Africa’s tallest skyscraper set to be taller than Chicago’s Willis Tower and bring the continent of Africa into the skyscraper big league
Centurion Symbio-City, near Johannesburg, poised to become world’s 14th-tallest freestanding structure
An illustration of Centurion Symbio-City, which will soar to 447 metres/1,466 feet tall
South Africa could soon be home to one of the world’s tallest buildings, if the mayor of the City of Tshwane is to be believed. At 447 metres with 110 floors, the proposed building, set to be constructed in Centurion, will be Africa’s tallest structure and taller than New York’s Empire State Building.
The planned Centurion Symbio-City development will comprise two office buildings and one residential tower. The tallest tower will be 447 metres high, reaching 110 storeys. It will be flanked by two towers of 80 and 60 floors.
The City of Tshwane, the municipality under which Centurion falls, describes the project as a modern, technologically advanced, cutting edge development.
Centurion is situated in South Africa’s Gauteng Province, close to the country’s administrative capital Pretoria.
So how will the proposed Symbio-City’s tallest tower compare to the world’s tallest buildings? Not taking into account buildings that are currently under construction, such as the One World Trade Centre building in New York, the Symbio-City tower will be the 14th tallest freestanding structure in the world, only 5 metres shorter than the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Tshwane is home to 132 embassies and four universities. According to Kgosientso Ramokgopa, executive mayor of the City of Tshwane, “the development is a reflection of the range of economic opportunities, cultural experiences, safety and a quality physical environment that Tshwane offers.”
It is unclear when the proposed development will be completed.
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Africa’s Tallest Building
Mixed Use High Rise
Centurion
Centurion is located between South Africa’s administrative capital, Pretoria, and its commercial capital, Johannesburg.
Centurion (previously known as Verwoerdburg) is in Gauteng Province of South Africa, located between Pretoria and Midrand. In 2000, Centurion became part of the newly-created City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality, which also includes Pretoria.
Lyttelton was renamed Verwoerdburg in 1967, after Hendrik Verwoerd, the so-called “architect of apartheid”. Verwoerdburg was changed to Centurion soon after the end of apartheid.
City of Tshwane
The City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality was established on December 5, 2000.
City of Tshwane includes:
Akasia
Atteridgeville
Bronberg
Bronkhorstspruit
Centurion
Crocodile River
Cullinan/Rayton/Refilwe
Eersterust
Ekangala
Elands River
Ga-Rankuwa
Hammanskraal
Laudium
Mabopane
Mamelodi
Pienaarsrivier
Pretoria
Rethabiseng
Roodeplaat
Soshanguve
Temba
Winterveld
Zithobeni
Atteridgeville
Bronberg
Bronkhorstspruit
Centurion
Crocodile River
Cullinan/Rayton/Refilwe
Eersterust
Ekangala
Elands River
Ga-Rankuwa
Hammanskraal
Laudium
Mabopane
Mamelodi
Pienaarsrivier
Pretoria
Rethabiseng
Roodeplaat
Soshanguve
Temba
Winterveld
Zithobeni
Pretoria skyline
The Carlton Centre in downtown Johannesburg, South Africa is 223 metres (732 ft) and has been the tallest building in Africa for 38 years. The building was designed by the American architectural firm Skidmore, Owings and Merrill.
Johannesburg skyline
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The tallest building in:
China has the largest number of tall buildings in the world, surpassing the United States.
New York, USA
Empire State Building 1,454 feet (443 m)
Chicago, USA
Willis Tower (formerly Sears Tower), 1,454 feet (443 m)
Los Angeles, USA
U.S. Bank Tower, 1,018 feet (310 m)
Atlanta, USA
Bank of America Plaza 1,023 feet (312 m)
Houston, USA
JPMorgan Chase Tower, 1,002 feet (305 m)
London, UK
Shard London Bridge, 1,016 feet (309.7 m) the tallest building in the European Union.
Cairo, Egypt
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Building, 469 feet (143 m)
Nairobi, Kenya
New Central Bank Tower, 460 feet (140 m)
Lagos, Nigeria
NITEL Building, 520 feet (160 m)
Shanghai, China
Shanghai World Financial Center, 1,614 feet (492 m)
Hong Kong, China
International Commerce Centre, 1,588 feet (484 m)
Gold Coast, Australia
Q1, 1,058 feet (322.5 m)
Melbourne, Australia
Eureka Tower 975 feet (297 m) 9th tallest residential tower when measured to its highest floor, until surpassed by Ocean Heights and the HHHR Tower in Dubai.
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Burj Khalifa, 2,722 feet (829) World’s tallest building.
Dilemma X 
June 1, 2012
Africa, International