It is fascinating to observe new towers being designed based off their surrounding natural environments. This is a characteristic that our towers in Toronto seem to lack. There are no mountains, oceans, or canyons to complement. The absence of natural picturesque landscape is probably one of the reasons the city focuses so strongly on bettering our skyline with innovative designs. If we are not known for our land, we might as well be known for decorating it! As much as we love drawing attention to the beautiful designs throughout our city, we would like to change it up a bit and present a new residential tower that will soon be rising in Cairo.

Named Father and Son Skyscraper, the tower’s main purpose is to decrease the crowding in the overpopulated capital of Egypt. Designed by IAMZ Studio, Father and Son is broken down into three core elements: shape, style, and urban/green design. Let’s focus on the shape first. The tower will rise more than 1,500 feet and resemble a father and son standing side by side.  The curvature of the tower is inspired by the Wadi Degla rocks, giving the design an organic flow, connecting it with the natural environment.

IAMZ Studio states that the style is a mix of modern and Islamic architecture, but we would classify a tower such as this as contemporary instead of modern, because of the curved lines.  The contemporary aspect represents Cairo’s current presence, while the Islamic features pay homage to its location.  There are symbols/script patterning the facades, but we are unsure of their meanings, but whatever they are, they look pretty awesome.

The urban/green characteristics consist of multiple green roofs and terraces, seamlessly implemented into the side of the building.  The green roofs produce oxygen and increase the humidity on extra dry days.  Another green feature is the use of solar cells, providing cleaner and cheaper energy.

The Father and Son Skyscraper’s proximity to the Cairo airport and excellent views of Degla Valley, a huge tourist attraction, will draw people to the hotel portion of the building. The overall area of the site will be more than 86,000 square feet, supplying a significant amount of space to accommodate the growing population of Cairo.

We are very pleased to see more architectural designs featuring green elements, inspired by the natural environment, and serving an urban purpose.  Would you like to see a tower like this in Toronto?

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