Rabat: Mohammed VI tower reaches final height becoming the tallest tower in Africa
The Mohammed VI tower in Rabat has reached its final height and becomes officially the tallest tower in Africa at 250 meters.
Designed by BESIX and Six Construct, the Mohammed VI tower in Rabat is designed to be visible from a distance of 50 kilometers all around.
The tower is still under construction, which is expected to be done in 2023, while the beginning of the project goes back to 2016.
The Mohammed VI Tower is a significant Development Project in the Bouregreg Valley, a leading part of Rabat’s program as the Moroccan Capital of Culture. This project includes major structural urban initiatives, including the Grand Theatre of Rabat which is also a part of the valley, and the House of Arts and Culture.
Inside the tower is 55 floors containing a luxury hotel, offices, high-end apartments, and a viewing terrace at the top showing a view from a 250-meter height.
“The structure can withstand not only the usual elements, such as strong winds or seismic events but also flooding from the neighboring Bouregreg river,” said the designing company, BESIX then followed by saying that the facades are “particularly stunning”.
The facades are transparent to the north, while on the south of the tower, they are covered by photovoltaic panels.
The tower’s south facade is equipped with 3350 m² of panels, with rainwater recovery and wastewater recycling systems incorporated in the building’s design.
Hot water comes from an internal energy recovery system.
“The building is designed to be certified LEED Gold and HQE, complying with the highest international environmental quality standards,” concluded BESIX.
“The building is designed to be certified LEED Gold and HQE, complying with the highest international environmental quality standards,” concluded BESIX.
Back in 2019, the united nations educational, scientific and cultural organization “UNESCO”, expressed in a letter sent to the Moroccan government that “it greatly regrets that the complete details of this great program (the urban planning in Rabat, including the Rabat tower and Rabat station) and the individual projects that compose have not been previously submitted to examination”, as reported by EFE.
This is because the city of Rabat is declared an international heritage site.
UNESCO objected to the potentially negative visual impact that the tower project may have on the “outstanding universal value” of the valley of Bouregreg.
