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
High-rise Construction | Apr 6, 2015
Melbourne tower will light up depending on weather
The tower will be illuminated by 164-foot-tall beams of LED light based on weather updates from the Bureau of Meteorology.
Multifamily Housing | Mar 31, 2015
Plans for a new condo tower in New York create a ‘communal ecosystem’ for residents
The conceptual plans for a 700-foot-tall, 65-story condominium tower in New York City were unveiled in early March by its architect, Perkins+Will.
High-rise Construction | Mar 24, 2015
Timber high-rise residential complex will tower over Stockholm waterfront
The four towers, 20 stories each, will be made entirely out of Swedish pine, from frame to façade.
Healthcare Facilities | Mar 23, 2015
Can advanced elevator technology take vertical hospitals to the next level?
VOA's Douglas King recalls the Odyssey project and ponders vertical transportation in high-rise healthcare design.
High-rise Construction | Mar 16, 2015
NBBJ creates 'shadowless' skyscraper concept for proposed UK development
A team of architects from the London branch of NBBJ used computer algorithms to generate a dual-tower design that maximizes sunlight reflections to eliminate the buildings' shadows.
High-rise Construction | Mar 16, 2015
Mexican Museum tower caught in turmoil to break ground this summer in San Francisco
Millennium Partners said it will break ground on the 53-story residential and museum tower while the lawsuits go through the appeals process.
Cultural Facilities | Mar 13, 2015
New Orleans observation tower to feature 320-foot double-helix gondola ride
Tricentennial Tower will take visitors on a 300-year journey through the city's history before landing them at the top for a 360-degree view of the Crescent City.
High-rise Construction | Mar 12, 2015
Developers confirm Renzo Piano’s contribution in Sydney harbor overhaul
If the entire development is approved, One Sydney Harbour will be Piano’s second project in Australia.
High-rise Construction | Mar 12, 2015
Foster and Partners designs 'The One' in Toronto
Developer Sam Mizrahi worked with Foster and Partners and Core Architects to design Toronto's tallest skyscraper aside from the CN Tower, The One, which will house a luxury shopping mall and condos.
High-rise Construction | Mar 11, 2015
Must see: Firm proposes skyscraper with a ‘twist’ in downtown Tulsa
Tulsa, Okla.-based architecture practice Kinslow, Keith & Todd released renderings of a skyscraper concept that takes the shape of a tornado.
