When completed, The Diamond of Istanbul will take pride of place as the city's tallest skyscraper.
Currently being built in the city's Maslak business district, the developer - Hattat Construction Co. - have commenced structural work on a total construction area comprising slightly in excess of 12,000 m².
When completed in 2010, it will consist of 53 floors and reach an above-ground height of around 270m. Once completed, The Diamond will surpass Europe's current tallest skyscraper, the 264m tall Triumph Palace in Moscow.
Much of the development is dense and vertical, and is formed from a three-tower mixed-use complex to be clad in shimmering glass. The Diamond will make a handsome addition to the city, famous for its centuries-old covered Grand Bazaar and other historical buildings, but which now also has dozens of modern shopping centres either at the planning stage or underway.
The Diamond of Istanbul Project comprises of 3 steel wings connected to a central concrete core, which houses the elevators in the building. The 3 wings will house respectively, a luxury hotel, A-class offices, and rental apartments. The steel wings rise from the common podium of a shopping mall comprising 5 floors - 3 above-ground and 2 below. Also included in the scheme are cinemas, concert halls, a botanical garden and a huge aquarium. Underground parking will also be included in the form of a 5-floor parking garage situated in the bottom-most floors of the building.
The panoramic restaurant on the top-most floor will present birds-eye views of both entrances to the Bosphorus strait and the dining experience at one of the tallest man-made points in Istanbul and indeed Europe.
Located in Istanbul's growing business district the towers will also have direct access to the airport - approximately 40km away - as well as direct access by subway to the old town, business centre and airport. It will be one of the few hotels to have direct subway access to the airport.
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