Casablanca Twin Center

Casablanca Twin Centre
برجا الدار البيضاء
General information
Location Casablanca, Morocco
Coordinates 33°35′10″N 7°37′55″W / 33.58611°N 7.63194°W / 33.58611; -7.63194Coordinates: 33°35′10″N 7°37′55″W / 33.58611°N 7.63194°W / 33.58611; -7.63194
Completed 1999
Height
Roof 115 m (377 ft)
Technical details
Floor count 28
Floor area 93,000 m2 (1,000,000 sq ft)[1]
Design and construction
Architect Ricardo Bofill

The Casablanca Twin Center (Arabic: برجا الدار البيضاء‎, French: Tours Jumelles de Casablanca) is a complex of two skyscrapers located at Casablanca, Morocco. The two structures, the West Tower and the East Tower, have 28 floors each.[2] The centre houses a complex of shops, offices, and a 5 star hotel, and lies at the heart of Casablanca in the Maarif district, at the crossroads between Zerktouni Boulevard and the Boulevard Al Massira Al Khadra. The main architect was the Spanish Catalan Ricardo Bofill Levi and the associate architect was the Moroccan Elie Mouyal.

Location and appearance

The complex forms the main gateway to the residential districts in the west of the city, and is located on a triangular site which emphasizes the project’s asymmetry. The two connecting towers are identical, but distinct, and are joined at the lower levels by a large complex containing the bulk of the popular shopping centre. The whole structure presents a modern high-tech image, with a pared-down design and minimal relief, while local tradition is maintained in the building materials: marble, plaster, and ceramic tiles.

Twin Center as seen from below.

The central square is a landscaped shopping centre on three terraces, offering a perspective on the urban scale, when seen from the exterior. The two towers are the tallest buildings of Morocco, or of the Maghreb region of north Africa. They rise through 115 metres to a total of 28 floors each. The total floor area is 93,000 m2 (1,001,044 sq ft), with a 7.2 metre high atrium. There are 15 elevators (lifts) in the Twin Centre. The towers were inaugurated in 1998 and became a landmark in Casablanca.

Use of towers

Above the shopping centre, which includes 5 levels, has a supermarket in addition to boutique and designer shops, are the two towers:

  • The West Tower, or Tower A, forming part of the shopping centre, with multiple floors of office accommodation above;
  • The East Tower, or Tower B, which contains the five-star Kenzi Tower Hotel.

Offices in Tower A are much sought after by international businesses. The hotel in Tower B has 210 bedrooms, plus 27 suites, including the 'Casablanca Royal Suite'. Facilities such as spa, bars, and restaurants are open to non-residents and are popular amongst Casablanca's richer residents, particularly the panoramic restaurant on the 27 floor, and "Bar 28", located on the 28 and top floor of Tower B.

See also

References

  1. ↑ ' Archived February 5, 2007, at the Wayback Machine. - Ricardo Bofill
  2. ↑ Casablanca Twin Towers Archived September 30, 2007, at the Wayback Machine. - Emporis
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