The construction of what will become Africa’s tallest tower is moving forward with the announcement that China Railway Construction Corporation International (CRCCI) and its Moroccan partners have inked the deal for the new building in Rabat. A signing ceremony was held late last week.
Currently, the tallest building in Africa is the Carlton Centre in Johannesburg at 223 meters in height. The tallest building in Morocco? The Casablanca Twin Center at a mere 115 meters.
The tower, designed by architects Hakim Benjelloun of Morocco and Rafael de la Hoz of Spain, will rise 55 stories and feature residential, corporate and professional space. Plans include a 350-seat auditorium, first-floor retail, and 55 apartments with a luxury hotel and luxury penthouse apartments across the top floors.
The elegant curved tower is meant as a centerpiece of Morocco’s overall development plans for the Bouregreg Valley, home to Rabat and the adjacent Salé to the east. It will sit on a 3-hectare site, joining other features of the plan that include arts and cultural centers, a marina and shopping mall.
BMCE Bank of Africa said the USD$3.2 billion project will integrate sustainable technologies, including photovoltaic panels that will cover a third of the exterior to power up the electricity for the building itself.
The BMCE Tower of Bouregreg project is sometimes referred to as the Othman Benjelloun tower, after the CEO of partner BMCE Bank of Africa who is known to be among North Africa’s wealthiest leaders. In addition to CRCCI, Morocco’s TGCC also is a partner on the tower project, according to the press statement.The project is expected to take three years to complete.
Source: All Africa Times