Karachi KPT Tower Complex

[Desi]

Hright: ~300m
80 Floors
Developed by: Karachi Port Trust (KPT)
Designed by: Aedas

The Karachi Port Trust (KPT) has announced that Aedas is the winner of an international architectural competition for the design of a new landmark waterfront development in Karachi, Pakistan.

The mixed-use project will be the first such landmark building built in Karachi Port. The scheme has two aims: to act as catalyst to some major regeneration initiatives planned for the port by KPT as it develops its land bank; and to provide a new landmark for this new Commercial Business District by the waterfront.

Endorsed by Pakistan’s President General Pervez Musharraf, designs also include residential, retail and conference facility space in addition to its core commercial facility.

The distinct form will be an instantly recognisable symbol. It responds to ecological concerns to reduce carbon footprint, setting a precedent in Pakistan for environmental building standards though the use of passive design principles and techniques of environmental control.

At the centre of the development is an 80 storey helical tower with glazed outer skin. This will house 102,000 sq m of office accommodation, on top of which will sit a 250-bed 5* hotel across the top 21 storeys. The hotel will also include 30 luxury serviced apartments and a swimming pool, and give immaculate views over the Indian Ocean.

Three further towers echo the design, each of varying heights, arranged around a lake. These will each include 280 serviced apartments with a further 70 apartments above 10,000sq m of high-end retail development. The scheme also features a 1,200-seat convention centre and exhibition hall and an underground 2,500 space car-park.

David Kingdom, project director comments:
“Over the last six months we have worked to develop a concept design that satisfies an international demand for BCO standard office space and answer an extreme shortfall in 5* hotel and high class residential facilities identified by the Karachi Port Trust.

This is the first step in developing a large swath of reclaimed land at Karachi Port, a promising area of prime commercial and residential development.”

Aedas is being assisted by MM Pakistan and Mott MacDonald UK & Dubai. The project is due to start on site in April 2007.

Source: Aedas

http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/5126/887aedaswinkarachipakisif4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/8975/12news15hi0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/8546/887aedaswinkarachipakisnb0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Desi]

not even 1 reply, i guess u didnt like it, even though its
much better then many planned buildings all over the
world, its probably the location u didnt like ;)

[ryeler]

I don't like the way the part on the right is attached to the main tower, it looks like it's just tacked on. Needs to flow better.

[ryan]

It's a lovely form, but large complexes like this aren't friendly enough to the neighborhoods they're in for my taste. I would rather see the money spent on contexual development. (and if there's nothing around the site, I don't think it's the right spot for development).

[Zephyr]

From what I currently see, this is a pleasing design, but it seems as though they could have varied the design more for these structures. Ultimately, we need to see more renders before advancing any final opinion on this project.

[lofter1]

I like it ...

A good 6+ minute vid at youtube of the plan for the Karachi Port Trust / KPT Tower:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkQnCE0rQ50

[Zephyr]

I like it ...

A good 6+ minute vid at youtube of the plan for the Karachi Port Trust / KPT Tower

Thank you lofter1, just got back from viewing it. Worth seeing in 3D animation, but I have to tell you that the so-called "echo" to the main tower, still comes off like miniature versions of the same. These residential apartments could have done with a bit more variation on a theme, in order to lend more visual interest to the site. But that is only my opinion - otherwise the rest of it is quite brilliant. That spiraling automated-shading response to the sun was also in the video, and that reminded me of a recent building that is already going up in the city, but which now seems less elegant when compared to this example.

Ultimately I am a fan of these new helical design options. Extensive testing has shown these type of structures to be particularly responsive to severe dynamic loads, despite their inherent torque when at rest. Today they are a very small percentage of the designs out there. In future, I expect that percentage to grow, as they are fine tuned.