Middle East Development, a Dubai-based company, has announced plans to build Africa's tallest skyscraper. Designed by Paris-based Valode & Pistre, Al Noor Tower will be built in Casablanca, Morocco, and will include a five-star hotel, offices, business center, and shopping mall, according to ArchDaily.
Al Noor will stand 540 meters tall, more than double the height of Johannesburg's 223-meter Carlton Center, currently the tallest building on the continent.
The $1 billion tower will have 114 stories, alluding to the 114 chapters of the Koran.
On the project's website, the development team describes the design inspiration:
"The design of Al Noor Tower is elegant and gives the feeling of a wedding dress. From the side, the tower look like a fountain pen, which is the tool that Sheikh Tarek [Chairman of Middle East Development] is using to design the future. The height of the tower is 540 meters to remind us that Africa has 54 countries. Everyone in Africa will feel part of that tower."
The tower is slated for completion in 2018.
Related Stories
Architects | Sep 24, 2015
Supertall buildings vie for dominance along Chicago’s skyline
The latest proposals pit designs by Rafael Viñoly, Jeanne Gang, and Helmut Jahn.
Multifamily Housing | Sep 23, 2015
Richard Meier unveils design scheme for residential high-rise in Taipei
The sleek and minimalist luxury tower will offer guests and residents views of the iconic Taipei 101.
Multifamily Housing | Sep 16, 2015
Kengo Kuma proposes ‘carved tower’ for downtown Vancouver
The 40-story residential tower, to be built in downtown Vancouver’s West End neighborhood, will have 188 residential units, "with many units within the carved deductions possessing substantially sized patios," according to Vancity Buzz.
Multifamily Housing | Sep 16, 2015
Quarter-acre of land is enough space for an upscale Chicago apartment complex
The building will hold 90 micro apartments, 40 pre-furnished extended-stay hotel rooms, and a small retail space on the ground floor.
High-rise Construction | Sep 15, 2015
Developers tap crowdfunding investors to finance construction and renovation projects
The world’s first crowdfunded skyscraper is near completion in Colombia.
High-rise Construction | Sep 10, 2015
New York’s Central Park Tower loses its spire but still adds some height
This building, the tallest under development at the moment, is the latest manifestation of the city’s luxury residential construction boom.
High-rise Construction | Sep 3, 2015
Rafael Viñoly's 'Walkie-Talkie' tower named U.K.'s worst new building
The curved, glass tower at 20 Fenchurch Street in London has been known to reflect intense heat onto the streets below (in one instance damaging a car) and cause severe wind gusts.
High-rise Construction | Sep 2, 2015
Nashville officials and residents weigh the pros and cons of taller, thinner skyscrapers
One developer proposes building a 38-story tower on a half-acre of land.
Retail Centers | Aug 31, 2015
Urban developers add supermarkets to the mixes
Several high-rise projects include street-level Whole Foods Markets.
Multifamily Housing | Aug 27, 2015
Architects propose shipping container tower to replace slums
The firm says approximately 2,500 containers would be needed to complete the design, which aims to accommodate as many as 5,000 people.
