Leonardo in Sandton to grab title of Africa’s tallest building

The Leonardo, located in the heart of Sandton is set to become Africa’s tallest building when it is completed later this year.

The monumental skyscraper was originally set for completion in September last year, however, the developers then decided to push the building past 50 floors as originally planned. The Legacy Group, the developers behind the project are expected to complete the project with the tower measuring 230m.

The current tallest building is the Carlton Tower, also located in Johannesburg, which reaches 223m. The Carlton Tower has remained the tallest building in Africa for over 40 years however its reign will soon be over with many developments competing to be the tallest in Africa over the next few years.

The Leonardo will function as a mixed-use space with apartments, offices, landscaped gardens, a bar and a crèche. The Leonardo offers eight luxury Penthouses Suites topped by the three-level, 360° view Leonardo Suite. The Leonardo Suite is 2 880m². The development will include two levels of public areas off the street linked by an escalator to the lobby.

As part of the future phases of the development, it is proposed to develop a fully integrated business and a convenience centre as well as a link to a square, similar in size to Nelson Mandela Square, surrounded by restaurants and shops.

While the Leonardo is expected to be the tallest building in Africa, its reign may be short-lived as many other developments across the continent plan to surpass the Leonardo’s height.

In Nairobi, Kenya, the Pinnacle Towers are expected to far exceed the Leonardo at 70 floors. The construction on the building is expected to be completed next year. The Bank of Africa Tower, in Morocco, plans to be the tallest building in Africa when it is finished in 2022. The skyscraper will reach 250m, 20m higher than the Leonardo. The Iconic Tower in Cairo, Egypt, plans to surpass the Bank of Africa Tower upon its completion, measuring at 390m.

While the competition is stiff to hold the title of Africa’s tallest building, this will only grow with many proposed projects far exceeding the 200m mark.

The Burj Khalifa remains the world’s tallest building at 829m, a title it has held since 2009.

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