Earlier this year, project ideas about Morocco that have circulated around the Internet have been more in the realm of science fiction than reality, from the bacteria-and-sand settlement in the Sahara desert, to a vertical city of glass, also in the desert.
But Thom Mayne's Morphosis Architects released designs for a building that will be constructed in a more hospitable part of the kingdom—the Casablanca Finance City tower, named after the nation’s chief port and most populous city in which it will be built.
The design involves a crown-shaped pinnacle that is mirrored by the tapered, asymmetrical base. The ground level will offer public space, which the designers hope “will serve as [a] social symbol and meeting place,” ArchDaily reports. The building will have a total of 226,042 sf. Ground broke in December 2014, and the project is slated for a 2017 completion.
According to ArchDaily, the tower will anchor a new business district being planned, Casablanca Finance City, similar to the glass and concrete business La Défense section at the outskirts of Paris, which towers over the city’s historical quarters from a distance.
“The first tower planned [for the Casablanca Finance City] has a critical role in the development, symbolizing Morocco’s vision for the future and setting precedents in building performance, scale, and style for a city that does not yet exist,” the firm said in a statement.
Related Stories
High-rise Construction | Oct 14, 2016
Perkins+Will-designed residential towers would transform the Seattle skyline
The towers thrive on ‘creative tension’ and lean farther away from each other the higher they climb.
Wood | Oct 13, 2016
Concept from Perkins+Will could become the world’s tallest timber tower
River Beech Tower is said to be a part of a masterplan along the Chicago River.
Resiliency | Oct 5, 2016
San Francisco’s 181 Fremont will become the most earthquake-resilient building on the West Coast
The building has achieved REDi Gold Rating, resilience-based design guidelines developed by Arup that establish a new benchmark for seismic construction.
High-rise Construction | Oct 5, 2016
Plans for Hudson Yards skyscraper from Bjarke Ingels have officially been filed
The 65-story tower will be primarily office space and has an estimated development cost of $3.2 billion
Sustainability | Oct 4, 2016
One World Trade Center officially awarded LEED Gold certification
The skyscraper received the certification despite a setback caused by Hurricane Sandy.
High-rise Construction | Sep 23, 2016
A massive redevelopment in Tokyo reunites developer and architect
Mitsui Fudosan and SOM join forces to create OH-1, a mixed-use complex with a prominent public square.
High-rise Construction | Sep 12, 2016
Bangkok’s tallest tower is also one of its most unique
At 1,030 feet tall, MahaNakhon Tower’s height is only outdone by its arresting design.
Mixed-Use | Sep 9, 2016
Rolled book scroll-inspired mixed-use project from Aedas planned for Chongqing, China
With a bookstore at the heart of the development, the project looks to exemplify an ancient Chinese proverb that says “knowledge brings wealth.”
Office Buildings | Sep 8, 2016
Taipei’s Lè Architecture, designed by Aedas, is almost complete
The 18-story building is designed to resemble a moss-covered river pebble in Taipei’s Nangang District.
High-rise Construction | Sep 8, 2016
Construction on the tallest residential tower in western Europe could start early next year
China’s Greenland Group is the developer of four of the world’s 10 largest skyscrapers
