SOCAR Tower

{{Infobox building

| name = SOCAR Tower

| status = Complete

| image = SOCAR Tower (2016).jpg

| caption =

| location = Heydar Aliyev Avenue, Baku, Azerbaijan

| coordinates = {{coord|40.4055158|49.8814638}}

| map_type =

| architectural_style = Structural expressionism

| start_date = 2010

| completion_date = 2016

| architect = Heerim Architects & Planners Co. Ltd.

| owner = SOCAR

| cost = US$ 406.5m{{cite web |url=http://www.tekfeninsaat.com.tr/TR/insaat_proje_detay.asp?id=13 |title=Azerbaycan devlet petrol şirketi genel merkez inşaati (SOCAR tower) projesi |trans-title=Azerbaijan state oil company headquarters building (SOCAR tower) project |work= www.tekfeninsaat.com.tr |language=Turkish |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141017053541/http://www.tekfeninsaat.com.tr/TR/insaat_proje_detay.asp?id=13 |archivedate=2014-10-17 |accessdate=7 October 2017}}

| floor_area = {{cvt|100,000|m2}}

| top_floor =

| references =

| building_type = Headquarters

| architectural = {{convert|209|m|ft|abbr=on}}

| tip =

| antenna_spire =

| roof =

| elevator_count =

| structural_engineer =

| main_contractor = Tekfen Construction and Installation

| opening = 2016

| management =

| floors = 42 (2 underground + 38 overhead dwelling + 2 overhead attic)

| developer = SOCAR

}}

SOCAR Tower is a skyscraper in Baku, Azerbaijan. It is the 2nd tallest building in Baku and in Azerbaijan. The skyscraper serves as the headquarters of SOCAR (State Oil Company of the Azerbaijan Republic). It is one of Baku's major landmarks, along with the Flame Towers.

Construction began in 2010{{cite web |url=http://www.news.az/articles/society/24456 |title=Ilham Aliyev attends ground breaking ceremony of SOCAR’s new building |work=www.news.az |date=12 October 2010 |accessdate=7 October 2017 |archive-date=23 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190323073733/https://news.az/articles/society/24456 |url-status=dead }} and was completed in 2016. It was the tallest building in Baku until it was surpassed by the Port Baku Towers.

Design

Designed by Heerim Architects of South Korea, the building is an example of structural expressionism.{{cite web|title=SOCAR Tower, Baku - SkyscraperPage.com|url=http://skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=63174|website=skyscraperpage.com|accessdate=8 October 2017}} The building looks like two towers that curve around each other as they rise, according to skyscraper.com, "the seemingly shorter tower almost looks like it's resting its head on the chest of the taller tower. The taller towers peak slightly, bending over it in a confident, reassuring and comforting manner". The tower is {{cvt|209|m}} high and has 42 floors, covering an area of {{cvt|12,000|m2}} and providing {{cvt|100,000|m2}} of usage area. The headquarters is primarily office space, but also includes conference and sports facilities, a guest house, retail space and food outlets.

The design of the building is based on a composite system of steel construction (manufactured by the Permasteelisa Group) with reinforced concrete walls. The building is designed to withstand wind speeds of 190 km/h (120 mph) and an earthquake measuring nine on the Richter scale.

The building, designed by the South Korean company Heerim Architects & Planners Co. Ltd, based on the concept of "wind and fire", was built by the Turkish company Tekfen Construction and Installation.{{cite web|url=http://www.tekfen.com.tr/english/haber/gundem27.html |title=Tekfen Construction to build SOCAR’s new headquarter |work=www.tekfen.com.tr |date=June 2010 |accessdate=7 October 2017}}