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With some of the world's largest oil reserves, Iraq's position as a global economic power is growing. This can be seen in the city of Basra, capital of the governorate of the same name, which is planning to expand dramatically by 2025. To achieve this in an environmentally friendly way, AMBS Architects has designed what it is calling the first vertical city in the world. It consists of four integrated towers, rising at 244 metres, 484 metres, 724 metres and 1,152 metres (964 metres without the antenna). The tallest building of the four could become the tallest tower in the world by antenna height, rising 241 storeys above ground.
Named The Bride, the tower complex will create 1,550,908 square metres of new spaces at the centre of a series of neighbourhoods boasting housing, offices, entertainment venues, parks, 'sky gardens,' and a light rail transit network. The new city will also be self-sustaining, with solar power used to generate electricity and the fertile surrounding region providing the residents with food. A 600,000-square-metre 'veil' will cover the southern facade of the tower and span the mid-rise neighbourhood planned around the base of the megatall tower, providing shade and reducing the need for cooling.
No construction plans have been announced, but more information should become available soon. Until then, you can join the conversation about this development by leaving a comment at the bottom of this page or visiting the dedicated Forum thread. More renderings are available on the Database file for the complex, linked below.
