Tour Nabemba
|
Tour Nabemba Elf Tower |
|
|---|---|
|
|
| Basic data | |
| Place: | Brazzaville , Republic of the Congo |
| Construction time : | 1982-1986 |
| Opening: | 1986 |
| Status : | built |
| Architectural style : | Modern |
| Architect : | Jean Marie Legrand |
| Technical specifications | |
| Height : | 106 m |
| Floors : | 30th |
| Building material : | Concrete , glass |
| Building-costs: | around £ 6 million |
The Tour Nabemba , also known as Elf Tower , is the tallest building in Central Africa with a height of 106 meters and is located in Brazzaville ( Republic of the Congo ). It was named after the highest mountain in the Republic of the Congo, the Nabemba . The building was built with funds borrowed from the French oil company Elf Aquitaine to demonstrate Brazzaville's supposed superiority over the larger of the two Congolese capitals, Kinshasa ( Democratic Republic of the Congo ).
The Tour Nabemba was designed by Jean Marie Legrand and built during the five-year plan of the Marxist government, from 1982 to 1986. Various ministries and offices of charitable and development-oriented institutions, such as the African self-help development initiative or the New Partnership for Africa's Development and UNESCO, are housed on 30 floors . The skyscraper is located directly on the Congo River in the south of the city, across from Kinshasa.
Data and technology
The shape of the skyscraper is slim; the sides are bent inwards towards the center and thus result in a concave cylinder. The tower is based on a rectangular pedestal , which forms the main core of the construction. The outer facade consists of vertical lines with glass and light concrete, which reinforce its narrow shape. The floor plan comprises three concentric circles from the sixth to the 27th floor : the elevators and technical facilities are located in the middle, these are enclosed by a circular corridor and finally by an outer ring of offices, which are divided into segments by sliding walls , limited. The windows are closed, but an air conditioning system pumps air through a cold water cooling system and thus regulates the temperature in the building. Three 430 kVA generators provide the building with energy during the constant power outages in the city.
criticism
The Tour Nabemba was badly damaged during the 1997 civil war that brought the former dictator Sassou Nguesso back to power. However, the ruin was rebuilt for £ 6 million - more than the actual construction cost. Meanwhile, neighboring offices, apartments and buildings were still destroyed by projectiles.
The maintenance of the structure is £ 3 million a year. This is viewed critically by locals, as the building, besides the attempt to be used as a prestige object, has no real use.
Individual evidence
- ^ Société - Année 1990. February 3, 1990: inauguration de l'immeuble d'Elf-Congo, baptisé «Tour Nabemba». In: Lés Dépêches de Brazzaville. Les Manguiers, July 30, 2010, archived from the original on June 10, 2012 ; Retrieved on February 15, 2012 (French): "Les travaux ont été réalisés pendant quatre ans par la société pétrolière Elf-Aquitaine (France) et les sociétés« Générale d'entreprises »(Congo) et Immobilière de la tour."
- ^ Cassie Knight: Where rich and poor collide. In: Building Design online. July 1, 2005, accessed February 15, 2012 (British English): "It is neither useful nor necessary, as it swallows up a lot of maintenance costs."
Coordinates: 4 ° 16 ′ 19.6 ″ S , 15 ° 17 ′ 20.8 ″ E