The new iconic National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) Headquarters building in the heart of Kuwait City and the growing financial district, is now nearing completion and occupation. Standing a colossal 300 m tall and covering a total floor area of 127,000sqm, the tower boasts a distinctive presence among other high-rise buildings in Sharq, adding significantly to the city’s skyline.
The tower design concept originated from a pearl shell, an object highly symbolic in Kuwait’s history and heritage, culture and economy. The main construction comprises composite concrete and steel, while the cladding on the fins and glass façades is predominantly glass reinforced concrete. The tower has been built with an intentional lean to compensate for its designed offset centre of gravity.
“We are extremely proud to have completed and delivered this project to our established client – not only because the end result is of such high quality, but also because it reflects SSH’s professionalism, expertise and commitment toward client gratification,” said Mohammad Iqbal – senior resident engineer at SSH, Kuwait.
SSH acted as Lead Consultant for construction supervision, in association with Foster + Partners and BuroHappold. Based on its energy-saving and environment preservation designs, NBK Tower is a new landmark green building built in line with LEED Gold requirements, making it one of the first with such high certification in Kuwait and the region.