Pentagon is surpassed by Indian diamond trading hub as world's largest office
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The iconic Pentagon building held the record for the world's largest office space for 80 long years. It has now been displaced by a diamond bourse built in the lesser-known city of Surat in India, CNN reported.
Located 150 miles (241 km) north of the financial capital of Mumbai, the city of Surat is hardly a destination for millions of tourists who visit India every year. But if you have ever bought a diamond, whether it was mined in Africa or Russia, there is a nine-in-ten chance that the diamond made a trip to Surat before it reached you.
More than 65,000 people are involved in the diamond business in Surat alone in different capacities. Some are involved in cutting the gems, others in polishing them, while many trade in them. The city of Mumbai is where business largely gets done, meaning that thousands travel the 300-mile journey (to and fro) every day.
With the Surat Diamond Bourse completed, the business will take place in Surat and now has the world's largest office space to get it done.
Surat Diamond Bourse
Built over 14 hectares (35 acres), the Surat Diamond Bourse (SDB) structure consists of nine rectangular towers that spill out from a central spine. Each of the towers is home to a 15-story complex which is all inter-connected and brings the total floor space to 7.1 million square feet, leaving the Pentagon behind by 600,000 square feet.
The space will house offices of 4,500 diamond merchants with the option to pick sizes ranging from 300 square feet to 75,000 square feet. These offices can also double up as cutting and polishing workshops, making it the one-stop destination for all professionals engaged in the business.
Construction for the complex began four years ago but was hampered by the pandemic. Interestingly though, all office spaces were sold even before the construction began. The 32-billion rupee project (US$388 million) was completed in April this year and is expected to be inaugurated later in November.
Inspired by the 'bazaar'
Designed by the architectural firm Morphogenesis, the SDB might come across as a modern-day airport terminal building with a dash of opulence, thanks to the marble floors and recreational facilities.
But the designers ensured that the Bourse provided a level-playing field for businesses big and small inside the megastructure. Reaching an office inside the complex takes no more than seven minutes from any of the entry gates.
The business of diamond trading in India, however, takes place outside formal office spaces. The designers have therefore created nine courtyards with seating and water features to create a public park-like ambiance for human interactions and retain the conventional 'bazaar' feel to the transaction.
The building itself is certified "Platinum" by the Indian Green Building Council, and the central spine works to funnel winds through the structure. Chilled water will be circulated inside the building's floors to provide cooling, with temperatures in the region soaring past 110 Fahrenheit (43 degrees) in the summer.
The designers were also briefed on using solar energy to power the common areas but surpassing the Pentagon was never part of the intended design.
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