrete ×48
  45. Layer 45 Gray Concrete ×113
  46. Layer 46 Light Blue Stained Glass ×65, Light Gray Concrete ×48
  47. Layer 47 Light Blue Stained Glass ×65, Light Gray Concrete ×48
  48. Layer 48 Light Blue Stained Glass ×65, Light Gray Concrete ×48
  49. Layer 49 Light Gray Concrete ×59, Light Gray Stained Glass ×54, Smooth Quartz Block ×17
  50. Layer 50 Light Gray Stained Glass ×61, Light Gray Concrete ×47
  51. Layer 51 Light Blue Stained Glass ×61, Light Gray Concrete ×47
  52. Layer 52 Light Blue Stained Glass ×61, Light Gray Concrete ×47
  53. Layer 53 Light Blue Stained Glass ×61, Light Gray Concrete ×47
  54. Layer 54 Light Blue Stained Glass ×61, Light Gray Concrete ×47
  55. Layer 55 Light Gray Concrete ×68, Light Gray Stained Glass ×40, Smooth Quartz Block ×22
  56. Layer 56 Light Gray Stained Glass ×57, Light Gray Concrete ×45
  57. Layer 57 Light Blue Stained Glass ×57, Light Gray Concrete ×45
  58. Layer 58 Light Blue Stained Glass ×57, Light Gray Concrete ×45
  59. Layer 59 Light Blue Stained Glass ×57, Light Gray Concrete ×45
  60. Layer 60 Light Blue Stained Glass ×57, Light Gray Concrete ×45
  61. Layer 61 Light Gray Stained Glass ×57, Light Gray Concrete ×45
  62. Layer 62 Light Gray Concrete ×61, Light Gray Stained Glass ×41, Smooth Quartz Block ×21
  63. Layer 63 Light Blue Stained Glass ×55, Light Gray Concrete ×42
  64. Layer 64 Light Blue Stained Glass ×55, Light Gray Concrete ×42
  65. Layer 65 Light Blue Stained Glass ×55, Light Gray Concrete ×42
  66. Layer 66 Light Blue Stained Glass ×55, Light Gray Concrete ×42
  67. Layer 67 Gray Concrete ×97
  68. Layer 68 Light Gray Concrete ×57, Light Gray Stained Glass ×40, Smooth Quartz Block ×21
  69. Layer 69 Light Blue Stained Glass ×55, Light Gray Concrete ×37
  70. Layer 70 Light Blue Stained Glass ×55, Light Gray Concrete ×37
  71. Layer 71 Light Blue Stained Glass ×55, Light Gray Concrete ×37
  72. Layer 72 Light Blue Stained Glass ×55, Light Gray Concrete ×37
  73. Layer 73 Light Gray Stained Glass ×55, Light Gray Concrete ×37
  74. Layer 74 Light Gray Stained Glass ×55, Light Gray Concrete ×37
  75. Layer 75 Light Gray Concrete ×48, Light Blue Stained Glass ×44, Smooth Quartz Block ×12
  76. Layer 76 Light Blue Stained Glass ×51, Light Gray Concrete ×35
  77. Layer 77 Light Blue Stained Glass ×51, Light Gray Concrete ×35
  78. Layer 78 Light Blue Stained Glass ×51, Light Gray Concrete ×35
  79. Layer 79 Light Gray Stained Glass ×51, Light Gray Concrete ×35
  80. Layer 80 Light Gray Stained Glass ×51, Light Gray Concrete ×35
  81. Layer 81 Light Gray Concrete ×44, Light Blue Stained Glass ×42, Smooth Quartz Block ×11
  82. Layer 82 Light Blue Stained Glass ×48, Light Gray Concrete ×33
  83. Layer 83 Light Blue Stained Glass ×48, Light Gray Concrete ×33
  84. Layer 84 Light Blue Stained Glass ×48, Light Gray Concrete ×33
  85. Layer 85 Light Gray Stained Glass ×48, Light Gray Concrete ×33
  86. Layer 86 Light Gray Stained Glass ×48, Light Gray Concrete ×33
  87. Layer 87 Light Blue Stained Glass ×48, Light Gray Concrete ×33
  88. Layer 88 Light Gray Concrete ×43, Light Blue Stained Glass ×38, Smooth Quartz Block ×11
  89. Layer 89 Gray Concrete ×76
  90. Layer 90 Light Blue Stained Glass ×44, Light Gray Concrete ×32
  91. Layer 91 Light Gray Stained Glass ×44, Light Gray Concrete ×32
  92. Layer 92 Light Gray Stained Glass ×44, Light Gray Concrete ×32
  93. Layer 93 Light Blue Stained Glass ×44, Light Gray Concrete ×32
  94. Layer 94 Light Gray Concrete ×42, Light Blue Stained Glass ×34, Smooth Quartz Block ×14
  95. Layer 95 Light Blue Stained Glass ×39, Light Gray Concrete ×31
  96. Layer 96 Light Blue Stained Glass ×39, Light Gray Concrete ×31
  97. Layer 97 Light Gray Stained Glass ×39, Light Gray Concrete ×31
  98. Layer 98 Light Gray Stained Glass ×39, Light Gray Concrete ×31
  99. Layer 99 Light Blue Stained Glass ×39, Light Gray Concrete ×31
  100. Layer 100 Light Blue Stained Glass ×39, Light Gray Concrete ×31
  101. Layer 101 Light Gray Concrete ×40, Light Blue Stained Glass ×30, Smooth Quartz Block ×15
  102. Layer 102 Light Blue Stained Glass ×34, Light Gray Concrete ×30
  103. Layer 103 Light Gray Stained Glass ×34, Light Gray Concrete ×30
  104. Layer 104 Light Gray Stained Glass ×34, Light Gray Concrete ×30
  105. Layer 105 Light Blue Stained Glass ×34, Light Gray Concrete ×30
  106. Layer 106 Light Blue Stained Glass ×34, Light Gray Concrete ×30
  107. Layer 107 Light Gray Concrete ×39, Light Blue Stained Glass ×25, Smooth Quartz Block ×15
  108. Layer 108 Light Blue Stained Glass ×29, Light Gray Concrete ×29
  109. Layer 109 Light Gray Concrete ×29, Light Gray Stained Glass ×29
  110. Layer 110 Light Gray Concrete ×29, Light Gray Stained Glass ×29
  111. Layer 111 Gray Concrete ×58
  112. Layer 112 Light Blue Stained Glass ×29, Light Gray Concrete ×29
  113. Layer 113 Light Blue Stained Glass ×29, Light Gray Concrete ×29
  114. Layer 114 Light Gray Concrete ×32, Light Blue Stained Glass ×26, Smooth Quartz Block ×3
  115. Layer 115 Light Gray Concrete ×29, Light Gray Stained Glass ×29
  116. Layer 116 Light Gray Concrete ×29, Light Gray Stained Glass ×29
  117. Layer 117 Light Blue Stained Glass ×29, Light Gray Concrete ×29
  118. Layer 118 Light Blue Stained Glass ×29, Light Gray Concrete ×29
  119. Layer 119 Light Blue Stained Glass ×29, Light Gray Concrete ×29
  120. Layer 120 Light Gray Concrete ×33, Light Blue Stained Glass ×25, Smooth Quartz Block ×3
  121. Layer 121 Light Gray Concrete ×29, Light Gray Stained Glass ×28
  122. Layer 122 Light Gray Concrete ×29, Light Gray Stained Glass ×28
  123. Layer 123 Light Gray Concrete ×29, Light Blue Stained Glass ×28
  124. Layer 124 Light Gray Concrete ×29, Light Blue Stained Glass ×28
  125. Layer 125 Light Gray Concrete ×29, Light Blue Stained Glass ×28
  126. Layer 126 Light Gray Concrete ×29, Light Blue Stained Glass ×28
  127. Layer 127 Light Gray Concrete ×32, Light Gray Stained Glass ×25, Smooth Quartz Block ×3
  128. Layer 128 Light Gray Concrete ×56, Smooth Quartz Block ×4
  129. Layer 129 Light Blue Stained Glass ×26, Light Gray Concrete ×22
  130. Layer 130 Light Blue Stained Glass ×26, Light Gray Concrete ×22
  131. Layer 131 Light Blue Stained Glass ×26, Light Gray Concrete ×22
  132. Layer 132 White Stained Glass ×26, Light Gray Concrete ×22
  133. Layer 133 Gray Concrete ×48
  134. Layer 134 White Stained Glass ×26, Light Gray Concrete ×22
  135. Layer 135 Light Blue Stained Glass ×26, Light Gray Concrete ×22
  136. Layer 136 White Stained Glass ×26, Light Gray Concrete ×22
  137. Layer 137 Light Blue Stained Glass ×26, Light Gray Concrete ×12, Sea Lantern ×10
  138. Layer 138 White Stained Glass ×26, Light Gray Concrete ×22
  139. Layer 139 Light Blue Stained Glass ×26, Light Gray Concrete ×22
  140. Layer 140 Light Gray Concrete ×46, Smooth Quartz Block ×3, White Stained Glass ×2
  141. Layer 141 Light Blue Stained Glass ×23, Light Gray Concrete ×12, Sea Lantern ×9
  142. Layer 142 White Stained Glass ×23, Light Gray Concrete ×21
  143. Layer 143 Light Blue Stained Glass ×23, Light Gray Concrete ×21
  144. Layer 144 White Stained Glass ×23, Light Gray Concrete ×21
  145. Layer 145 Light Blue Stained Glass ×23, Light Gray Concrete ×12, Sea Lantern ×9
  146. Layer 146 Light Gray Concrete ×24, White Stained Glass ×20
  147. Layer 147 Light Blue Stained Glass ×22, Light Gray Concrete ×22
  148. Layer 148 Light Gray Concrete ×44, Smooth Quartz Block ×2
  149. Layer 149 Light Blue Stained Glass ×14, Light Gray Concrete ×12, Sea Lantern ×10
  150. Layer 150 Light Gray Concrete ×22, White Stained Glass ×14
  151. Layer 151 Light Gray Concrete ×22, Light Blue Stained Glass ×14
  152. Layer 152 Light Gray Concrete ×22, White Stained Glass ×14
  153. Layer 153 Light Blue Stained Glass ×14, Light Gray Concrete ×12, Sea Lantern ×10
  154. Layer 154 Light Gray Concrete ×36
  155. Layer 155 Gray Concrete ×32
  156. Layer 156 Light Gray Concrete ×18, White Stained Glass ×14
  157. Layer 157 Light Blue Stained Glass ×14, Light Gray Concrete ×12, Sea Lantern ×6
  158. Layer 158 Light Gray Concrete ×18, White Stained Glass ×14
  159. Layer 159 Light Gray Concrete ×18, Light Blue Stained Glass ×14
  160. Layer 160 Light Gray Concrete ×37
  161. Layer 161 Block of Iron ×9, Sea Lantern ×4
  162. Layer 162 Block of Iron ×9
  163. Layer 163 Block of Iron ×9, Light Gray Concrete ×4
  164. Layer 164 Block of Iron ×9
  165. Layer 165 Block of Iron ×9
  166. Layer 166 Block of Iron ×9
  167. Layer 167 Block of Iron ×9, Light Gray Concrete ×4
  168. Layer 168 Block of Iron ×9
  169. Layer 169 Block of Iron ×9
  170. Layer 170 Block of Iron ×9
  171. Layer 171 Block of Iron ×9, Light Gray Concrete ×4
  172. Layer 172 Block of Iron ×9
  173. Layer 173 Block of Iron ×9
  174. Layer 174 Block of Iron ×9
  175. Layer 175 Block of Iron ×9, Light Gray Concrete ×4
  176. Layer 176 Block of Iron ×9
  177. Layer 177 Block of Iron ×9
  178. Layer 178 Block of Iron ×1
  179. Layer 179 Block of Iron ×1
  180. Layer 180 Block of Iron ×1
  181. Layer 181 Light Gray Concrete ×1
  182. Layer 182 Block of Iron ×1
  183. Layer 183 Block of Iron ×1
  184. Layer 184 Block of Iron ×1
  185. Layer 185 Block of Iron ×1
  186. Layer 186 Light Gray Concrete ×1
  187. Layer 187 Block of Iron ×1
  188. Layer 188 Block of Iron ×1
  189. Layer 189 Block of Iron ×1
  190. Layer 190 Block of Iron ×1
  191. Layer 191 Light Gray Concrete ×1
  192. Layer 192 Block of Iron ×1
  193. Layer 193 Block of Iron ×1
  194. Layer 194 Block of Iron ×1
  195. Layer 195 Block of Iron ×1
  196. Layer 196 Light Gray Concrete ×1
  197. Layer 197 End Rod ×1

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