Morocco: Construction on country’s tallest skyscraper begins

According to CNN, the tower will stand at 820 feet (250 metres) tall and will become the second-highest skyscraper on the African continent behind The Pinnacle, which is under construction in Nairobi, Kenya.
The Pinnacle will reach 984 feet (300 metres) and is due to be finished in December 2019, overtaking the previous record holder – the 732-foot (223 metre) Carlton Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Meanwhile the Moroccan skyscraper – which is to be named after the Moroccan King Mohammad VI – will consist of 55 floors and will host a luxury hotel, apartments, office space and a viewing terrace. It is due to be completed on 30 May 30 2022.
However, others have reported that the tower will be named The Bank of Africa Tower, with Global Construction Review citing Rik Vandenberghe, chief executive of construction company Besix which is believed to be participating in the construction of the skyscraper. Vandenberghe said:
The Bank of Africa Tower will be an emblematic building for the country. I am proud to see Besix participating in its construction in Morocco, a kingdom in which it has been a pleasure to work in recent years. In the case of the Bank of Africa Tower, we can count on our solid expertise in high-rise construction.
CNN added that the new tower was designed by architects Rafael de la Hoz and Hakim Benjelloun and is being built by construction firm Besix and Travaux Generaux de Construction de Casablanca (TGCC).
Morocco’s BMCE Bank is to pay for the construction of the tower, which is expected to cost 3 billion Moroccan dirham ($314 million).