Decades of anticipation now materialize in Abidjan as Tour F rises grandly into the skyline. Imagined during the 1970s as a linchpin in Plateau’s urban plan, the supertall skyscraper delayed construction for over forty years due to persistent bureaucratic and economic hurdles. However, 2021 marked a turning point as the BESIX Group began the ambitious task of laying 70 foundation bars and 62-meter-deep diaphragm wall panels to secure the soaring structure.
The architectural vision of Pierre Fakhoury
Tour F owes its distinctive presence to the creative prowess of Pierre Fakhoury, a Lebanese-Ivorian architect known for the majestic Notre-Dame de la Paix Basilica in Yamoussoukro. Fakhoury’s latest creation transcends being a mere glass edifice. The facade, a series of trapezoidal inclined glass planes, embodies an artistic dialogue between earth and sky, culminating in a dramatically open-air end. This sleek but bold design achieves a harmony few can muster, and it’s a testament to Fakhoury’s masterful architectural narrative.
Fakhoury has embedded cultural significance into the skyscraper’s form, meticulously crafting the facade to evoke a stylized African mask—a tribute to West African creative heritage. The building’s symmetry along an east-west axis enhances this sculptural elegance, juxtaposed with a straightforward podium at ground level that accommodates entrances and essential services, ensuring both grandiosity and accessibility.
A new benchmark in African architecture
Scheduled to reach a height of 421 meters, Tour F is primed to become Africa’s tallest building, overtaking Johannesburg’s The Leonardo. With a sprawling gross floor area of around 140,000 square meters, it seeks to streamline government operations by consolidating ministries and administrative offices that are currently dispersed throughout the city, thus marrying practical function with an innovative design.
The project’s estimated cost of €450 million involves a partnership between the Ivorian Ministry of Construction and PFO Africa, with completion set for 2026. As architectural ambitions on the continent rise, Tour F stands as a pivotal project, redefining perceptions of African urban landscapes and elevating design to embody cultural richness.
Source: yankodesign.com