Sunday, October 26, 2008

Milad Tower


Borj-e Milad (aka Milad Tower, Persian: برج میلاد ) (Persian: birth) is the tallest tower in Iran. Built in between the Shahrak-e Gharb and Gisha districts of Tehran, it stands 435 m (1,427 ft) high from base to tip of the antenna. The head consists of a large pod with 12 floors, the roof of which is at 315 m (1,033 ft). Below this is a staircase and elevators to reach the area. Milad tower is the fourth tallest tower in the world after the CN Tower in Toronto, Ostankino Tower in Moscow, and the Oriental Pearl Tower in Shanghai. It is also currently 12th tallest freestanding structure in the world.

Milad tower is part of The Tehran International Trade and Convention Center. Scheduled for completion in late 2009, the project includes the Milad telecommunication tower offering restaurants at the top with spectacular views of Tehran, a five-star hotel, a convention center, a world trade center, and an IT park (to be completed by March 2007). The complex seeks to respond to the needs of business in the globalized world of the 21st century by offering facilities combining trade, information, communication, convention and accommodation all in one place.


The complex features a parking area of 27,000 square meters, a large computer and telecommunication unit, a cultural and scientific unit, a commercial transaction center, a temporary showroom for exhibiting products, a specialized library, an exhibition hall and an administrative unit. Milad Tower has an octagonal base, symbolizing traditional Persian architecture


Sources:
Wikipedia
Construction contractors
virtual tour

11 comments:

Pedestrian said...

Naj, do you know that the "octagonal base, symbolizing traditional Persian architecture" was designed by blind architect?

I find that quite amazing ...

Utah Savage said...

Hi Naj. Amazing structure. And like all towers is almost embarrassingly phallic.

bijan said...

Hi Naj,
I saw a few pictures of pre and post construction a while back. It seemed as if the tower was completed, but I couldn't say for sure, since some the pitcures looked more like an artists' rendition. Do you know whether the tower is completed or not?

Georg said...

Bonjour Neogirl,

Nowadays, each country that has some money to spare - or at least thinks it has - is busily trying to built a high rising tower. Motto of all this: mine is bigger than yours.

Does this remind you of something??

Cheers, Naj

Georg

Naj said...

howdy all

Pedestrian: no i did not know that. Is it fath or myth?

Utah, Georg ... yes it is phallic like any tower

I am not a fan of these tower structures; but thia one has a special feature. It is located in tehran such that, np matter which part of tehran you are in; you can see this in the horizon. Tehran is a very special city, made on dangerous terrain that will someday succumb into a horrible earth quake; but for the same reason, very landscapable and hilly and just beautiful ...
And I love this new Tehran symbol; just because i can see it; no matter where i am.

Bijan, yes it's now operational.

ddmmyyyy said...

Like you Naj, it great for orientation.

I've enjoyed seeing the structure come together and seeing the "327 days to go", get to zero and then be reset - I think they did this 3 times before giving up and saying that the clock related to certain parts of the construction phase.

The talk of the town is who's going to buy a square metre of the place at 4 milliard a pop - I'm not entirely sure how much a milliard is but it's whole lotta zeros for sure.

I kinda like the symbol it brings to Tehran (and Iran - phallic or not). I think Tehran kinda needs it - the place feel rather functional at the best of times - this gives us something to put on coffee mugs and keyrings - or on a website I made.

I hear there is a lottery for folk to go up and visit - with a million people in a queue. I myself was going to go up and pretend to be part of a conference, but plans changed.

Inshallah, it'll happen soon.

David

Pedestrian said...

Well here's the thing Naj:

My mom had a student in her class who told her this guy was her uncle. She brought in some articles about him too. He and his wife are both blind.

But I couldn't find anything about it on the internet. So I guess it comes down to how "truthful" this girl and the newspapers were.

But of course, you'd think that it this were really true, why aren't they publicizing it more? Because it would be a magnificent feat to celebrate along with the tower ...

Naj said...

David,

At the time this was being constructed; my brother was in the school of architecture and urban planning of Tehran U; and he was telling me that his prof had told them, comes hell or high water; do not step foot in this tower :)

I hope the resetting of 327 days has been to 'fix' that problem :)

Pederstrian: maybe the dangerous problems were due to blind architecture ;)

:))
just goofing around!

I love Tehran's new highways and towers and everything. It's not that I have some modernity envy or anything; it's just that they make them BEAUTIFULLY!

I mean that Modares Highways is a peace of art; or that Resalat tunnel! They are just aesthetically designed!
And that city ... have you flown to it at night? the ring of lights curving on its hills as you land in Imam Khomeini airport; like a necklace curving on a beautiful body!

I love driving in Tehran in the middle fo the night; when everyone is sleeping; it is then that you can breath in Pahlavi; go to Jamshidiyeh and hold your lover's hand; and drive as fast as you wish on Modares now I am confused, it is Modarres the one over Abbas Abad, right?

David can you dig up pictures of it?
Taptaptap ...

Pedestrian said...

I mean that Modares Highways is a peace of art; or that Resalat tunnel! They are just aesthetically designed!

Oh they are!

You make me feel sooooooooooooo homesick.

But what is "Pahlavi"?

Naj said...

:))
sorry Pahlavi is the now-called Vali-Asr street!

MolaviisFromm said...

Hello,
I did not know how to send you a personal email but I wanted to ask you if you have seen this Iranian made movie Shahranboo. I hope that I spelled it correctly. If you have seen it I was wondering what you opinion of the movie is.