Central Bank of Iraq Tower explained

Central bank of Iraq Tower
Native Name:برج البنك المركزي العراقي
Address:Al-Jadiriya, Baghdad
Location City:Baghdad
Location Country: Iraq
Coordinates:33.289°N 44.3845°W
Status:Under Construction
Building Type:Office
Start Date:2018
Est Completion:2024
Architect:Zaha Hadid
Owner:Central Bank of Iraq (CBI)
Cost:$772,000,000
Floor Area:935520NaN0
Floor Count:35
Architectural Style:Deconstructivism, futurist architecture
Height:172m (564feet)
Main Contractor:Daax construction
Website:https://cbi.iq/

The Central Bank of Iraq Tower (Arabic: برج البنك المركزي العراقي), also known as the Zaha Hadid Tower, is a 37-story[1] office skyscraper under construction located on the banks of the Tigris river in the Al-Jadiriya district of Baghdad, Iraq. Upon completion, it will be the second largest building in the country after E1 tower in Erbil, and the tallest building in the capital city with a height of 172m (564feet).[2]

Overview

The Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) had commissioned the Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid in 2010 to design the project,[3] and was presented in 2011, however construction on the project only began in late 2018. It is scheduled to be completed in 2024.[4] [5] The tower will serve as the new headquarters for the Central Bank of Iraq, Iraq's national bank. It also features a VIP entrance, visitor entrance, main lobby, museums, personnel entrance, energy centre, public area, personnel facility, cash management area, data centre, security centre and landscaping areas.

Design

The powerful structural exoskeleton frames the facade, which is itself composed of alternating patterns of open and closed elements that visually and conceptually mimic the light reflection from waves in the river below, reinforcing the dynamism of the design and serving the practical purpose of providing a variety of areas of light and shade within. Solid and purposeful at its base, the exoskeleton gradually opens and reduces the tower rises skywards, bringing greater lightness and views across the capital, Baghdad. The bank's podium weaves hard and soft landscaping together and anchors the building within its context, gradually adjusting its scale through a series of landscaped terraces and gardens to directly engage with the surrounding neighbourhood and manage access to the bank. The vertical layers of the tower's exoskeleton are transformed into the horizontal podium and subtly re-emerge within the landscape.[6]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Iraq's $772m Central Bank HQ project on track. 2021-11-17. www.tradearabia.com.
  2. Web site: Central Bank of Iraq – Zaha Hadid Architects. 2021-11-17. en-GB.
  3. Web site: Iraq's $772m Central Bank HQ project on track. 2021-11-17. www.tradearabia.com.
  4. Web site: The impressive Central Bank of Iraq. It is a project by Zaha Hadid Architects . 2024-08-31 . Magazyn WhiteMAD . 22 October 2024 . en-US.
  5. Web site: Daax Construction - Central Bank of Iraq. 2021-11-17. www.daaxconstruction.com.
  6. Web site: Daax Construction - Central Bank of Iraq. 2021-11-17. www.daaxconstruction.com.