The US$ 3 billion construction company, Shapoorji Pallonji has been appointed the main contractor for Sri Lanka’s Altair residential twin tower in Colombo.

The contract awarded to Shapoorji Pallonji International operating out of Dubai, covers construction of the foundations, superstructure and civil works and overseeing finishes for the unique diagridsupported towers of Altair; a 63-storied tower leaning into a 240 metre, 68-storied vertical tower that will be the centrepiece of South Asia’s first promenade development, on the lake front of the Beira.

Construction of the 400 luxury apartment development designed by the international celebrity architect Moshe Safdie is to be completed in 2017.

Announcing the award of the construction contract to Shapoorji Pallonji, Altair President Sales & Marketing Pradeep Moraes said the choice of a company with a 149-year lineage in construction is in keeping with its promoter’s philosophy of bringing together industry leaders in every sphere required for the challenging build of a breathtaking development whose unique design and distinctive structure will firmly place Sri Lanka on the architectural map of the world.

Altair Director Jugal Khetawat said, “In the Middle East and India in particular, numerous buildings that endure in memory for their aesthetic brilliance have been built by Shapoorji Pallonji.”

Among the many architectural landmarks built by the company are the Park Towers Dubai, the Palace of Sultan Qaboos Bin Said Al Said of Oman, The Taj Intercontinental Hotel Mumbai and the Hilton Riyadh. At 68 stories, Altair will be the tallest residential tower in South Asia, equalling the Imperial Towers of Mumbai, which were also built by Shapoorji Pallonji, Mr Khetawat said.

Altair Director Pradeep Sureka added: “In structural terms and in design, Altair will be unique. In Shapoorji Pallonji we have a construction giant with time-tested credentials and creative construction in its DNA.”

Speaking on behalf of Shapoorji Pallonji International, M. D. Saini, the company’s Managing Director & CEO said: “We are delighted to be awarded the construction of what promises to be another architectural icon, and look forward to partnering a reputed Group such as South City, the promoter of Altair. Building a design of Moshe Safdie, the architect responsible for Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, is an exciting challenge and one that our team is eager to grapple with.”

All Piling work for the Altair development at Sir James Peiris Mawatha, Colombo 2 has been completed and Shoring, entrusted to Sincon International of Singapore, is nearing completion.

Among the other leading contractors involved in the project are Derby Design, the Structural Design Consultants for the famed Dubai Mall – the largest shopping Mall in the World, the 83-storey Ocean Heights Dubai, the National Library and Drama Centre Singapore and the Manila Airport among others; Barker Mohandas – USA, the Vertical Transport specialists whose projects include Visionnaire New York, AlRiyadh Tower Saudi Arabia and Shenyang IFC China; and RWDI Wind Analysis Consultants whose work includes Burj Khalifa – the world’s tallest building, Petronas Towers, Freedom Tower New York at the WTC location and the London Millennium Bridge.