Zanzibar has announced plans to build sub-Saharan Africa’s tallest skyscraper at a cost of $1.3 billion, an amount that exceeds the semi-autonomous archipelago’s annual budget by more than 60%.
The 70-storey Zanzibar Domino Commercial Tower will be developed by a joint venture of Tanzanian AICL Group and Edinburgh Crowland Management Ltd which, on Monday, signed a contract with New York and Dubai-based design architect company, xCassia.
The deal will see xCassia come up with architectural designs for what will be the largest hotel and the tallest skyscraper in East and Central Africa.
The ambitious tower will also be the second tallest building in Africa, behind Egypt’s The Iconic Tower.
At the signing ceremony, CEO of Crowland Management Ltd, Dr Emmanuel Umoh, said one of the purposes of the massive building was to support Zanzibar’s quest to build a strong blue economy.
“The building which will be called Zanzibar Domino Commercial Tower is expected to be one of the international iconic features, facilitating tourism, culture, and business opportunities,” he said.
The construction of the said project is expected to be in phases, to be undertaken over a period of four years, providing employment opportunities to locals.
Mudrik Ramadhan Soraga, Zanzibar’s Minister of State, President’s Office, Economy and Investment, said the project will help to build a blue economy and that the government encourages more local and foreign investors to invest in the isle.
Design director and xCassia founder Jean-Paul Cassia says the idea for the project has been in discussion for nearly 15 years, adding that environmental assessments, budgeting and accessing infrastructure were all essential to ensuring that the project would be successful.
Linked by a high and low bridge structure, the development is planned over three key sites: the Arrivals Plaza, Zanzibar Domino, and Island Resort, each with distinct identities and uses the guest experience pathway in a seamless curated journey from arrival to destination.
Zanzibar Domino Commercial Tower will involve a man-made island with a marina for yachts and cruise ships.
The finished project will also house 560 apartments, luxury hotels, resorts, a golf course and a wedding chapel.