{"id":111397,"date":"2015-01-03T08:30:51","date_gmt":"2015-01-03T13:30:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.livabl.com\/articles\/?p=111397"},"modified":"2015-01-05T15:18:22","modified_gmt":"2015-01-05T20:18:22","slug":"africas-tallest-building-lord-of-the-rings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.livabl.com\/articles\/archives\/africas-tallest-building-lord-of-the-rings","title":{"rendered":"The Internet thinks Africa’s future tallest building looks like it’s from Lord of the Rings"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\"Screen<\/a>Image:\u00a0alnoortower.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

What do Morocco and Mordor have in common? If you guessed an ominous, dual-spire tower — you are correct.<\/p>\n

The 1,771 foot Al Noor Tower, which will be Africa\u2019s tallest, is currently in the planning stages of development. The project was commissioned for Casablanca by Sheikh Tarek Mohammed bin Laden, an exorbitantly wealthy Saudi businessman and yes, the half-brother of Osama bin Laden. The Sheikh is no stranger to large-scale developments, he\u2019s also aiming to build a 29 kilometre bridge<\/a> over the Red Sea connecting Africa to Asia.<\/p>\n

\"Screen<\/a>Image:\u00a0alnoortower.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

French architecture firm Valode et Pistre designed the Al Noor Tower, which translates from Arabic to the Tower of Light. According to the official website<\/a>, the structure is intended to evoke a myriad of metaphors — \u201cthe feeling of a wedding dress…a fountain pen [which] Sheikh Tarek is using to design the future…an eye from the top to symbolize [his] vision.\u201d<\/p>\n

Its 114 stories symbolize the number of chapters in the Quran, its height of 540 metres, the 54 African countries and the pixelated fa\u00e7ade, the 1,000 languages spoken throughout the continent.<\/p>\n

\"Screen<\/a>Image:\u00a0alnoortower.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

But even without a fiery eye, we think it looks a whole lot like the Barad-d\u00fbr<\/a> — Sauron\u2019s fortress from J.R.R. Tolkien\u2019s The Lord of the Rings. The land for the estimated $1 billion Al Noor Tower has yet to be secured, but soil tests are scheduled to begin in June. Once completed, the tower will include offices, luxury shopping, a seven star hotel and spa, conference hall, stock trading floor and restaurants.<\/p>\n

We’re also not the only ones who think the Lord of the Rings comparison is an apt one:<\/p>\n

The new Tallest Building in Africa? Lord of the Rings style tower set to be built in Casablanca: http:\/\/t.co\/71GDgQiCjG<\/a> #construction<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Engage Construction (@Engage_C) December 30, 2014<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n